Immunisation Timetable
| Age |
Vaccination |
What does it protect against? |
Any Side Effects? |
How is it given? |
| After birth in some areas |
BCG |
Tuberculosis - often attacks the lungs but can
spread through the body. Cases have been increasing
in this country, so some areas vaccinate children
at birth while your baby is in hospital. This
only tends to be if your baby is more likely than
the general population to come into contact with
TB. If not, the vaccination is commonly administered
at secondary school. |
The BCG vaccination can leave a sore, which
sometimes takes months to heal and leaves a mark. |
Skin test then one injection if needed. |
| 2 months |
DtaP / IPV / Hib & PCV |
Diptheria - This starts with a sore throat
but can rapidly get worse, leading to severe
breathing difficulties. It can also damage the
heart and nervous system.
Tetanus - a bacteria from soil that gets into
the body through cuts and causes muscle stiffness.
Pertussis - a severe whooping cough which can
last for months and can cause breathing problems
and even death.
Polio - is a virus that attacks the nervous
system and can paralyse muscles permanently.
If it attacks the muscles in the chest, or those
that control swallowing, it can be fatal.
Hib - is a lethal bacterium, which causes meningitis
and a dangerous form of throat swelling called
epiglottitis, which affects young infants.
PCV - Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine is a new
addition to the immunisation schedule from Sept
2006. Pneumococcal bacterium vaccine can cause
pneumonia, septicaemia (blood poisoning) and
meningitis, and is also one of the most common
bacterial causes of ear infections.
|
Within 12 to 24 hours of the vaccine being
given your baby may be a little miserable and
can develop:
- Raised temperature
- Some sickness and/or diarrhoea
- Swelling and redness at site of injection
or a small lump which may last for a few weeks
- Rarely (in less than 1 in 1000 children)
a day or two following the vaccination some
babies may develop a high temperature. If
your child does develop a temperature ask
your doctor or nurse who may recommend a suitable
paediatric medicine for them to take.
|
Two injections |
| 3 months |
DtaP / IPV / Hib & Men C |
Meningitis C - one of the serious causes of
meningitis and serious blood infections in children.
Although uncommon now, prior to the introduction
of the vaccine it was the most common killer in
the 1-5 age group. |
Some children may suffer from redness and swelling
at the site of injection and a mild fever and
headache. |
Two injections |
| 4 months |
DtaP / IPV / Hib & PCV & Men C |
As above - repetition of the vaccines are necessary
to build immunity. |
As above |
Three injections |
| 12 months |
Hib / MenC |
This routine Hib booster has been added to the
schedule to maintain protection throughout early
childhood and prevent resurgence of the disease. |
As above |
One injection |
| 13 months |
MMR / PCV |
Measles - the virus is highly contagious and
causes a high fever and rash. Around 60% of children
who get measles are at risk of complications including
chest infections, fits and debilitating brain
damage. Measles is a serious disease that can
kill. |
After the MMR a toddler may demonstrate mild
symptoms that are characteristic of the disease
they are protecting against.
- Ten days after the jab they may get a rash
and a high temperature. If you are at all
worried speak to a doctor or nurse who may
recommend a paediatric medicine.
- After 3 weeks there may be some mild facial
swelling as happens in mumps.
- The more serious side effects include fits,
which affect 1 in 1000, meningitis which affects
one in a million, and severe allergy which
affects 1 in 100,000. Although these may seem
frightening it is important to realise that
this is still many times safer than the disease
itself. No-one has died following vaccination
whilst measles kills up to 1 in 8000 children.
|
Two injections |
