Vaccines are one of medicine’s greatest gifts to children: they protect against diseases that once filled hospitals, such as measles, whooping cough and meningitis. Children follow the vaccination schedule, and every dose goes on the child’s vaccination card, which nurseries and schools ask for at registration.
The milestones of the vaccination schedule
Doses are spread over fixed milestones in the early years, with boosters later on:
- At birth: hepatitis B and BCG (tuberculosis).
- At two, four and six months: the six-in-one vaccine, the pneumococcal vaccine and the rotavirus vaccine.
- At one year: measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), chickenpox, and a pneumococcal booster.
- In the second year and before school: boosters that complete the protection.
- In the teenage years: a tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough booster, and the HPV vaccine.
Health professionals review the schedule from time to time, so your paediatrician checks your child’s card against the latest version at every visit. A yearly flu vaccine is recommended from six months.
Before the appointment
- Bring the vaccination card: it is your child’s official record.
- Tell the doctor if your child is unwell or feverish, or reacted to an earlier dose.
- Dress them in clothes that make the thigh or arm easy to reach.
- With older children, tell the truth simply: “You’ll feel a quick pinch and then it’s over.”
During the jab
Cuddling or feeding a baby during the injection calms them a lot, and a favourite toy or a short clip on a phone distracts older children. Our team is done in seconds, and you can take your time to settle before you leave.
After the vaccine: what is normal?
- Mild redness or swelling where the needle went in.
- A mild fever, fussiness or sleepiness for a day or two.
- After the MMR vaccine, a fever or light rash may appear seven to ten days later and goes away on its own.
You can give a fever medicine at the dose for your child’s weight, as your doctor or pharmacist advises, with plenty of fluids or feeds.
When to call the doctor straight away
- A temperature of 38°C or more in a baby under three months.
- A temperature above 39°C, or a fever lasting more than two days.
- Non-stop crying that does not settle for more than three hours.
- Swelling of the face or lips, trouble breathing, a widespread rash or a seizure: these are emergencies, so call an ambulance on 123.
Missed a dose?
No need to worry, and no need to start again: your paediatrician makes a safe catch-up plan for the missed doses. Bring the card and book the next available appointment.
