When your child is born BCG vaccine is recommended. This protects against TB (tuberculosis) and is given in maternity hospital or later at a Health Service Executive clinic
When your child is 2, 4 and 6 months vaccines are recommended to protect against six different diseases − polio, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis), Hib (haemophilus influenzae B) and men C (meningococcal C disease). Since 2001, it has been possible to give five of the vaccines in one injection and the men C vaccine is given in another limb at the same time. The Health Service Executive will let you know that you should arrange to visit your GP for these immunisations. If you don’t hear from the Health Service Executive perhaps because you’ve moved house you should arrange to visit your GP at the appropriate time.
When your child is 12 months a Hib booster is given at the same time as MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. The Health Service Executive will let you know that you should arrange to visit your GP for these immunisations. If you don’t hear from the Health Service Executive perhaps because you’ve moved house you should arrange to visit your GP at the appropriate time.
When children are aged 4 to 5 years , they need booster vaccines to stay protected against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio. A second dose of the MMR vaccine is also recommended at this time as some children do not respond to the first dose. These immunisations are given by Health Service Executive doctors or nurses. If your child misses these immunisations in school the Health Service Executive may arrange for your child to be immunised at a clinic or ask you to visit your GP.
In counties Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Monaghan, Meath, Louth and parts of North Dublin these booster vaccines are given by your GP
When your child is in 5th or 6th class of primary school a Health Service Executive doctor may give the BCG vaccine and a second dose of MMR vaccine to children who have not already had these vaccines. These immunisations are given by Health Service Executive doctors or nurses. If your child misses these immunisations in school the Health Service Executive may arrange for your child to be immunised at a clinic or ask you to visit your GP (BCG vaccine is not given by GPs)
When children are aged 11 to 14 years another booster is recommended to provide long-lasting protection against tetanus and diphtheria.
If you have any queries or concerns about vaccines please contact your GP or local health office
Are too many vaccines given?
Why are vaccines given at such an early age?
How serious are the diseases?
What will happen if my child doesn’t get these vaccines?
What are my child’s chances of being exposed to these diseases?
Do vaccines always work?
Will immunisations still work if my child doesn’t get them at the right time?
Comparison of the effects of diseases and the side effects of vaccines
What are the effects of Diphteria disease and what are the side effects from the diphteria vaccine?
What are the effects of HiB disease and what are the side effects from the HiB vaccine?
What are the effects of Measles disease and what are the side effects from the Measles vaccine?
What are the effects of Men C disease and what are the side effects from the Men C vaccine?
What are the effects of Mumps disease and what are the side effects from the Mumps vaccine?
What are the effects of Polio disease and what are the side effects from the Polio vaccine?
What are the effects of Rubella disease and what are the side effects from the Rubella vaccine?
What are the effects of Tetanus disease and what are the side effects from the Tetanus vaccine?
What are the effects of TB disease and what are the side effects from the TB vaccine?
What are the effects of Whooping Cough disease and what are the side effects from the Whooping Cough vaccine?
If you have any queries or concerns about vaccines please contact your GP or local health office
Are too many vaccines given?
Some parents worry that giving several vaccines at once will overload the child’s immune system, or that the vaccines may not work properly. However, there is nothing to worry about as your child’s immune system can easily cope with vaccines. Studies have shown that vaccines are just as safe and just as effective when they are given together as when they are given separately. For example, if your child received single injections instead of the combined MMR vaccine, they would be exposed to the diseases of measles, mumps or rubella for a longer period and would have to have six injections instead of two.
A number of injections are needed to give your child the fullest possible protection, so it is important to complete the course.
Why are vaccines given at such an early age?
Vaccines are given at an early age because young babies are most vulnerable to these diseases and need to be protected as early as possible. For example, babies younger than 6 months are at the highest risk for serious complications of whooping cough (6 out of 10 need to go into hospital, and 9 out of 10 deaths from whooping cough are in this age group). The MMR vaccine is not usually recommended for children under 12 months because it may not work as well.
The ages at which vaccines are recommended are chosen to give your child the earliest and best protection against disease.
How serious are the diseases?
Any of them can kill a child. It’s easy to forget how serious they are because – thanks largely to vaccines – we don’t see them nearly as much as we used to.
Measles used to kill thousands of people in Europe and the United States every year. In the 1940s and 1950s, tens of thousands of children were crippled or killed by polio. As recently as the mid-1980s, 100 children a year in Ireland suffered from meningitis and other serious complications as a result of HiB.
These diseases haven’t changed. They can still cause pneumonia, choking, brain damage and heart problems in children who are not protected. These diseases still kill children in many parts of the world, even in Ireland.
What will happen if my child doesn’t get these vaccines?
Basically, one of two things could happen.
- If your child goes through life without ever being exposed to these diseases, nothing would happen.
- If your child is exposed to any of these diseases, as a child or as an adult, there is a good chance that he or she will get the disease.
Your child could:
· get mildly ill and have to stay inside for a few days; or
· get very sick and have to go into hospital or, at worst, die.
Your child could also spread the disease to other children and adults who are not protected. Many people could get very sick and some could die if not enough people in your community are protected.
What are my child’s chances of being exposed to these diseases?
Some of these diseases are very rare in Ireland today, so the chances of exposure are small, but others are still fairly common. Some of the diseases are rare in Ireland but common elsewhere in the world, so your child could get that disease while travelling abroad.
You shouldn’t assume your child is completely safe from diseases, even the rare ones. For example, while diphtheria is rare in Ireland, there has been a recent epidemic in Eastern Europe and it is still common in Asia. With increased travel to and from these countries, it is possible that these diseases will become more common. If enough people don’t get immunised, epidemics will definitely follow.
If your child is not immunised, they are at a greater risk of getting these infections when they are older. Some infections are more serious in teenagers or adults than in children. For example, mumps in teenage boys or young men may cause swelling of the testicles and if a woman catches rubella during the early stages of pregnancy, this may cause major birth defects in the baby. The serious complications from measles are also increased in adults.
Do vaccines always work?
Vaccines work most of the time, but not always. Most childhood immunisations protect 90% to 99% of the children who get them, but sometimes a child will not respond to certain vaccines. This is another reason why it’s important for all children to be immunised. A child who has not responded to immunisation depends on the immunity of others around them for protection. Your child could be infected by a child who hasn’t been immunised, but not by one who is immune.
Effectiveness of vaccines
Vaccine |
Percentage of children immune after getting the vaccine |
|---|
| BCG vaccine |
Up to 80% |
| Diphtheria vaccine |
95% |
| HiB vaccine |
95 to 100% |
| MMR vaccine |
95% |
| Men C vaccine |
90% (after three doses) |
| Polio vaccine [inactivated polio vaccine] |
99% (after three doses) |
| Tetanus vaccine |
Almost 100% |
| Whooping cough vaccine |
80 to 85% |
Will immunisations still work if my child doesn’t get them at the right time?
Yes. Most of these vaccines can be given at any age, and a child who misses one injection in a course of injections does not have to start again. The vaccines already given will still work and your child will still develop protection. Just ask your GP (General Practitioner).
Comparison of the effects of diseases and the side effects of vaccines
The tables on the next few pages set out:
the diseases immunisation is recommended for; the possible effects of the diseases; and the possible side effects of the vaccine.
What are the effects of Diphteria disease and what are the side effects from the diphteria vaccine?
| Disease |
Effects of disease |
Side effects of vaccine |
|---|
| Diphtheria – contagious bacteria that spread by close contact with an infected person or carrier and cause a sore throat and severe breathing difficulties. |
Of the people who get diphtheria:
·1 in 15 will die.
The bacteria release a toxin (poison) which can lead to paralysis and heart failure. |
Of the people who are immunised
:· 1 in 10 have redness and swelling where the injection was given or have a fever.
Serious side effects are very rare. |
What are the effects of HiB disease and what are the side effects from the HiB vaccine?
| Disease |
Effects of disease |
Side effects of vaccine |
|---|
| HiB (haemophilus influenzae B) – contagious bacteria that spread by close contact with an infected person and cause meningitis (inflammation of the lining around the brain), epiglottitis (swelling in the throat that causes choking), septicaemia (blood poisoning) and osteomyelitis (infection of the bone). |
Of the people who get HiB disease
:· 1 in 20 people who have HiB meningitis will die
· 1 in 4 people who recover from HiB meningitis will have permanent brain damage or deafness
· 1 in 100 people who have epiglottitis will die . |
Of the people who are immunised
:· 1 in 5 will have discomfort, redness or swelling where the injection was given
· 1 in 50 will have a fever. |
What are the effects of Measles disease and what are the side effects from the Measles vaccine?
| Disease |
Effects of disease |
Side effects of vaccine |
|---|
| Measles – a highly contagious virus that is spread by close contact with an infected person and causes fever, a cough and a rash. |
Of the people who get measles
:· 1 or 2 in 1000 will die
· 1 in 20 will get an ear infection
· 1 in 25 will get pneumonia or bronchitis
· 1 in 200 will have convulsions (fits)
1 in 6 will get diarrhoea
· 1 in 1000 will develop encephalitis (inflammation of the brain)
· For every 10 children who develop encephalitis · 1 will die · up to 4 will have brain damage
· 1 in 8000 children under 2 years get SSPE (brain degeneration), which may occur many years after measles and is always fata
l · 1 in 6000 will get a blood-clotting problem. |
Of the people who are immunised:
· 1 in 10 will have discomfort, redness or swelling where the injection was given; or have a fever
· 1 in 20 will get a rash six to 12 days later (this is not contagious)
· 1 in 1000 will have a febrile convulsion
· 1 in a million may develop encephalitis (inflammation of the brain)
· 1 in 22,000 will get a temporary blood-clotting problem. |
What are the effects of Men C disease and what are the side effects from the Men C vaccine?
| Disease |
Effects of disease |
Side effects of vaccine |
|---|
| Men C (meningococcal C disease) – contagious bacteria that spread by saliva or close contact with an infected person or carrier and cause meningitis or septicaemia, or both. (The men C vaccine does not protect against other types of meningitis including that due to meningococcal B disease.) |
Of the people who get men C disease:
· 1 in 15 will die
· 1 in 10 people who recover from meningococcal disease will have a major disability such as deafness, brain damage or loss of fingers, toes, hands, feet, arms or legs |
Of the babies who are immunised:
· 1 in 20 babies will get redness or swelling where the injection was given
· 1 in 20 babies will get a fever
· 1 in 2 babies will become irritable · 1 in 100 may get a tummy upset or vomit |
What are the effects of Mumps disease and what are the side effects from the Mumps vaccine?
| Disease |
Effects of disease |
Side effects of vaccine |
|---|
| Mumps – a contagious virus that is spread by close contact with an infected person and causes swollen neck glands and a fever. |
Of the people who get mumps
:· 1 in 20 will get viral meningitis
· 1 in 1000 will get encephalitis (brain inflammation) · 4 in 10 men who have mumps will get swollen testicles
· 1 in 3 will get a fever, a headache, and swollen salivary glands under the jaw
· 1 in 20,000 may become deaf.Mumps can also rarely cause infertility in men. |
Of the people who are immunised:
· 1 in 100 may develop swelling of the salivary glands under the jaw
· 1 in 3 million may develop mild encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) |
What are the effects of Polio disease and what are the side effects from the Polio vaccine?
| Disease |
Effects of disease |
Side effects of vaccine |
|---|
| Polio – a contagious virus that is spread by close contact with an infected person or their faeces (poo). It causes fever, headache and vomiting and may progress to paralysis. |
Of the people who get polio:· Up to 1 in 100 will become paralysed · 1 in 20 patients who become paralysed will die · 1 in 2 of those who survive will be permanently paralysed |
No serious side effects have been recorded for inactivated polio vaccine, which has been used for over 40 years.There may be a little redness or soreness where the injection was given. |
What are the effects of Rubella disease and what are the side effects from the Rubella vaccine?
| Disease |
Effects of disease |
Side effects of vaccine |
|---|
| Rubella – a contagious virus that is spread by close contact with an infected person and also causes a rash, fever and swollen glands. It may cause major birth defects in the baby if a woman catches it in early pregnancy. |
Of the people who get rubella:
· 9 in 10 babies will have a major birth defect (such as deafness, blindness, brain damage or heart defects) if mother gets rubella in early pregnancy
· 1 in 3000 get thrombocytopenia (bruising or bleeding of the skin)
· 1 in 6000 get encephalitis (inflammation of the brain)/
· About 1 in 2 will get a rash and painful swollen glands.
· More than half of women with rubella get painful joints |
Of the people who are immunised:
· 1 in 10 have discomfort, redness or swelling where the injection was given or have a fever
· 1 in 20 get swollen glands, a stiff neck, or joint pains
· 1 in 20 get a rash (which is not infectious)
· 1 in 22,000 get bruising or bleeding
· 1 in 1 million may get encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) |
What are the effects of Tetanus disease and what are the side effects from the Tetanus vaccine?
| Disease |
Effects of disease |
Side effects of vaccine |
|---|
| Tetanus – bacteria from soil which release a toxin and cause painful muscle spasms, convulsions and lockjaw. |
Of the people who get tetanus:
· 1 in 10 people will die (the risk is greatest for the very young or old) |
Of the people who are immunised:
· 1 in 10 have redness and swelling where the injection was given or have a fever
Serious side effects are very rare |
What are the effects of TB disease and what are the side effects from the TB vaccine?
| Disease |
Effects of disease |
Side effects of vaccine |
|---|
| TB (tuberculosis) – contagious bacteria that infect the lungs and spreads by close contact with an infected person. It causes coughing, sweating, weight loss and tiredness. TB may also infect the brain or other parts of body, but this type of TB is not contagious. |
People who get TB will need many months of treatment to cure it. In the past many people in Ireland died of TB. |
Of the people who are immunised
· Most people will get a blister and scarring on the arm where the BCG injection was given
· 1 in 100 may get small swollen glands under the arm
· Up to 1 in 1000 may get an infection, which responds to treatment |
What are the effects of Whooping Cough disease and what are the side effects from the Whooping Cough vaccine?
| Disease |
Effects of disease |
Side effects of vaccine |
|---|
| Whooping cough (pertussis) – contagious bacteria that spreads by close contact with an infected person and causes a ‘whooping’ cough and vomiting. The disease can last up to three months. . |
Of the people who get whooping cough:
· 1 in 500 will die from pneumonia or brain damage (90% of deaths are in children under the age of 6 months)
· 1 in 125 will have fits (1 in 70 if less than 6 months old)
· 1 in 1000 will get encephalitis (1 in 500 if less than 6 months old)
· 1 in 20 will get pneumonia (1 in 10 if less than 6months old) · 1 in 5 will need to go into hospital (1 in 2 if less than 6 months old) |
Of the people who are immunised:
· 1 in 10 have redness and swelling where the injection was given or have a fever
· About 1 in 2500 may cry for more than three hours after the immunisation
· 1 in 12,500 may have a convulsion (fit) · Serious side effects are very rare |
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