Common Questions

Are too many vaccines given?

Some parents worry that giving several vaccines at once will overload their 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 these 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 infection.

These diseases have not 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.

• 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 those diseases 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 bring 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 those diseases 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.

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).

Where can I get a copy of my child’s vaccination records?

The primary childhood immunisation programme is carried out in general practice. Your GP will should have a copy of your child’s vaccination records for the vaccinations they have carried out. In addition, the records may be available from your local health office. Click here for a list of contact numbers for your local health office.

There is some variation in practice across the country with regard to the school immunisation programme. In most areas these are carried out by the HSE school immunisation teams and the vaccination record will be held in your local health office. In a small number of areas the school vaccinations are carried out in general practice and records should be available through your GP or local health office. Click here for a list of contact numbers for your local health office.

The National Immunisation Office produces vaccination record booklets that you or your GP/practice nurse can fill in so you can keep all your child’s records together. To order a copy of this booklet for your child’s vaccinations please click here