There are very few reasons why your child should not get a vaccine. If you are not sure about something talk to the doctor or nurse before your child is immunised.
What if my child has a high temperature or a fever?
What if my child has epilepsy or has had convulsions (fits)?
What if my child was premature, had a low birth weight or had jaundice?
What if my child has asthma, eczema, hay fever or is allergic to eggs?
My child was unwell after the last dose of vaccine. Should they still get the next dose?
What if someone else in the family had a reaction to an immunisation?
What if my child has recently had, or is due to have, surgery?
What if my child has already had whooping cough, measles, rubella, mumps, hib, pneumococcal or men C?
Can my child be immunised while they are in close contact with someone who is pregnant?
What if my child has a serious disease?
Do some children also need other vaccines?
If you have any queries or concerns about vaccines please contact your GP or local health office
What if my child has a high temperature or a fever?
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If your child has a high temperature, the immunisation should be put off until your child is better. However, babies with minor coughs and colds, or those on antibiotics, can be immunised safely and effectively.
What if my child has epilepsy or has had convulsions (fits)?
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These children should still be immunised if their condition is stable. Some children get fits (febrile convulsions) if they have a high temperature or a fever. You may give these children paracetamol or ibuprofen. Children with a family history of fits or epilepsy should be immunised as normal.
What if my child was premature, had a low birth weight or had jaundice?
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It is important that premature babies are protected because they are more vulnerable to certain infections. In general, premature babies should be immunised as normal. If your child had a very low birth weight, you should discuss their immunisation needs with your paediatrician. Babies who had jaundice after being born and those who are being breast-fed should be immunised as normal.
What if my child has asthma, eczema, hay fever or is allergic to eggs?
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Children with asthma, eczema, hay fever and allergies should be immunised, even if they have a severe allergy to eggs (for example, hives (red itchy bumps), swelling of the mouth or throat, difficulty breathing, wheezing, low blood pressure and shock). The only exception is the flu vaccine, which should not be given to those who have a severe allergy to eggs.
The MMR vaccine can be given to children with a severe egg allergy, as severe allergy to the MMR vaccine is extremely rare even in these children. Your child simply disliking eggs or having diarrhoea or stomach pains after eating eggs is not a reason to avoid the MMR immunisation, and you do not need to take any special precautions. If you have any doubts, talk to the doctor or nurse giving the immunisation.
Children taking steroids by inhaler or in a low-dose steroid cream should be immunised as normal. If you have any doubts, talk to the doctor or nurse giving the immunisation.
My child was unwell after the last dose of vaccine. Should they still get the next dose?
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Some children may be unwell after their immunisation. Usually there is no reason not to finish the course of vaccine. However, if your child had a severe allergic reaction (that is, shock or difficulty breathing), they should not get that vaccine again until you know why this happened. In this situation, talk to the doctor about the reaction.
What if someone else in the family had a reaction to an immunisation?
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Immunisations should not be missed if a family member had any reaction to a vaccine as this type of reaction does not run in families.
What if my child has recently had, or is due to have, surgery?
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Do not put the immunisation off if your child is due to have an operation or has recently had one. Having surgery is not a reason to put off immunisation, and a recent immunisation is not a reason to put off surgery.
What if my child has already had whooping cough, measles, rubella, mumps, hib, pneumococal disease or men C?
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You should still immunise your child against these diseases, even if they have had them. It is important to be protected against all the diseases the vaccine covers, even if the child has caught one of the diseases before. This is very important as children under 2 years do not get enough natural immunity following illness with hib or men C, and so should still be immunised.
Can my child be immunised while they are in close contact with someone who is pregnant?
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There is no problem with giving routine immunisations to a child who is in close contact with someone who is pregnant. In fact, immunising the child will protect the mother from being exposed to diseases like rubella.
What if my child has a serious disease?
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It is very important that children with serious diseases are immunised because they are often more at risk from complications of infections.
However, care is needed if the child’s illness, or its treatment, may lower their immunity. Immunisation should be carefully considered for children with cancer or an immune deficiency disorder, or who are taking medicines which may reduce their ability to fight infection. Discuss this with your doctor.
Children who have had a blood transfusion or received blood products should not get their MMR vaccine until three months after the transfusion. Children with stable neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy or Down syndrome should be immunised as normal.
Do some children also need other vaccines?
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Yes. Children who have had their spleens removed or have cystic fibrosis, an immune deficiency, or chronic heart, lung, liver or kidney disease, sickle cell disease or diseases such as diabetes, are more vulnerable to some infections. Please ask your doctor if your child needs to be immunised against diseases like flu or hepatitis A. Children at higher risk of pneumococcal disease may also need further immunisation with polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine (PPV23) to give greater protection.
If you are travelling to another country, remember to find out if your child needs any special vaccine.
If you are worried about whether your child is fit to be immunised, talk to the doctor or nurse before putting off the immunisation.
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