Immunisations Made Simple

Being a new parent is one of the most challenging things you will ever do. No one can prepare you for the journey you have just embarked on. It is a huge learning curve and at the beginning it is practically vertical!

From the moment your lovely baby arrives you are suddenly expected to know how to dress him/her, change the nappy and feed them and you have to learn all of it at once!

WOW you have done a fantastic job just to get through that.

Then 8 weeks later you are faced with another important milestone in your new baby’s life.The first set of immunisations.

For some parents this is a huge worry and can also feel upsetting. This is what I hope to address with you and hopefully explain and reassure you.

Your baby’s immunisation journey begins at 8 weeks, when you will bring your baby for its 8-week check and first immunisations. There are 3 visits in the first year each being 4 weeks apart.

The schedule is as follows.

Diphtheria, Tetanus, polio, whooping cough and Haemophilus influenza
Pneumonia

Diphtheria, Tetanus, polio, whooping cough and Haemophilus influenza
Meningitis C

Diphtheria, Tetanus, polio, whooping cough and Haemophilus influenza.
Pneumonia
Meningitis C
 

Each of these visits must be at least 28 days apart.

At each visit your baby will be given 2 injections (3 at the last visit), which will be injected into the outer thigh muscle, one in each leg. (On the 3rd visit your baby will have 2 in one thigh and 1 in the other.) The injections are given while mum or dad holds the baby in a feeding position. A small plaster can be placed over the injection site.

The general side effects for all the immunisations are as follows…

• Your baby may be miserable, out of sorts and want to be held for the rest of the day, this can be because they have sore legs or because they are feeling “out of sorts “ from the immunisation.
• Your baby could develop a temperature, normal temperature is 37c, and it is advisable to have a thermometer in the house so that you can keep any watch for a fever. If the temperature rises above 37.5c you need to keep a close eye, taking it every 20-30 minutes. If it continues to rise then it is a good idea to remove shoes and socks (if inside) and to make sure the room is not too hot, this will help the body to regulate the temperature more easily. A fan blowing in the room (not directly on your baby) can also be helpful at cooling them down.
• If the temperature continues to rise above 37.5c then you can give children’s paracetamol (dose is on the bottle) and if it still continues to rise and your baby is unwell then call your GP for advice.
• You may notice small red areas on the outer thighs where the injection was given. These are fine as long as they do not continue to grow and become hot and inflamed, this could be a local reaction; if this does happen then call the GP for advice.

These are the main reactions to the first 3 sets of immunisations; they usually last for 24-48 hours after that you should notice that things are returning to normal. In fact these are the main side effects for all inactivated immunisations.

There is a difference when given “live” immunisations. The most well-known and relevant being the MMR. Measles, Mumps and Rubella. A live vaccine is usually derived from a naturally occurring bacteria.

Live vaccines are made by passing the virus through cell cultures so over time the it’s ability to cause the disease has deteriorated. This makes it safe to give and will enable the immune system to recognise it and build up a resistance to the germ.

The side effects for live vaccines usually take a little longer to show. It may be a week to ten days before a fever develops. 1-2 weeks later you may notice a speckled rash on the tummy and some swollen glands around the face. This is all a normal reaction but if you are worried in any way then ring your practice nurse or GP for advice.

You may also notice that your now 1-year-old is a little more emotional or fractious,  just be patient this will also pass but you may notice this for 1- 2 weeks.

Diphtheria, which is caused by a bacterium, called Corynebacterium diphtheria. It can cause a serious throat and chest infection.

Haemophilus influenza type B (HIB) this is a bacterium that can cause pneumonia and meningitis. Children under the age of 4 are at the highest risk.

Tetanus – this is caused by a bacterium called clostridium tetani which is found in soil. It causes severe muscle contractions and is very often fatal.

Polio– this is an illness. It is a virus, which affects the gut and then the nervous system; it can have a similar effect to meningitis. It can damage some nerves and can lead to muscle wasting and sometimes paralysis of one or more limbs. It can also affect breathing and may lead to death.

Pertussis (whooping cough)- this is caused by a bacterium called Bordetella pertussis. This causes a prolonged and distressing cough. It can have complications such as pneumonia or brain damage.

Pneumonia – this is a bacterium, which can cause pneumonia meningitis. Most common age group to get it is young children and people over 65.

Meningitis C– this is one cause of meningitis and septicaemia (severe blood poisoning).

Measles– this is caused by the measles virus. It causes a miserable feverish illness with a rash.

In some cases complications occur; these can be pneumonia, convulsion or encephalitis (brain inflammation).

Mumps – this is caused by the mumps virus. This causes inflammation of the salivary glands. Some complications can occur such as pancreatitis, inflammation of the testes, meningitis and swelling of the brain. It can also cause deafness.

Rubella (German Measles) this is caused by the rubella virus, it causes a mild illness with a rash. If a pregnant woman has rubella it can cause serious damage to her unborn child. The child could be born with multiple birth defects.

This is a brief overview of the immunisations your new baby will have and the side effects. Don’t be frightened to ask the nurse questions at your appointment, it is important that you go away feeling happy and that you have all the information you need to deal with this particular event In your new babies life.

Rebecca Willcox, RGN – is a practice nurse, who works in Greenwich. She has been administering baby immunisations for the past 15 years. Also a mother of three and founding partner of R&M Fitness.