9 - 18 Months: Vaccinations

Vaccinations – your expert guide

Why vaccinations are vital
The benefits outweigh the risks
Vaccination timetable
Diseases they protect against

Vaccines work by introducing a dilute version of a disease into the body, stimulating it into producing antibodies (substances that fight infection) but without giving it the full-blown disease.

Why vaccinations are vital

The UK’s and ROI’s immunisation programme has been hugely successful in preventing (and even eradicating, in the case of smallpox) many serious childhood diseases, such as whooping cough and measles. Today, these diseases are rare in the UK because well over 90 per cent of babies are vaccinated. However, some vaccine take-up levels have fallen and this means that the risk of an unvaccinated child getting a preventable infection is now higher.

The benefits outweigh the risks

All vaccines are rigorously tested before they’re licensed for use. While it’s true that they can rarely cause side effects, the risk of these is minimal compared with the medical risks of the disease itself.

Vaccination timetable

The vaccination timetable has recently changed to include the new pneumococcal vaccine. In her first 13 months, your child will have injections in this order:

2 months:

Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Haemophilus, Polio, Pneumococcus,

3 months:

Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Haemophilus, Polio, Meningococcus C

4 months:

Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Haemophilus, Polio, Pneumococcus

12 months:

Haemophilus, Meningococcus

13 months:

Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), Pneumococcus

Diseases they protect against

Diphtheria

An infection that affects the nose and throat, making it difficult to breathe.

Haemophilus Influenzae B (Hib)

A bacterium that causes meningitis and epiglottitis (swelling of the back of the throat, preventing breathing).

Measles

A highly infectious disease that can be relatively mild, but some (one in 400) children die from it and some others suffer permanent harm.

Meningococcus C

One of the bacteria that causes meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia.

Mumps

Although normally a mild illness that causes swelling of the glands next to the jaw, it can cause deafness and infertility.

Pertussis (whooping cough)

Causes a cough that lasts for three months and can be life-threatening in very young children.

Pneumococcus

A bacterium that causes meningitis, septicaemia and pneumonia as well as less severe diseases such as ear infections.

Polio

Attacks the nervous system and can cause paralysis in any part of the body.

Rubella (German measles)

A mild illness but causes major abnormalities in unborn babies if caught by a pregnant woman.

Tetanus

Caught when germs in dirt, soil or dust enter an open wound or burn. Tetanus can cause painful muscle spasms and, in some cases, death.

For more information on childhood immunisation, visit www.immunisation.nhs.uk