Why immunise?
Immunisation is the only effective way to protect your child against many harmful diseases. It means your child will be far less likely to catch the disease if exposed to it. This benefit far outweighs the very small risks involved. Immunisation is also important to help eradicate the disease. If enough people are immunised, then infection will no longer be spread in the community, and the disease dies out.
Common side effects of immunisation:
- Low grade fever.
- Being grizzly, unsettled and generally unhappy.
- Soreness, swelling and redness in the area where the injection was given.
- Drowsiness or tiredness.
- Muscle aches.
- Loss of appetite.
- Give extra fluids to drink.
- Do not overdress the baby if hot.
- Give paracetamol to lower fever if needed.
The routine use of paracetamol before or at the time of immunisation is no longer recommended, due to the use of better vaccines with fewer side effects. However, speak with your doctor, pharmacist or nurse regarding the use of paracetamol if you are concerned about side effects like fever and being unsettled.
The routine childhood immunisations given through the National Immunisation Program currently provide protection against 12 diseases - diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), poliomyelitis (polio), measles, mumps, rubella (German measles), Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), hepatitis B, meningococcal C, pneumococcal and varicella (chickenpox).
Check with your Child Care Nurse or doctor if you are in doubt about when your baby’s next immunisation is due.
Click here to download our Immunisation guide, from birth to 4 years.
For more detailed immunisation information, visit http://www.immunise.health.gov.au or speak to your doctor.