Why Childhood Immunizations Are Important
Childhood vaccines or immunizations can seem overwhelming when you are a new parent. Vaccine schedules recommended by agencies and organizations, such as the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Physicians cover about 14 different diseases.
Vaccinations not only protect your child from deadly diseases, such as polio, tetanus, and diphtheria, but they also keep other children safe by eliminating or greatly decreasing dangerous diseases that used to spread from child to child.
A vaccine is a dead, or weakened version, or part of the germ that causes the disease in question. When children are exposed to a disease in vaccine form, their immune system, which is the body’s germ-fighting machine, is able to build up antibodies that protect them from contracting the disease if and when they are exposed to the actual disease.
Over the years, vaccines have generated some controversy over safety, but no convincing evidence of harm has been found. And although children can have a reaction to any vaccine, the important thing to know is that the benefits of vaccinations far outweigh the possible side effects.
Why Childhood Immunisation Is Important
Immunisation prepares the body to fight serious infections that might happen in the future. Young babies are very vulnerable to infections, so they need to be protected as early as possible.
Your child needs several different vaccines to be fully protected, so its important to complete their childhood immunisation programme.
Final Tips On Immunizations
Keep this information in mind to help your childs immunizations go more smoothly:
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Common side effects of immunizations include swelling at the site of the injection, soreness, and fever. Discuss these side effects with your doctor and ask what symptoms deserve an office call.
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Ask your doctor’s office if it participates in an immunization registry. This is a source you can go to if your immunization records get lost.
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Ask your doctor’s office if it has an immunization reminder or recall system. This type of system will call to remind you when immunizations are due and will warn you if an immunization has been missed.
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Always bring your immunizations record with you to all of your child’s office visits and make sure the doctor signs and dates every immunization.
Vaccines are some of the safest and most effective medicines we have, and they have made many dangerous childhood diseases rare today.
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What Can Happen When A Child Isnt Immunised
Due to the high number of children receiving vaccinations in Northern Ireland over the past couple of decades, many serious childhood infectious diseases have disappeared altogether, like diphtheria, polio or tetanus or been dramatically reduced, such as measles and whooping cough.
In some countries it is more difficult to receive vaccines and as a result more people die from infectious diseases every year.
Unless vaccine uptake remains high in Northern Ireland, many of these serious infectious diseases will return from parts of the world where they still occur. If this happens, then children living in Northern Ireland that are not vaccinated will be at risk of these infections, their complications and even death.
Tetanus Diphtheria And Pertussis Vaccine
Tdap is a three-in-one vaccine. It protects people against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.
Immunization against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis is required by law for all children attending school in Ontario, unless exempted.
What is tetanus?
Tetanus or lockjaw is a serious disease that can happen if dirt with the tetanus germ gets into a cut in the skin. Tetanus germs are found everywhere, usually in soil, dust and manure. It does not spread from person to person. Tetanus causes cramping of the muscles in the neck, arms, leg and stomach, and painful convulsions which can be severe enough to break bones. Even with early treatment, tetanus kills two out of every 10 people who get it.
What is diphtheria?
Diphtheria is a serious disease of the nose, throat and skin. It causes sore throat, fever and chills. It can be complicated by breathing problems, heart failure and nerve damage. Diphtheria kills about one out of every 10 people who get the disease. It is most often passed to others through coughing and sneezing.
What is pertussis?
For more information talk to your health care provider, contact your local Public Health Unit or visit ontario.ca/vaccines.
Some immunizations are required for children to attend school in Ontario. Please see the school immunization checklist for more information.
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How Vaccines Are Given
Most vaccines are given by needle in the upper arm or thigh. Some vaccines, like the rotavirus vaccine, are given by mouth. There’s also a flu vaccine for children that’s sprayed into the nose.
Some vaccines are given separately. Others, like the MMR vaccine, protect against 3 diseases in one vaccine.
Your child’s immune system can learn from more than 1 vaccine at a time. For instance, babies can respond to 10,000 different antigens at any one time.
When Do Infants And Children Need Vaccines
| Your child should receive 2 doses of chickenpox vaccine. The first dose should be given at 1215 months, and the second dose at 46 years. |
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| Your child should receive 5 doses of DTaP. The first dose should be given at 2 months, the second dose at 4 months, the third dose at 6 months, the fourth dose at 1518 months, and the fifth dose at 46 years. |
Haemophilus influenzae
| Your child should receive 34 doses of Hib vaccine . The first dose should be given at 2 months, the second dose at 4 months, the third dose at 6 months , and the last dose at 1215 months. |
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| Your child should receive 2 doses of hepatitis A vaccine. The first dose should be given at age 1 year and the second 6-18 months later. |
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| Your child should receive 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine. The first dose should be given at birth, the second dose at 12 months, and the third dose at 6-18 months. Sometimes children receive 4 doses of hepatitis B vaccine if they are receiving a combination vaccine. |
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| Every person, beginning at age 6 months and continuing throughout their lifetime, should receive yearly vaccination against influenza. Vaccination is the most effective step you can take to be protected from this serious disease. Children under the age of 9 years may need 2 doses. Talk to your child’s healthcare provider to find out if your child needs more than 1 dose. |
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Immunocompromised At Higher Risk Of Covid Breakthrough Infection: Study
“I think these studies taken as a whole confirm what weve been saying all along, which is that these vaccines are incredibly safe and effective,” ABC News medical contributor Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital, said. “The side effects that were highlighted originally do not appear to be a risk, including myocarditis, and the efficacy is incredibly impressive.”
“Essentially, they provide additional support for the incredible benefit of these vaccines and the incredibly low risk of any adverse events from taking them,” he said. “Hopefully, this provides support to increase uptake of the vaccine, which unfortunately has been slow in our pediatric population.”
Currently in the U.S., less than a third of eligible children — ages 5 to 17 — have been fully vaccinated.
The Pfizer vaccine has been available for children ages 5 to 11 since November, while it was authorized for emergency use in children ages 12 to 15 in May.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer vaccine for people ages 16 and older in August.
The studies showing the vaccines’ efficacy in children comes as the highly transmissible omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads across the country, impacting children, too.
Experts say it’s unlikely that omicron is affecting children differently than prior variants, but rather this new surge is impacting people who are unvaccinated, including children
Your Child’s Vaccination Schedule
Vaccination schedules are carefully studied and designed to give the best possible protection for children against serious diseases.
Canadians should consult with their health care provider or public health authority to determine when they should visit, and learn about the measures that have been put in place to safely deliver immunization services during COVID-19.
Vaccination schedules can vary slightly, depending on the province or territory you live in. This means that some provinces or territories will vaccinate at a different age.
Typically, your child will be vaccinated:
- between birth to 2 months
- at 4 months
- between 12 months and 18 months
- between 4 to 6 years of age
For some of the vaccines, your child will require more than 1 dose at different times. This is needed because for some vaccines, the first dose does not provide as much immunity as possible.
More than 1 dose is needed to build more complete immunity. The DTaP-IPV-Hib vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type B, is an example.
In other cases, the initial series of shots that children receive as part of their infant immunizations helps them build immunity. After a while, however, that immunity begins to wear off.
At this point, a “booster” dose is needed to bring immunity levels back up. The MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, is a good example.
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I Have Questions About Parental Consent
Parents that are separated, divorced or not living together
If parents are divorced, separated or have never lived together and they do not agree on vaccinating their child, the parent that wants their child to get vaccinated must:
Every child can get vaccinated, even if they don’t have a PHN or other documentation.
It doesn’t matter if your child is a Canadian citizen or not. All information will be kept private and will never be shared with other agencies or parts of government.
For Conscience Or Religious Belief
For your child to be exempted due to conscience or religious belief, you must contact your local public health unit:
- Let your local public health unit know you wish to have your child exempted from the required vaccines.
- The PHU will:
- advise you on the steps to take in completing a valid exemption, including watching the vaccine education video.
Once its complete, you must get it signed by a commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario.
Make copies of your:
- signed Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief form
You will need to submit the original versions.
It is important that you keep your copies because the ministry and local public health units do not keep records of your exemption documents.
Submit the original copies of your Vaccine Education Certificate and signed Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief form to your local public health unit. Contact them to find out how.
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Childhood Vaccines: What They Are And Why Your Child Needs Them
A vaccine is a preventive treatment for certain medical diseases. These are diseases that are caused by infections and spread from person-to-person. Vaccines contain a weakened version of the infection or versions that resemble it. Most vaccines are given in childhood. Childhood vaccines help your childs body build up a protection against the disease if or when they are exposed to it.
Vaccines are important. They not only help keep your child healthy, they help all children by limiting the spread of disease and possibly eliminating serious childhood diseases.
Changing Travel Requirements To Address Covid
Effective All Canadians returning from short trips must take a molecular pre-entry test. The test must be taken outside of Canada.
Effective Temporary enhanced requirements ending for travellers who have been in Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Avoid non-essential travel outside Canada, regardless of your vaccination status. Omicron travel health notice
Travellers are eligible to enter or return to Canada if they qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller.
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My Child Has Allergies Can They Get The Vaccine
Yes, though you might be asked to stick around the waiting room so health care providers can monitor them for allergic reactions that can occur after any vaccination.
“If the child has a history of anaphylaxis or other severe allergies, then the observation time after the injection may be 30 minutes instead of 15,” said Dr. Anne Liu, an infectious disease specialist with Stanford Hospital and Clinics and the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.
Children who have been prescribed an EpiPen for any reason should bring it to their vaccine appointment, Liu added.
As for adults, children with an allergy to an ingredient in Pfizer’s COVID-19 shouldn’t take it. You can find a list of ingredients in Pfizer’s vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11 on the FDA’s fact sheet.
Who Can Get A Moderna Booster Shot Right Now
On Jan. 3, all US adults 18 and older became eligible to receive COVID-19 booster shots if it’s been at least five months since they’ve received a second dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. Those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are eligible for a booster dose after two months.
Adults are encouraged to get whatever booster dose is available, even if that means mixing and matching vaccine boosters . The CDC’s recommendation of mRNA vaccines — Moderna or Pfizer — also applies to booster shots.
Moderna’s booster shot is free of charge for all adults.
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Why Do Children Get So Many Vaccinations
A number of vaccinations are required in the first few years of a childs life to protect them against some of the most serious childhood infectious diseases. The immune system in young children does not work as well as the immune system in older children and adults, because it is still immature. Therefore, more doses of the vaccine are needed.
Another reason children get many vaccinations is that new vaccines against serious infections continue to be developed. The number of injections is reduced by the use of combination vaccines, where several vaccines are combined into one injection.
For a full list of recommended vaccinations for children, visit the general National Immunisation Program schedule or the National Immunisation Program schedule for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Where Can My Child Get Vaccinated
Your child can get vaccinated at your local health unit. Health units are also called public health units, community health centres, or primary care homes in some areas of BC. Some family doctors and nurse practitioners also give vaccines. Pharmacists can vaccinate children who are five years of age and older. Services vary across BC.
Its best to book your childs appointment well in advance as clinics book up quickly. This helps to ensure your child is vaccinated on time.
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Do Vaccination Needles Hurt
Although generally quick, getting vaccinations can be painful for your child. The best way you can make it as painless as possible is to hold your child, and soothe and comfort them. Breastfeeding can also help reduce pain. You can use a number of other techniques to reduce the pain your child might experience.
When Should My Child Be Vaccinated
Recommendations about when to have your child vaccinated changes from time to time. You can get a copy of the most current child and adolescent vaccination schedules from the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Or you can ask your family doctor. Your child usually receives his or her first vaccine soon after they are born.
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Providing Proof Of Your Result
When you arrive at the border, you must present an accepted negative molecular test result or proof of a previous positive molecular test result taken between 14 and 180 days that includes:
- Traveller name and date of birth
- Name and civic address of the laboratory/clinic/facility that administered the test
- The date on which the test was taken
- The type of test taken
- The test result
Keep proof of your test results with you for the 14-day period that begins on the day you enter Canada.
Tetanus And Diphtheria Vaccine
Td is a two-in-one vaccine. It protects people against tetanus and diphtheria. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization strongly recommends that all Canadians receive a primary immunizing course of tetanus toxoid in childhood followed by routine booster doses every 10 years.
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care recently introduced one lifetime dose of the pertussis vaccine for adults to the Publicly Funded Immunization Schedules for Ontario. All adults 19 to 64 years of age, who have never received the Tdap vaccine in adolescence, are now eligible to receive one lifetime dose of the vaccine. This lifetime dose replaces one of the Td booster doses given every 10 years.
Parents, grandparents or other adult household contacts of newborns, infants and young children as well as health care workers are considered a priority to receive the Tdap vaccine.
What is tetanus?
Tetanus or lockjaw is a serious disease that can happen if dirt with the tetanus germ gets into a cut in the skin. Tetanus germs are found everywhere, usually in soil, dust and manure. It does not spread from person to person. Tetanus causes cramping of the muscles in the neck, arms, leg and stomach, and painful convulsions which can be severe enough to break bones. Even with early treatment, tetanus kills two out of every 10 people who get it.
What is diphtheria?
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