A parent's guide from birth to five

Common childhood illnesses & wellbeing

Immunisations

Immunisations

Protect your child now and in the future

Immunisations, also known as vaccinations are usually given by injection. Children in the UK are offered vaccinations against a variety of diseases as part of the Healthy Child Programme. You can get advice on the vaccinations from your GP, practice nurse or health visitor. A record is kept in the Parent Held Child Health Record (Red Book), which is a book you keep containing information on your child’s health.

Immunisations are mainly given during the first five years. It’s important to have vaccinations at the right age to keep the risk of disease as low as possible. Don’t hesitate to ask your health visitor or GP for advice - that’s what they are there for! Childhood immunisations are free and most are given at your GP’s surgery.

Some immunisations are given more than once to make sure the protection continues. This is known as a booster, so make sure your child gets it.

If you are pregnant, you will be offered the whooping cough vaccine at your GP’s surgery. The ideal time is 28 to 32 weeks of pregnancy, your baby will be born protected against whooping cough infection, a very serious infection for young babies.

GP says

Immunisations are used to protect children from diseases which can be very serious causing long-term complications and even death.

The protection immunisations offer to your child are worth the small amount of pain.

If you wish to have further information on the immunisations offered to your child, visit www.nhs.uk or speak to your heath visitor, practice nurse or GP.

When to immunise Diseases protected against

Two months old

  • Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

  • Pneumococcal disease

  • Rotavirus

Three months old

  • Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Hib

  • Meningococcal group C disease (MenC)

  • Rotavirus

Four months old

  • Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Hib

  • Pneumococcal disease

Between 12 and 13 months old - within a month of the first birthday

  • Hib/MenC

  • Pneumococcal disease

  • Measles, mumps and rubella (German measles)

Two, three and four year olds

  • Influenza - The flu nasal spray vaccine is to be gradually rolled out to other age groups in future years, consult your practice nurse or health visitor

Three years four months old or soon after

  • Measles, mumps and rubella

  • Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio (Pre-School Booster)

Health visitor says

Make sure you keep your child’s Red Book in a safe place. It is your only complete record of their childhood immunisations and it is often needed later in life. The MenB vaccine will be introduced as part of the routine childhood vaccination programme, check with your health visitor.

1

Immunisation begins at two months, when baby's natural immunity to illness, begins to drop.

2

Your health visitor will tell you when local immunisation sessions are taking place.

3

Immunisations don’t just protect your child during childhood, they protect them for life.