Childhood immunisation

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About immunisation

Immunisation

from an early age is highly recommended for all Australian children. Having your child immunised helps to protect them from the most serious childhood infections, some of which may threaten their lives.

Routine childhood immunisations help to protect your child against:

chickenpox (varicella)

diphtheria

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

hepatitis B

influenza (flu)

measles

meningococcal ACWY disease

mumps

pneumococcal disease

polio

rotavirus

rubella (German measles)

tetanus

whooping cough (pertussis)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants are also protected against

meningococcal B disease

The

National Immunisation

Program

External Link

provides the routine childhood immunisations recommended for all children in Australia, free of charge. Some groups are more at risk than others in the community and may need extra vaccinations. The Victorian government funds some extra vaccines from time to time.

See your doctor or local health clinic to have your child immunised. All Victorian local councils provide immunisation sessions.

Immunisation and young children

In the first months of life, a baby might have some protection from infectious diseases that their mother has had or been immunised against. This is known as passive immunity. It occurs when antibodies are transferred from mother to baby during pregnancy. The level of antibody protection for the baby can be low and wears off quickly. This puts them at risk of diseases that can be prevented with vaccination.

Most childhood immunisations are given as an injection in the arm or leg, except rotavirus vaccine, which is given by mouth. A vaccination dose may contain a vaccine against one specific disease, or several diseases. This is known as a combination injection, and it helps to reduce the number of injections your child needs.

Immunisation schedule for Victorian babies and young children

The

Victorian immunisation

schedule

External Link

outlines the vaccines that are routinely provided free of charge to all Victorian children under the

National Immunisation

Program

External Link

and Victorian funded programs. It also outlines the age at which each vaccination should be given. New vaccines against serious infections continue to be developed and the schedule might be updated in the future.

Age

Disease

Vaccine brand ®

Common reactions

Birth

Hepatitis B

H-B-VaxII Paediatric or Engerix Paediatric

Mild temperature, pain at the injection site

2 months (from 6 weeks)

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, polio,

Haemophilus influenzae

type b (Hib)

Infanrix

hexa or Vaxelis

Mild temperature, pain at the injection site, drowsiness, irritability/crying

Pneumococcal

Prevenar 13

Mild temperature, pain at the injection site

Rotavirus

Rotarix

Mild temperature

Meningococcal B

(Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants only)

Bexsero

Fever needing paracetamol

4 months

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, polio,

Haemophilus influenzae

type b (Hib)

Infanrix

hexa

or Vaxelis

Mild temperature, pain at the injection site, drowsiness, irritability/crying

Pneumococcal

Prevenar 13

Mild temperature, pain at the injection site

Rotavirus

Rotarix

Mild temperature

Meningococcal B

(Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants only)

Bexsero

Fever needing paracetamol

6 months

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, polio,

Haemophilus influenzae

type b (Hib)

Infanrix

hexa

or Vaxelis

Mild temperature, pain at the injection site, drowsiness, irritability/crying

12 months

Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)

M-M-R II/Priorix

About 7 to 10 days after vaccination: fever (can be over 39°C), faint red non-infectious rash, drowsiness, runny nose, cough or puffy eyes, swollen salivary glands

Very rarely a low platelet count causing bleeding and bruising

Meningococcal ACWY

Nimenrix

Mild temperature, loss of appetite, irritability/crying pain at the injection site

Pneumococcal

Prevenar 13

Mild temperature, pain at the injection site

Meningococcal B

(Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants only)

Bexsero

Fever needing paracetamol

18 months

Measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox) (MMRV)

Priorix-Tetra

About 7 to 10 days after vaccination: fever (can be over 39 °C), faint red non-infectious rash, drowsiness, runny nose, cough or puffy eyes, swollen salivary glands

About five to 26 days after vaccination: mild rash like chickenpox

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis

Infanrix or Tripacel

Mild temperature, irritability/crying, drowsiness

Haemophilus influenzae

type b (Hib)

ActHib

Mild temperature, irritability/crying, pain at the injection site

4 years

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio

Infanrix IPV or Quadracel

Mild temperature, irritability/crying, drowsiness

6 months of age to less than 5 years of age

Annual influenza

Influenza vaccine

Fever, feeling unwell, muscle aches, injection site pain, redness and swelling

Additional vaccines are given to children with certain medical risk conditions that put them at increased risk of complications from vaccine preventable diseases, such as:

babies that are born prematurely or low birth weight

children with chronic medical risk conditions.

Talk with your doctor to see if your child should get extra vaccines.

Immunising your child is important

There are immunisation requirements that your child needs to meet in order to go to childcare, kindergarten and primary school in Victoria. By law, your child’s immunisations must be up to date before they start childcare and kindergarten.

The

Australian Immunisation

External Link

(Tel.

1800 653 809

) will provide you with information on how to get your child’s

Immunisation History

Statement

External Link

(a record of their immunisation status) on request or you can download it from your

myGov

account

External Link

In Victoria, parents/guardians of children attending a childcare or kindergarten service are required to provide an updated Immunisation History Statement to the service if the child has a new vaccine(s). This ensures that the service always has current information about the child’s immunisation status.

Parents who immunise their children at the appropriate age may be eligible for Australian Government family assistance payments. For more information, visit the

Services Australia

website

External Link

or visit a

Centrelink

External Link

Medicare Service

Centre

External Link

Preparing for your child’s immunisation

When you take your child for each vaccination, it important to take your child’s My Health and Development Record (the green book) or your child’s health record booklet, so that the doctor, nurse or health worker can record your child’s visit. These records are an important reminder of when your child’s next immunisations are due and which children in the family are immunised.

There is also the option of setting up an

eHealth

External Link

record for your child.

Pre-immunisation checklist

Before the immunisation, you need to tell the doctor or nurse if your child:

is unwell (temperature over 38.5 °C)

has had a severe reaction following any vaccine

has any severe

allergies

to any other medication or substances

has had any vaccine in the past month

has had an injection of immunoglobulin or received any blood products or a whole

blood transfusion

within the past year

was a

pre-term infant

born less than 32 weeks gestation, or weighing less than 2000 g at birth

as a baby, has had an intussusception (a blockage caused by one portion of the bowel sliding into the next piece of bowel like the pieces of a telescope)

has a chronic illness

has a bleeding disorder

does not have a functioning

spleen

lives with someone with a disease or who is having treatment that causes lower immunity – examples include

leukaemia

cancer

human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), oral steroid medications,

radiotherapy

chemotherapy

is an infant of a mother who was receiving highly immunosuppressive therapy – for example, biological disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) – during pregnancy

has a disease which lowers immunity (such as leukaemia, cancer, HIV or AIDS) or is having treatment that causes low immunity (such as oral steroid medication, radiotherapy or chemotherapy)

identifies as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person.

Side effects after immunisation

Immunisations are effective and safe, although all medication can have unwanted

side effects

. Some children may experience a reaction to a vaccine. In virtually all cases, immunisation side effects are not as serious as the symptoms a child would experience if they were to contract the disease.

The mild side effects can include a mild fever and pain at the injection site. For specific information about side effects from different doses of vaccine, ask your doctor or healthcare professional.

The meningococcal B vaccine, Bexsero, commonly causes a fever in children aged less than 2 years. Paracetamol must be given in the 30 minutes before vaccination or as soon as practicable after vaccination for children less than 2 years. This should be followed by 2 more doses given 6 hours apart regardless of whether the child has a fever.

Managing fever after immunisation

Common side effects following immunisation are usually mild and temporary (occurring one to 2 days after vaccination). Specific treatment is not usually required.

There are a number of treatment options that can reduce the side effects of the vaccine including:

giving extra fluids to drink and not overdressing if there is a

fever

although routine use of paracetamol after vaccination is not recommended, if pain or fever is present, or baby is crying and unsettled paracetamol can be given – check the label for the correct dose or speak with your pharmacist (especially when giving paracetamol to children).

Managing injection site reactions

Many vaccine injections may result in soreness, redness, itching, swelling or a burning feeling at the injection site for one to 2 days. Paracetamol and a cool compress on the site might be required to ease the discomfort.

Concerns about side effects of immunisation

If a side effect following immunisation is unexpected, persistent or severe or if you are worried about yourself or your child’s condition after a vaccination, see your doctor or immunisation nurse as soon as possible or go directly to a hospital. Immunisation side effects may be reported to

SAEFVIC

External Link

, the Victorian vaccine safety service (Tel.

1300 882 924

and select option 1).

You can discuss with your immunisation provider how to report adverse events in other states or territories.

It is important to seek medical advice if you (or your child) are unwell, as this may be due to other illness rather than because of the vaccination.

Rare side effects of immunisation

There is a very small risk of a

serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)

to any vaccine. This is why you are advised to stay at the clinic or medical surgery for at least 15 minutes following immunisation in case further treatment is required.

If your child misses an immunisation

To fully protect your child, it is best to immunise your child at the recommended age. If you have fallen behind or missed a vaccine, the vaccine schedule can be safely continued as if there had been no delay. Ask your doctor or immunisation provider about

catch-up doses of vaccine

There is no need to repeat doses already received before having catch-up doses.

Immunisation and HALO

The immunisations you may need are decided by your health, age, lifestyle and occupation. Together, these factors are referred to as HALO.

Talk to your doctor or immunisation provider if you think you or someone in your care has health, age, lifestyle or occupation factors that could mean immunisation is necessary. You can check your immunisation HALO using the

Immunisation for Life

infographic

External Link

Where to get help

In an emergency, always call triple zero (000)

Your

GP (doctor)

Emergency department of your nearest hospital

Local government immunisation service – visit

Know Your

Council

External Link

Maternal and Child Health Line

Tel.

13 22 29

(24 hours)

Nurse-on-Call

Tel.

1300 60 60 24

for expert health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days)

National Immunisation Information

Line

External Link

Tel.

1800 671 811

Australian Immunisation

External Link

Tel.

1800 653 809

Pharmacist

SAEFVIC

External Link

Tel.

1300 882 924

(select option 1)

Childhood immunisation

Childhood immunisation

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