Immunisation for children

There are some diseases that can kill children or cause lasting damage to their health. Sometimes your child's system needs help to fight those diseases. Immunisation - also called 'vaccination', 'jabs' or 'injections' - provides that help.

Childhood immunisation programme

Immunisation is a simple and effective way of protecting children and adults against certain diseases. It not only protects individuals who have the immunisation, but also others in our community, by increasing the level of immunity and minimising the spread of disease. Immunisation uses the body’s natural defence mechanism – the immune response – to build resistance to infectious diseases.

Immunisation prepares our bodies to fight serious infections that we may come in contact with in the future.

Because immunisation is so successful, it is now rare for children to get serious diseases like diphtheria, polio or tetanus. Measles and pertussis (whooping cough) are also becoming less common.

However, if children are not immunised against these diseases, they will come back again.

Vaccines are offered to all children to protect them against the following diseases:
Diphtheria (D)
Tetanus (T)
Pertussis (P)
Polio (IPV)
Haemophilus influenzae (Hib)
Measles
Mumps
Rubella
Meningitis C
Pneumococcal infection (PCV)
Human Papillomavirus
Rotavirus

Age immunisation is given	Diseases protected against	Name of vaccine
Two months old	Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) Pneumococcal infection Rotavirus	DTaP/IPV/Hib Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, (PCV) Rotarix
Three months old	Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) Rotavirus Meningitis C	DTaP/IPV/Hib Rotarix MenC
Four months old	Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) Pneumococcal infection	DTaP/IPV/Hib PCV
Around 12 months old	Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) Meningitis C	Hib/MenC
Around 13 months old	Measles, mumps and rubella Pneumococcal infection	MMR PCV
Three to five years	Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio Measles, mumps and rubella	DTaP/IPV or dTaP/IPV MMR
14 to 18 years old	Diphtheria, tetanus, polio	Td/IPV
14 to 15 years old	Meningitis C	Men C
13 to 18 years old (girls only)	Human papilloma virus (HPV) - increases the risk of cervical cancer	HPV

In addition, some babies in high-risk groups are given a BCG immunisation for protection against tuberculosis shortly after they are born. Higher risk infants may also receive immunisation against Hepatitis B.

Your doctor or health visitor will give you more information if your child needs any of these.

Getting your child immunised

All parents receive invitations at the appropriate times to have their child immunised.

Before your child starts school, they will usually get their vaccinations either at your doctor's surgery or local health clinic. An appointment is usually sent from the Child Health Department or by your surgery.

Teenagers will usually have their injections at school. The school will contact you before your child is given any immunisation.

If you have any questions, you can talk to your health visitor, doctor, school nurse or practice nurse at your doctor's surgery.