Short videos on the Importance of Play have recently launched which was a collaboration between North Central CFSN and Lifestart Services.
Volume 1
https://youtu.be/xl2F2vZXhbgVolume 2
https://youtu.be/OOy4lmWggtMVolume 3
https://youtu.be/tmv40–l7fAVolume 4
https://youtu.be/Wr9bfTWddtsVolume 5
https://youtu.be/7HLkBXvVTFEVolume 6
https://youtu.be/NuUXb51qZY0
https://www2.hse.ie/babies-children/vaccines-your-child/
Vaccines for your child
Vaccination is a safe and effective way to protect your child against certain diseases. These diseases can cause serious illness or even death.
How vaccines work
When your child is given a vaccine, their immune system makes antibodies. These antibodies remain in the body.
If your child comes in contact with an infection in the future, the antibodies stop them from getting sick.
Vaccine safety
As a parent, you might not like the fact that your child has to get an injection.
But vaccinations:
are quick, safe and effective protect your child from disease help your child to fight diseases
If you do not vaccinate your child, there is a chance they could become very ill, or even die.
Be ready with a feed or a hug for your child and the vaccination will be forgotten soon afterwards.
Vaccines your child will get
At 2 months
PCV13 (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) (Link: https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/hcpinfo/othervaccines/pneumo/)
6 in 1 vaccine
This is a single vaccine which will protect your child against the following diseases:
Diphtheria (Link: https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/pcischedule/vpds/diphtheria/)
Tetanus (Link: https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/hcpinfo/othervaccines/tetanus/)
Polio (inactivated poliomyelitis) (Link: https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/polio/) Hepatitis B (Link: https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/hepatitis/)
At 4 months
6 in 1 vaccine (second dose)
MenB vaccine (meningococcal B vaccine)
Rotavirus oral vaccine
At 6 months
6 in 1 vaccine (third dose)
PCV13 (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine)
MenC vaccine (meningococcal C vaccine)
At 12 months
MMR (measles mumps rubella)
MenB vaccine (meningococcal B vaccine)
At 13 months
Hib/MenC (haemophilus influenzae type B and Meningococcal C combined vaccine)
PCV13 (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine)
Talk to your GP or your public health nurse (PHN) if you have any questions.
At 4 to 5 years
Children in Junior Infants will be offered:
4 in 1 vaccine (Link: https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/schoolprog/4in1mmr/) – diphtheria, polio, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough)
MMR (measles mumps rubella) – second dose
In Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim these vaccines are given by your GP or practice nurse
At 12 to 14 years
Students in first year of secondary school will be offered the following vaccines:
HPV (Link: https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/schoolprog/hpv/) (human papillomavirus vaccine)
Tdap (Link: https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/schoolprog/4in1mmr/) (tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough booster)
MenACWY (Link: https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/schoolprog/menacwy/) (meningococcal A, C, W and Y vaccine)
School immunisation programme (Link: https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/schoolprog/)
Flu vaccine
Children aged 2 to 17 can now get the flu vaccine for free. This is given as a spray in the nose.
The flu vaccine will help protect your child against flu and reduce the spread of flu to others. For example, their brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents.
The flu season is from the end of October until the end of April.
COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccine
Children aged 6 months and older can get vaccinated against COVID-19.
If your child is sick before vaccination
If your child has a fever, vaccination should be delayed until they have recovered.
If your child gets sick after a vaccine
Common side effects after vaccination are redness and soreness where your baby got their injection.
They might also become irritable.
A child may have a fever after MenB vaccination (Link:
https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/hcpinfo/othervaccines/meningococcalb/) at 2 and 4 months. Infant liquid paracetamol is recommended at the 2 month and 4 month vaccinations.
| Contact your GP if:
you are worried about your child after vaccination There may be another reason they are sick. |
How long vaccines take to work
It usually takes 2 weeks for vaccines to work. Your child will not be protected immediately.
Why your child needs more than 1 dose of a vaccine
Most vaccines need to be given several times to build up long-lasting protection.
For example if a child received only 1 or 2 doses of the whooping cough vaccine, the child is only partly protected. They may still catch whooping cough if the full course is not completed.
Booster doses are also recommended for some vaccines. The booster dose stimulates the immune system again and gives your child better long term protection.
More information
Page last reviewed: 2 June 2022
Next review due: 2 June 2025
The North Central Donegal Directory of Services is now available to download.
Click here to download your copy.
A new parenting programme for families in Donegal.
Are you keen to learn more about family connections, healthy food routines, healthy mealtimes and managing technology among more? 
This programme is suitable for parents of children aged 0-12.
Starting 23rd February
10am-12pm
Online via Zoom
Call Chloe on 0860675186 or 
email chloe.mcginty@dpfss.ie to book a place
Click here to register. Workshop with Jude Morrow February 2nd from 1-4pm. The workshop has been set up to respond to the needs of families in Donegal, particularly when they are given a diagnosis and often do not know where to turn.
About this event
We all feel anger sometimes but what is actually going on in our brain and body? Here are some great infographics from the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine which explain what is happening.
Here is an interesting piece from the Independent on boosting our children’s immune systems before they go back to school. It is written by Brian Higgins who is a GP at Galway Primary Care. The original article can be downloaded here https://www.independent.ie/life/family/parenting/how-to-boost-your-kids-immune-system-39432060.html
Given that there has been a significant increase in the number of Covid-19 infections around the country the Government has reintroduced restrictions – outlined below. We each have a role to play in reducing the chances of this virus spreading.
The Donegal Dyspraxia Support Group is doing great work raising awareness of dyspraxia and you can find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Donegal-Dyspraxia-Support-Group Here is some information taken from the dyspraxia.ie website which explains what dyspraxia is and how it may impact on your child. You can find more information at http://dyspraxia.ie/
Sometimes we can be frustrated with our child’s behaviour, wondering why they can’t do what we expect them to do. Here in this extract from the Parents Plus Early Years Parenting Programme the authors John Sharry, Grainne Hampson and Mary Fanning help us to see that maybe our children aren’t actually misbehaving, they just haven’t learned the skills they need to behave the way we would like.
You can also find more resources from Parents Plus on https://www.parentsplus.ie/parents/
The biggest problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply.
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges when parenting teenagers is taking the time to listen properly. It is easy to jump in with our opinions, our solutions. That often just escalates an already difficult situation. Here are some ideas from John Sharry and Carol Fitzpatrick at Parents Plus from their Adolescent Parenting programme.
Parenting can be challenging and this article from the Toddlers Den website looks at what some of those challenges are in the 21st century. Find the link to the original article below
You may have heard of Executive Functioning Skills. Well here is a piece that explains what they are, why they matter and how you can support your child’s development of these important skills. The original article can be downloaded here https://iraparenting.com/school-ready/executive-functioning-skills-child-development/