https://www2.hse.ie/babies-children/vaccines-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.
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.
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.
PCV13 (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) (Link: https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/hcpinfo/othervaccines/pneumo/)
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/)
6 in 1 vaccine (second dose)
MenB vaccine (meningococcal B vaccine)
Rotavirus oral vaccine
6 in 1 vaccine (third dose)
PCV13 (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine)
MenC vaccine (meningococcal C vaccine)
MMR (measles mumps rubella)
MenB vaccine (meningococcal B vaccine)
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.
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
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/)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Page last reviewed: 2 June 2022
Next review due: 2 June 2025
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