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Given the vaccine schedule’s complexity, it can be challenging to understand which vaccines your children need and when. Here are some tips on how to stay on top of planning your child’s immunisation.
For your child to be fully immunised and protected, it’s important to get the timing right when planning vaccinations. Different vaccines are given at varying intervals in order to safely give your child’s body the reminders it needs to build appropriate immunity.
When planning vaccinations, mark down all immunisation dates as soon as possible. It can be easy to forget immunisation dates when you have to deal with work, household chores and so on. Try marking the appointments on your calendar, smartphone or computer. Some private clinics can also provide reminders. Remember to refer to the National Immunisation Programme (NIP) if you are unsure.
If your child has an on-going fever, it is likely that his or her immune system is not in the best condition. In this case, your doctor might advise you to postpone the vaccination until your child recovers. If your child has a cold, but no fever, it is still possible for your child to be vaccinated.
If your child misses a dose, inform your doctor immediately. He or she will advise you on what to do next. Generally, your doctor will continue with the subsequent vaccine doses.
In fact, your doctor might talk to you about combination vaccines to save on time and visits. Combination vaccines are multiple vaccines combined together into a single vaccine so that your children get protection from multiple diseases in fewer shots. This makes immunisation less painful and more convenient.
If your child is getting a vaccination on the thigh, wear easy-to-take-off pants, or if your child is getting vaccinated on the upper arm, wear a sleeveless or short sleeved shirt.
Avoid chunky, padded or tight-fitting clothes with lots of buttons and straps. They take time to remove and put back on.
Choose clothes that you can remove or roll up easily.
If your child is more than 2 years old, it could help to inform them about the immunisation before their appointment.
You should try to maintain a soft, nurturing-tone throughout. Answers questions honestly, and use words that lessen anxiety – for example, “you may feel pressure, squeezing, or poking”. Do not use words such as “pain, hurt, or sting”. You can say, “You need the vaccine to stay healthy. The medicine will be put in your arm with a needle. You will feel a quick prick.”
There are a few things you should highlight to your doctor and discuss before the vaccination.
If your child has a supressed immune system, he or she may not be able to receive certain live vaccines. A suppressed immune system can be cause by medical conditions (AIDS, leukaemia, or cancer) or medical treatments (steroids, chemotherapy or radiation).
At the clinic, these are some immunisation tips you can employ to make your child more comfortable during the appointment:
Trying these immunisation tips can turn clinic visits or immunisation appointments into a chance to teach children skills for managing potentially scary or difficult situations.
It is advisable to remain in the clinic for about half an hour after the immunisation. Sometimes your child may have a rare serious reaction to the vaccine (adverse reaction). However, when it does, it will happen within a few minutes to an hour of the vaccine injection. Therefore, being at the clinic means your child can be attended to without delay. If you are at home, call your doctor immediately.
After being vaccinated, a small proportion of children experience some changes, in other words side effects. Don’t worry, these side effects are usually mild and expected. These vaccine reactions mean that the body is building its immunity in response to the vaccines.
Here are some tips on what to expect and what to do.
This will slowly go away on its own, after a few days. However, if needed, you can use a cool, wet towel to soothe the redness and swelling.
If your baby gets a fever, you can cool him or her down by tepid sponging. Make sure you baby has lots of fluid to drink. If your child develops a fever or becomes irritable, you can treat them with pain-relieving medication such as paracetamol. However, these should never be given before immunisation or if the child has no fever.
These are vaccine reactions that are normally expected. However, some vaccine reactions aren’t detectable until the vaccine has been used on millions of people from various backgrounds. To better understand these adverse reactions, the government has set up an Adverse Effect Following Immunisation (AEFI) report system to record and study such reactions.