WonderBaba

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A wonderBaba Guide to the 6 in 1 vaccine given at 2,4, and 6 months of age!

Infanrix Hexa6002PPS0This vaccine is given at two, four and six months and protects your child against six different diseases in one injection.

  • Diphtheria – This can be a very serious bacterial illness which symptoms can vary from sore throat, fever, headache to breathing difficulties and problems with swallowing. Immunity is 97% after vaccination.
  • Hepatitis B – This is a viral infection which affects the liver and can cause serious health problems such as liver failure, cancer, cirrhosis and lifelong infection.  Immunity is 80-100% after vaccination
  • Hib – This is a bacterial infection which can cause meningitis, septicaemia and chest and ear infections. Immunity is 95-100% after vaccination.
  • Polio – This is a viral infection that can cause paralysis.  Immunity is 99% after vaccination.
  • Tetanus – This is a potentially fatal disease which can cause muscle spasm, convulsions and breathing problems.  Immunity is almost 100% after vaccination.
  • Whooping Cough – This is a bacterial infection which causes a characteristic ‘whoop’ sound during coughing episodes and can lead to difficulties breathing, pneumonia, heart and lung failure and brain damage.  Immunity is 75-90% after vaccination.

This vaccine is important.  Each time your baby gets the vaccine their level of immunity is increased and the vaccine becomes more effective.  Getting the vaccine at the recommended times means that your child will be immune to these illnesses as early as possible which reduces their risk of contracting illness.   As with all vaccines there is a very small risk (less than one in 100,000) of your child experiencing a severe anaphylactic reaction but these often occur within 15 minutes of vaccination and the nurses or doctors administering the vaccine are well-trained to manage these reactions.

Babies who should avoid this vaccine are ones who have previously had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose or have a known allergy to other parts of the vaccine such as neomycin or polymixin B.

You can get your child vaccinated if they have a cough or a cold but not if they are sick with a fever.

cropped-cropped-feet1.pngI hope you have found this article helpful and if you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to contact me by sending a private message to the WonderBaba facebook page (www.facebook.com/wonderbabacare) or by calling me (Sheena) at Milltown totalhealth Pharmacy in Dublin 6 on 012600262. I’m always happy to help!

 

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Updated Information on the Primary Immunisation Programme 2016!

Hi Mums and Dads of WonderBabas in Ireland!

There have been some recent announcements about the immunisations which your child will be offered.  It has been announced that the HSE intend to roll out a new Primary Childhood Immunisation Programme this year which will mean that all babies who are born on or after the 1st of October 2016 will receive two new vaccines as part of the programme.  The two new vaccines include MenB (at 2,4 and 12 months) and Rotavirus (at 2 and 4 months). The timing  if the 1st MenC vaccine will also change from 4 to 6 months and the timing of the third PCV will change from 12 to 13 months.  Currently Hib and MenC are given as two separate vaccines but will now change to one injection which combines the two vaccinations at 13 months.

I have updated my ‘Vaccination Schedule’ blog so that you have all of the information you need to answer any questions you may have relating to the changes and how they may or may not affect you and your baby.

The updated blog is available here:

https://wonderbaba.ie/2016/06/14/vaccination-schedule/

cropped-websitefeetlogo.pngI hope you find helpful and if you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to contact me by sending a private message to the WonderBaba facebook page (www.facebook.com/wonderbabacare) or by calling me (Sheena) at Milltown totalhealth Pharmacy in Dublin 6 on 012600262. I’m always happy to help!


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A WonderBaba Guide to Childhood Vaccinations in Ireland!

 

It has been announced that the HSE intend to roll out a new Primary Childhood Immunisation Programme this year which will mean that all babies who are born on or after the 1st of October 2016 will receive two new vaccines as part of the programme.  The two new vaccines include MenB (at 2,4 and 12 months) and Rotavirus (at 2 and 4 months). The timing  if the 1st MenC vaccine will also change from 4 to 6 months and the timing of the third PCV will change from 12 to 13 months.  Currently Hib and MenC are given as two separate vaccines but will now change to one injection which combines the two vaccinations at 13 months. The changes are best understood by looking at the following chart:

the new pci schedule

Reference : http://www.immunisation.ie

The vaccines which are shown in yellow text are new and the ones in green text in the chart have had changes to the timings as described above.  Children who have started on the ‘old schedule’ i.e those born before the 1st October 2016 will complete the ‘old schedule’.  As a parent of three I understand that vaccination schedules will change with time and that the most relevant vaccines at the time of my children’s birth have been offered to them.  There has to be a starting point for any new vaccination schedule and I suppose this is why there is no ‘catch up’ programme planned that I am aware of. Any parent of a child born before the 1st October 2016 who wishes to get their child vaccinated against MenB or the Rotavirus will have to discuss it with their GP who may prescribe it for them privately but the parent would need to pay for the vaccinations as they will not be covered under the child’s state funded immunisation schedule.

The changes to the Primary Immunisation Programme are very likely to go ahead but the HSE have yet to engage in negotiations with the Irish Medicines Organisation (who represent the GP’s who are responsible for administering the vaccines) to form an agreed framework for the implementation of the programme. Once that has been completed then the new vaccination programme should go ahead as planned.

The Primary Childhood Immunisation programme exists to help protect our babies and children from preventable diseases.  The more we vaccinate the more we move towards eradicating these diseases from Irish health. Whilst I strongly advise vaccination it is also only fair to point out that it is optional and you should always offer your consent before a vaccination takes place.  This article aims to allow you to make that decision in a more informed manner.  I hope for you to understand what vaccines your child is receiving and for what illnesses. I also hope you will find my ‘Parents Tips’ at the end useful for making the vaccination process less scary and intimidating for your child as a relaxed and prepared parent allows a child to be confident and relaxed in your care. Continue reading →