Childhood immunisations Q&As
Published by Bupa's health information team, November 2008.
Answers to questions about childhood immunisations
This section contains answers to common questions about this topic. Questions have been suggested by health professionals, website feedback and requests via email.
- What happens if my child misses his/her booster dose of a vaccine?
- Can my baby's immune system cope with receiving so many vaccines all at once?
- If my child is ill, will he/she still be able to respond to a vaccine?
- Why are girls being offered the cervical cancer vaccine at such a young age?
What happens if my child misses his/her booster dose of a vaccine?
Your child won't be fully protected if he or she hasn't received all the doses of a vaccine.
Explanation
There are two major reasons for booster doses: to protect your child and to protect the entire population of children.
Firstly, booster doses 'top up' the level of antibodies produced by your child in response to the particular vaccine. If your child hasn't received all the doses, his or her level of protection will be reduced.
Secondly, having a high level of immunity among the general population ('herd immunity') is vital to reduce the risk of spread of disease from person to person. The lower the herd immunity, the greater the risk of a future outbreak of the disease.
If your child has missed an appointment and is late getting a booster dose, just make an appointment as soon as possible. The gap that is advised you should leave between having a vaccine and having the booster dose is the ideal amount of time - but the booster will still work if it's given later. You won't have to start the course of vaccines again.
Sources
- Immunisation information. National Health Service (NHS). www.immunisation.nhs.uk, accessed 21 August 2008
Can my baby's immune system cope with receiving so many vaccines all at once?
Yes. Babies are born with the ability to mount an immune response to fight off bacteria and viruses. The amount of virus contained in a vaccine is just a drop in the ocean compared with the amount your baby is exposed to in the environment every day of his or her life.
Explanation
From the moment your baby is born, he or she will be in contact with thousands of bacteria and viruses. Your baby is able to mount an immune response against bacteria and viruses from the time of birth. This includes the viruses and bacteria contained in vaccines.
Some parents worry about the number of vaccines children receive these days. However, it has been estimated that a baby's immune system can respond to as many as 10,000 vaccines at any one time. On this basis, the 11 different types of vaccine that are routinely given to children a baby at one time would only 'use up' about 0.1% of the immune system. However, a vaccine never even really uses up the immune system in this way - as immune cells are continually being replenished. A vaccine does not 'weaken' the immune system - children are not put at any more risk of getting other infections if they have had a vaccine.
Furthermore, although the number of vaccines given to children has increased, over the past few decades, the actual number of antigens they are exposed to has decreased. An antigen is the part of the bacteria or virus in the vaccine that sets off an immune response. The vaccines used today contain much fewer antigens than those that were used in the past.
Sources
- Offit PA, Quarles J, Gerber MA, et al. Addressing parents' concerns: do multiple vaccines overwhelm or weaken the infant's immune system? Pediatrics, 2002; 109:124-129
If my child is ill, will he/she still be able to respond to a vaccine?
Yes, having an illness doesn't reduce your child's ability to respond to a vaccine.
Explanation
It is a common misconception that children who are ill will be less likely to respond to a vaccine, or more likely to get side-effects, as their immune system is compromised. Parents may also wrongly believe that giving a vaccine to a child who is ill may burden the immune system, at a time when the child is already trying to fight off an infection.
Responses to vaccines and the amount of side-effects a child gets have been shown to be similar in healthy children and those with mild or moderate illness. However, it is advised that vaccines are delayed in children who have a severe illness - but this is so that the symptoms of the disease are not mistaken as side-effects of the vaccine, rather than the child not being able to cope with the vaccine itself.
Sources
- Offit PA, Quarles J, Gerber MA, et al. Addressing parents' concerns: do multiple vaccines overwhelm or weaken the infant's immune system? Pediatrics 2002; 109:124-129
Why are girls being offered the cervical cancer vaccine at such a young age?
The cervical cancer vaccine is most effective when it is given before a girl becomes sexually active.
Explanation
Human papillomavirus (HPV) - the virus against which the cervical cancer vaccine protects - is easily spread from one person to another through sexual contact. People who are sexually active have a high chance of getting the virus - at least half of women are thought to contract the HPV virus in their lifetime, and the majority of these get it while they are in their late teens or early 20s.
The HPV vaccine doesn't work in people who have already been infected with the virus. As girls are at risk of becoming infected with HPV as soon as they become sexually active, it is thought to be most effective to give the vaccine to girls well in advance of when they are likely to have sexual contact.
Further information
- NHS Immunisation information
www.immunisation.nhs.uk
Sources
- Factsheet: the human papillomavirus vaccine. National Health Service (NHS), May 2008. www.immunisation.nhs.uk
Related topics
This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Dr C. Melville MBChB and by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.
Publication date: November 2008
Childhood immunisation factsheet
Visit the childhood immunisation health factsheet for more information.
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