Answer:
There a number of reasons why many different vaccinations are
recommended for babies to protect them from serious diseases - the
protective antibodies you transfer to your baby during pregnancy
wear off in the first few months after birth, leaving your baby
susceptible to infection. Also, babies and young children have
immature immune systems compared with older children and adults, so
they need specific vaccines to be protected against each
disease.
Answer:
Some side effects are a sore arm, fever, and pain, redness and
swelling at the injection site. A range of other and more serious
side effects may be experienced by individuals and may vary
depending on the vaccine given. If your baby experiences any
side-effects, regardless of how minor the symptoms are, make sure
you report them to your doctor.
It is worth remembering that the diseases prevented by
vaccination can be very severe. If you have any concerns about the
side-effects of vaccines, speak to your doctor before your baby is
vaccinated.
Answer:
Breast milk contains small amounts of antibodies, but these
antibodies do not produce sufficient or long-term protection
against all infections. A baby should receive all the relevant
vaccines that are currently scheduled on the National Immunisation
Program regardless of whether they are breastfed or not.
Answer:
Funded vaccines are usually for specified age groups. To
get appropriate protection, your baby needs to receive all the
recommended doses, preferably on time. If there has been, or you
expect a delay between doses, please speak to your doctor as soon
as possible.
Answer:
Your baby's immune system is designed to respond to multiple
challenges - it is exposed to many foreign antigens (substances not
found naturally in the body) on a daily basis through activities
such as eating, drinking and playing. Vaccines, on the other hand,
only contain a small number of substances. So vaccines, even when
multiple injections are given at the same time, do not overwhelm or
'use up' the immune system. In fact, vaccines do not weaken it at
all; instead, they strengthen the immune system by inducing
protection against specific diseases.