Vaccines in Children: A Vaccination Guide for Families

Vaccines are one of the most important ways of protecting children from certain infectious diseases and from the serious complications these diseases can lead to.

However, especially from a baby's first months onward, many questions come up for families:

Which vaccine should be given when? What happens if a vaccine is delayed? Are optional vaccines necessary? Should the meningococcal vaccine be given? Is the flu vaccine needed every year? Can more than one vaccine be given at the same time? Is a fever after a vaccine normal?

In childhood immunization the aim is not only to complete the vaccines on the schedule; it is to build a suitable immunization plan by evaluating the child's age, the vaccines given before, the child's health condition and any special risks.

Why Are Vaccines Important in Children?

Vaccines aim to help the immune system recognize certain disease agents and respond more quickly when it meets them.

Thanks to immunization, many infections that in the past could cause serious illness, lasting health problems and deaths in children have been brought under control to an important degree.

For this reason immunization, unlike treatment given when a child falls ill, is one of the basic parts of preventive child health care.

How Should the Childhood Immunization Schedule Be Followed?

Childhood vaccines are given within the framework of a certain program starting from birth.

In Türkiye, an important part of children's routine vaccines are given within the scope of the National Childhood Immunization Schedule.

You can follow the current schedule for childhood vaccines on the Ministry of Health's website.

Current immunization schedule, Ministry of Health

However, because the immunization schedule can be updated over time, the current immunization program should be taken as the basis rather than old vaccine tables found on the internet.

When a child's vaccines are being evaluated, the following should be considered:

• Age
• The vaccines given before
• Missing or delayed doses
• Illnesses the child has had
• Whether the child has a chronic condition
• Special risks

Travel plans should be evaluated together with these.

My Child's Vaccine Was Delayed, What Should I Do?

A vaccine not having been given on the recommended date is a common concern for families.

A vaccine being delayed does not in every case mean that immunization will be started again from the beginning.

By evaluating the child's age and the doses that have already been given, a plan can be made for how the missing vaccines will be completed.

For this reason, in a child whose vaccines are delayed, it will be more appropriate to evaluate the existing vaccination records together with the pediatrician rather than building a new schedule from the internet.

Are There Vaccines That Can Be Given Outside the Routine Ones?

This is one of the subjects families are most confused about.

Whether or not a vaccine is given free of charge by the state and which children the vaccine is medically recommended for are not the same question.

National immunization programs can change according to countries' health policies, epidemiological data and the updates made over time.

For this reason families need to talk with their pediatricians not only about "Is this vaccine paid for?" but also about "Is this vaccine necessary for my child?"

By evaluating the child's age, health condition, risk factors and the vaccines given before, information can be given to the family about vaccines outside the routine program.

What Is the Meningococcal Vaccine?

Meningococcal disease is one of the serious infections that can be caused by the bacterium called Neisseria meningitidis.

Because the meningococcal bacterium has different serogroups, the vaccines used against meningococcal diseases are not of a single type either.

For this reason the expression "meningitis vaccine," which families often use, is actually a general expression that can cover more than one vaccine.

Whether meningococcal immunization is needed and which type of vaccine will be given should be evaluated according to the child's age, the vaccines received before and individual risks.

What Is the Meningococcal B Vaccine?

The meningococcal B vaccine is a vaccine that aims to build protection against serogroup B of the meningococcal bacterium.

The meningococcal B vaccine is not the same as the other meningococcal vaccines. For this reason, a child having had a meningococcal vaccine before does not give enough information on its own without knowing which meningococcal groups the child was vaccinated against.

The vaccination records the family has need to be evaluated and it needs to be checked which meningococcal vaccines the child has received.

Should the Meningococcal Vaccine Be Given to Every Child?

The answer to this question can change according to the child's age, health condition, the vaccines given before and risk factors.

For this reason, rather than giving a single schedule for the meningococcal vaccine that could be applied to everyone, it is more appropriate to make an evaluation specific to the child.

Families in particular should not think that the different meningococcal vaccines are alternatives to one another. Which vaccine gives protection against which meningococcal group, and which vaccine the child needs, should be evaluated together with the physician.

Is the Flu Vaccine Necessary in Children?

The flu, that is influenza, is one of the viral respiratory infections commonly seen in children.

Although an important part of healthy children can get through the flu without complications developing, influenza can follow a more severe course in some children. The risk that an influenza infection can create may be greater, especially in children with certain chronic conditions.

The flu vaccine has one important difference from the other childhood vaccines:

The flu vaccine is not a vaccine that is given once and then completed.

Because the influenza viruses expected to be circulating can change, the content of the vaccine is updated periodically and immunization is evaluated again for each influenza season.

Who Can Be Given the Flu Vaccine?

The child's age and health condition are important for the flu vaccine.

Evaluating the flu vaccine becomes even more important in children who are at risk of going through an influenza infection severely.

Protection against influenza should be evaluated separately in children with asthma and certain chronic lung conditions, heart conditions, and certain metabolic health problems or health problems affecting the immune system.

The flu vaccine can also be given to healthy children according to age and current recommendations.

Should the Flu Vaccine Be Given Every Year?

Because the influenza viruses that the flu vaccine aims to protect against can change over time, the content of the vaccine is also updated.

For this reason influenza immunization is evaluated on a yearly basis.

Whether the child needs a flu vaccine that year, how many doses will be given and the timing of the vaccine should be decided according to the child's age and previous influenza vaccines.

Does the Flu Vaccine Cause the Flu?

This is one of the questions families often ask about flu vaccines.

After the vaccine, temporary complaints such as pain at the injection site, weakness or fever may be seen in some children. Seeing these does not mean that the child has the flu.

It is also not right to think that every respiratory infection that appears in the days right after the vaccine is caused by the vaccine. Children can meet many different respiratory viruses, especially during the autumn and winter months.

Do Vaccines Have Side Effects?

As with every medication and medical procedure, some side effects may be seen after vaccines as well.

The most commonly encountered situations are mostly short-lasting complaints such as:

• Pain at the site where the vaccine was given
• Redness or mild swelling
• Mild fever
• Restlessness
• Weakness

Which side effects are expected can change according to the vaccine given.

If you think an unexpected or serious reaction has developed in your child after a vaccine, you need to go to a health facility.

Do Vaccines Cause Autism?

No.

There is no reliable scientific evidence supporting the claim that childhood vaccines cause autism.

Claims that there is a link between vaccines and autism can cause serious worry in families. When deciding about vaccines, scientific data and the recommendations of current health authorities should be taken as the basis rather than information of uncertain origin on social media or on the internet.

Can More Than One Vaccine Be Given on the Same Day?

In childhood it is possible for certain vaccines to be given during the same visit.

Whether it is appropriate to give more than one vaccine on the same day is evaluated according to the type of vaccines to be given, the child's age and vaccination history.

Splitting vaccines across different days unnecessarily, on the other hand, can cause the immunization schedule to fall behind.

Can a Vaccine Be Given While the Child Is Ill?

Not every illness is an obstacle to giving a vaccine.

For example, a child having a mild upper respiratory tract infection and a picture of a high fever or a more serious illness are not evaluated in the same way.

For this reason there is no general rule such as "My child is coughing a little, so he or she cannot have a vaccine."

Whether the vaccine needs to be postponed should be decided by evaluating the child's current clinical condition.

Is It Necessary to Give a Fever Reducer Before a Vaccine?

A general approach saying that a fever reducer should be given routinely before every vaccine is not correct.

If fever or pain develops after the vaccine, the medication and dose to be used should be evaluated with the pediatrician according to the child's age and weight.

Can the Child Have a Bath After a Vaccine?

Having a vaccine on its own is not an obstacle to a child having a bath.

However, if the child has a fever, marked weakness or a different complaint after the vaccine, the general condition should be taken into account.

Is a Fever After a Vaccine Normal?

After some vaccines a mild and temporary fever may be seen.

When the fever may appear and how long it may last can vary according to the vaccine given.

In case of a high or long-lasting fever, a marked decline in the child's general condition, or other signs that worry the family, the pediatrician should be consulted.

Why Should a Child's Vaccination Follow-Up Be Done Together With the Pediatrician?

Vaccination follow-up does not consist only of the question "which vaccine will be given in which month?"

The child's growth and development, the illnesses the child has had, allergic or chronic conditions, the responses given to previous vaccines, missing vaccines and personal risks should all be evaluated together.

For this reason, one of the important parts of regular child health follow-up is reviewing the child's vaccination status at every check-up.