Below are some frequently asked questions about vaccinations

What vaccinations do newborn babies receive, and at what age?

See routine childhood immunisation chart.

Why is it important to immunise babies?

Immunisation is a way of protecting your child against serious disease. Immunisations are given to prepare a child’s immune system to fight off these diseases if they come into contact with them. If a child is not immunised they will be at risk from catching the disease.

The only time to stop immunising children is when a disease has been eradicated worldwide.

Before they are allowed to be used, all medicines (including vaccines) are thoroughly tested to assess their safety and effectiveness. After they have been licensed, the safety of vaccines continues to be monitored. Any rare side effects that are discovered can then be assessed further. All medicines can cause side effects, but vaccines are among the safest. Research from around the world shows that immunisation is the safest way to protect your child’s health.

Do vaccines overload our immune systems?

No. There is no evidence to suggest that having a number of vaccines, even one at a time, overloads the immune system.

Our immune systems are being challenged by many different antigens around us all the time so there is no reason to think that those in a vaccine will overload the system.

A recent US study estimated that vaccines might "use up" at most 0.1% of a child's immune system.

In the US, where more vaccines are given in a single GP visit than in the UK, a study found no difference in hospital admission in children who had had multiple immunisations compared with children who had had only polio vaccine.

What side effects can I expect?

All medicines can cause side effects, but vaccines are among the safest.

Some babies will have side effects. They may:

• have redness, swelling or tenderness where they had the injection (this will slowly disappear on its own)
• be a bit irritable and feel unwell, or
• have a temperature (fever).

To treat a fever, keep your child cool by:

• making sure they don’t have too many layers of clothes or blankets on, and
• giving them plenty of cool drinks.

A dose of infant paracetamol or ibuprofen liquid may help reduce your child’s fever. Read the instructions on the bottle very carefully. You may need to give a second dose four to six hours later.

Remember, never give medicines that contain aspirin to children under 16.

If you are worried about your child, trust your instincts. Speak to your doctor or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647. Call the doctor immediately if, at any time, your child:

• has a temperature of 39°C or above, or
• has a fit.

If the surgery is closed and you can’t contact your doctor, trust your instincts and go to the emergency department of your nearest hospital.

Wouldn't it be far better for children to have the natural disease to give them longer-term immunity?

It is true that the immunity a person gets from natural infection is likely to last for life.

The problem is that to gain natural immunity people have to catch the natural infection and the risk of complications is much greater than that of an adverse effect from a vaccine.

If you want more information on immunisation visit www.immunisation.nhs.uk and www.mmrthefacts.nhs.uk