What vaccinations should my child get, and when?

Before birth

Speak to your health professional about getting a tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) booster shot during the second or third trimester of your pregnancy. This will protect your baby from infection in their first weeks, when an immature immune system makes them especially vulnerable.

At birth

As part of the South African vaccine schedule to protect against the most commonly transmitted diseases, and in line with the World Health Organization, your child will be immunised against:
• Tuberculosis (with an injection of BCG vaccine)
• Polio (oral drops)

At 6 weeks

Take baby to clinic for immunisation against:
• Polio (drops). 
• Rotavirus (liquid) 
• Streptococcus pneumoniae (injection).
• Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, haemophilus influenza and hepatitis B (all-in-one injection).

At 10 weeks

• Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, haemophilus influenza and hepatitis B (repeat shot).

At 14 weeks

• Rotavirus (repeat dose).
• Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria (repeat shot).
• Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, haemophilus influenza and hepatitis B (repeat shot).

At 6 months

• Measles shot.
• Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria (repeat shot).

At 9 months

• Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria (repeat shot).

At 12 months

• Measles (repeat shot).

At 18 months

• Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, haemophilus influenza and hepatitis B (repeat shot).

At 6 years

• Tetanus and diphtheria (single dose vaccine injection).

At 12 years

• Tetanus and diphtheria (another injection).

Between 9 and 14 years

• Human papilloma virus (two injections now given to girls, six months apart, as part of a school-based programme). 

Recommended optional vaccines

Speak to your health professional about these, some of which are available only in private clinics. They will give protect your child against:

• Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR): single shot at 12 months (instead of the government vaccine given at 6 months).
• Chickenpox: At 15 months and 6 years.
• Meningitis: At 9 months and 15 months.
• Hepatitis A: At 12 months and 18 months.
• Influenza: Shot given from six months, ahead of the flu season in May each year. 

Why your child needs vaccines

The diseases vaccines protection against can have serious, even fatal effects and complications:

Tetanus:
Symptoms: jaw-cramping, muscle spasms, seizures, fever.
Complications: lung infection, breathing difficulty, death.

Diphtheria:
Symptoms: sore throat, fever, swollen neck glands.
Complications: blocked airways, damage to heart muscle and nerves, paralysis, kidney failure, death.

Pertussis (whooping cough):
Symptoms: slowed or stopped breathing, coughing fits (“whoops”).
Complications: lung infection, stopped breathing, brain disease.

Tuberculosis (TB):
Symptoms: weakness, lethargy, cough, fever, sweats.
Complications: it can infect other organs besides the lungs, including the brain.

Polio:
Symptoms: stiffness, severe muscle aches.
Complications: paralysis, meningitis, death.

Rotavirus disease:
Symptoms: severe diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain.
Complications: dehydration, kidney and liver abnormalities.

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcal disease):
Symptoms: lung infection, cough, chest pain, fever, stiff neck, headache.
Complications: infection and inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, the lungs, the blood, and the ear.

Haemophilus influenzae Type B (HIB):
Symptoms: swelling in throat and joints.
Complications: infections of the lungs, skin, brain and spinal cord, death.

Hepatitis B:
Symptoms: fever, fatigue, nausea, joint pain, jaundice.
Complications: permanent liver damage, liver cancer.

Measles: 
Symptoms: fever, cough, rash.
Complications: brain damage, ear infections, seizures, lung infection, death.

Human papilloma virus (HPV):
Symptoms: genital warts, and cervical, anal, penile and vaginal cancers.

Measles:
Symptoms: fever, cough, rash.
Complications: brain damage, ear infections, seizures, infection of the lungs, death.

Mumps:
Symptoms: swollen and tender salivary glands, muscle aches, fever.
Complications: infection and inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, inflammation of the ovaries and breast tissue, deafness.

Rubella (German measles):
Symptoms: low-grade fever, headache, enlarged lymph nodes, cough, runny nose, pink eye.
Complications: brain infections, bleeding problems, serious birth defects if a woman is infected in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Chickenpox:
Symptoms: itchy fluid-filled blisters, fever, headache.
Complications: infection of the lungs, blood, brain and spinal cord, dehydration.

Meningitis:
Symptoms: sudden fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea vomiting.
Complications: seizures, brain damage, learning disabilities, hearing loss.

Hepatitis A:
Symptoms: fever nausea, abdominal pain, joint pain, jaundice.
Complications: in rare cases, liver failure, death.

Influenza:
Symptoms: Fever, chills, body aches, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea.
Complications: infection of the lungs, inflammation of the heart or brain, ear infections.

Baby immunisations are available at Clicks clinics, visit Clicks Clinics online 

Also read: What is pertussis and how can it be prevented?

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