Needle knowledge

What you need to know about childhood vaccinations
Aug. 2, 2010 | By: Sydney Loney

Immunizations play a huge role in keeping kids healthy. In fact, they are singlehandedly responsible for the biggest improvement in child health, says Dr. Denise Chapple, a pediatrician in Kamloops, B.C. 

“Making sure that your child's immunizations are up to date before starting school is invaluable,” she says. But many parents still have misconceptions about childhood vaccinations. Here are the most common vaccine myths debunked:

Vaccine myths

Autism: “It has been scientifically proven that vaccines do not cause autism,” says Dr. Chapple. The very study that started the whole controversy by linking the two in the first place has since been discredited and retracted by The Lancet, the medical journal in which it was published back in 1998.

Too many immunizations will "overwhelm" the immune system: Not true, says Dr. Chapple.  “The immune system is capable of handling several immunizations at a time.”

If everyone else vaccinates their children, you don’t need to: Not vaccinating your children puts them at risk of serious illness because not all infectious childhood diseases have been eradicated (as demonstrated by the recent measles outbreak), says Dr. Chapple.  Plus, some children, such as those who have cancer, are not well enough to be vaccinated and thus non-immunized children put them at risk, she adds.

The immune system should be able to fight infections by itself: This is sometimes true, says Dr. Chapple. “But the diseases we immunize against have significant morbidity and mortality associated with them and, personally, I would not want to take the risk that my child could fight it himself.”

Which vaccines does your child need?

When it comes to which vaccine your child needs and when, each province has a different, although similar, schedule, says Dr. Chapple. Here are some general guidelines established by the Public Health Agency of Canada:

1. Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and inactivated polio virus vaccine: should be given at two, four, six, and 18 months, then again between ages four and six.

2. Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib disease) vaccine: usually given at two, four, six and 18 months.

3. Pneumococcal vaccine (protection from meningitis, pneumonia and ear infections): should be given at two, four, six and 12 months.

4. Meningococcal conjugate (meningitis and septicemia) vaccine: children should be given two or three shots during infancy (before 12 months), as well as a booster between 12 and 23 months and again in adolescence.

5. Hepatitis B vaccine: requires a series of immunizations, any time during infancy.

6. Measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR): should be given at 12 months and again at 18 months, or between ages four and six.

7. Varicella (chicken pox) vaccine: should be given at 12 months.