Health status or age may play a part in deciding whether a child can receive a certain vaccine. Normally, doctors will let the child get well before vaccinating, but children who have allergic reactions after vaccination should not continue vaccination.
Immunizations help protect children from very serious and contagious diseases. Vaccinations are especially important for children because they are more susceptible to diseases than adults. Furthermore, vaccination is also very important to help children prevent diseases in the future.
Vaccinations should usually be given according to the Ministry of Health schedule because different vaccines work best when they are given at a certain age. However, in some cases children may not be vaccinated on schedule.
Common types of vaccines
Commonly recommended vaccines for children include:
- Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccine
- Polio vaccine (IPV)
- Measles, mumps , rubella (MMR) vaccine
- Chickenpox vaccine (Varicella)
- Hepatitis A vaccine
- Hepatitis B vaccine
- H influenzae (Hib) vaccine
- Pneumococcal vaccine (PCV13)
- Rotavirus (RV) Vaccine
- Flu vaccine
- Meningococcal meningitis vaccine (MPSV4/MCV4)
- HPV vaccine
Which children should not be vaccinated?
Like other medical procedures, vaccinations have many risks because each child has different health conditions and each vaccine will interact with these conditions. In addition to health status, age is also one of the factors that contribute to deciding whether a child should receive a certain vaccine or not. As a general rule, if a person has a certain health condition, they should wait until their health is best before getting vaccinated. Children who have previously had an allergic reaction after receiving a vaccine are also advised not to receive additional doses of that vaccine.
Flu vaccine
Children under 6 months old or who are currently sick should avoid getting the flu shot. Patients who have previously had an allergic reaction to this vaccine are also advised not to receive the same vaccine again.
Children or parents with one or more of the following conditions should carefully consult a medical professional before vaccination:
- Children under 2 years old
- The child has had asthma or wheezing before
- Pregnant women
- Child/parent has one or more chronic diseases such as heart disease, liver disease or asthma
- The child/parents have difficulty breathing , possibly due to some muscle or nerve disease
- The child/parents have a weakened immune system
- The child/parents are living with someone who has a compromised immune system
- Child/parent has received long-term aspirin treatment
Hepatitis A vaccine
Like other vaccines, hepatitis A vaccine usually requires children to be healthy when vaccinated. Pregnant women should generally delay hepatitis A vaccination unless they are at high risk for the disease. Patients who have had allergic reactions from a previous hepatitis A vaccination should not receive the next dose. In addition, patients who are allergic to any component of the vaccine should not be vaccinated.
Hepatitis B vaccine
Patients who are known to be allergic to any component of the vaccine or have had an allergic reaction to a vaccine should not receive hepatitis B vaccine . Additionally, patients should delay vaccination if they have any health conditions.
HPV vaccine
Patients who are allergic to any component of the vaccine or have had an allergic reaction to this vaccine should not receive HPV vaccine. Pregnant women and people with medical conditions should also avoid using the HPV vaccine.
Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccine
Children who are allergic to any component of the vaccine or have side effects after vaccination should not receive this vaccine. Known side effects include coma, seizures, severe pain, and swelling at the injection site. It is important to note that the DTaP vaccine can also come in different forms such as DTP, DT or Td. Children who are suffering from any disease should avoid vaccination. In addition, children with epilepsy or Guillain-Barré syndrome are advised to discuss this with their doctor before being vaccinated.
Vaccine to prevent shingles
Children who are allergic to any component of the vaccine or have experienced an allergic reaction to the vaccine should not receive the vaccine. In addition, children/parents with the following conditions should also avoid using the shingles vaccine:
- Patients with compromised immune systems, possibly due to AIDS, bone or lymphatic cancer , use certain cancer treatments and certain medications.
- Women who are pregnant/may or intend to become pregnant in the next month.
- Your child has or has recently had a fever.
Meningitis vaccine
Children who are allergic to any component of the vaccine or have an allergic reaction should not receive meningitis vaccine. Additionally, children with any existing health conditions should not receive the meningococcal meningitis vaccine.
