Infant, Childhood and Teenage Vaccinations
Routine vaccinations in infancy, childhood and teenage years is an important way to prevent serious illnesses arising in a young family.
Vaccinations are carried out at the Humberstone Medical Centre nursing clinics on Wednesday mornings and notifications to attend booked clinics are sent to patients by the Leicester booking office at Bridge Park Plaza.
A normal schedule protects against the following infectious diseases:
About the Vaccines
DTP/polio/Hib: Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough); polio and Hib vaccines are now combined into one injection. As there are no live organisms, none of the diseases can be caught. The polio vaccine used to be given as drops, but it is now an injection.
PCV: This is a new vaccine, introduced in 2006, which protects against childhood pneumonia.
Men C: This vaccine protects against the very dangerous Menigococcus C group (meningitis).
HPV: Given in the form of the Cervarix vaccine, HPV was introduced in 2008 for girls aged 12-13 years and is to protect against the Human Papilloma Virus responsible for Cancer of the Cervix in women. A catch-up programme is in place to give the vaccination to girls up to 18 years of age.
Concerns over Vaccinations
The Humberstone Medical Centre recognises that some parents have concerns regarding various aspects of the vaccination schedule, and we are always happy to discuss these concerns with you. There are, however, very few reasons why a child should not receive a vaccination, as they are generally very safe. Your nurse or GP may advise against a vaccination if:
• The immune system is not working, for example in a child undergoing Chemotherapy or a child with HIV
• The child has had a severe reaction to that vaccine previously
Common effects of Vaccines
After a vaccination there may be some local pain, swelling or redness at the site of the injection. Paracetamol or Ibuprofen may be given and is available free of charge from the HMC Pharmacy via the
Pharmacy First Scheme.
Such reactions tend to occur within a few hours, are usually mild and do not mean that the child has had an allergic reaction. Sometimes there may be fever, irritability, aching muscles, headache or loss of appetite. If you are unsure of the significance of any symptoms or have any concerns then contact HMC or if it is out of hours, telephone NHS Direct on 0845 4647.
Associated Resources