Starship Foundation

Conditions, tests & treatments A-Z
Keeping your child well
Babies
Babysitters
Burns and electrocution
Car safety for school-aged children
Child protection: Parts 1-7
Child protection part 1
Child protection part 2
Child protection part 3
Child protection part 4
Child protection part 5
Child protection part 6
Child protection part 7
Child protection: Preventing SBS (sha...
Car seats
Computers and the internet
Crying
Driveway injuries
Early childhood education
Eyes
Foreskin care
Hearing and vision
Immunisation: Cervical cancer
Immunisation: Complete fact sheet
Immunisation: Flu
Immunisation: General information
Immunisation: Meningococcal B disease
Immunisation: Whooping cough
Learning, play and development
Media and technology
Medicine
Mobile phones and text bullying
Nutrition and physical activity
Parenting under fives
Poisons, bites, stings
Road safety
Safety and accident prevention
SBS (shaken baby syndrome) - prevention
Speech and language
Teeth - preschool years
Teeth - primary school
Teeth - first year
Television and media
Vaccination
Water safety
Well Child / Tamariki Ora
Parent support
Support groups A-Z

Immunisation: Complete fact sheet


Disclaimer: This fact sheet is for educational use only. Please consult your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child.

Key points to remember about immunisation

  • the benefits of immunisation far outweigh the risks
  • there is still whooping cough in New Zealand – infants are the hardest hit. Delaying the first immunisation puts children at risk. Breastfeeding does not offer protection against whooping cough
  • infants can catch whooping cough from older brothers and sisters or even parents. If you have a baby or toddler, make sure your older children are up-to-date with their immunisations
  • routine immunisation against meningococcal disease finished on 1 June 2008; however, it is recommended that babies and children who started a course, complete it
  • pneumococcal disease is now having a greater impact in our communities; take advantage of the pneumococcal vaccine which is available free to all babies born after 1 January 2008
  • there is a new vaccine (called GARDASIL®) that can protect young women and girls against the cause of about 70 percent of cervical cancers - see Cervical cancer

  • flu (influenza) immunisation is important, and free, for children with long-term health conditions, who may develop complications from the flu - see Immunisation: The flu


 Back to Top

Why do we need immunisation?

In the past, diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough killed many children. Today, we use vaccines to immunise children against these and other diseases.
 
Immunisation (or vaccination) has wiped out some of the killer diseases of childhood in New Zealand. Tetanus is not common any longer (although it still occurs in children who haven't been immunised) and New Zealand is free of polio and diphtheria. While these diseases still exist in other countries, however, they are only a plane ride away.
 

 Back to Top

What is immunisation?

The IMAC (Immunisation Advisory Centre) website has:
IMAC’s FAQs2 (frequently asked questions) include answers to questions such as:
  • why change the immunisations?
  • how well does immunisation work?
  • how safe is vaccination?
  • does my child need all the recommended immunisations?
  • why are combined immunisations given?
  • will immunisation be too much for my baby’s immune system?
  • what if my child has allergies or asthma?
  • should children be immunised if they have a fever?
  • how long will my child be protected by the diseases immunised against?
  • what are the side effects of the different types of immunisations?
The Ministry of Health website provides:

 Back to Top

The diseases we recommend vaccinating children against in New Zealand

And the latest disease we can help protect against in girls and young women:

These diseases have been chosen for immunising against because they are among the most dangerous to our children and because we have effective vaccines available against them.
 
Childhood immunisation bookletFor information on these diseases:

 Back to Top

Recent epidemics in New Zealand

There have been epidemics of the following two diseases in recent years in New Zealand:

The disease currently having a significant impact in our communities is:


 Back to Top

Meningococcal B disease

Meningococcal B disease is a bacterial infection which causes severe illnesses including meningitis (an infection of membranes that cover the brain) and septicaemia (a serious infection in the blood).
 
There are several different strains of bacteria which cause meningococcal disease. 
 
The Meningococcal B Immunisation Programme was designed to help control an epidemic of a New Zealand-specific strain of meningococcal B disease. The MeNZB™ vaccine was introduced in June 2004 for all under-20-year-olds as a mass immunisation campaign.  The MeNZB™ vaccine was intended to be part of a short-term programme to control high rates of the New Zealand-specific strain of meningococcal disease.
 
Now that the number of people affected by the epidemic strain of meningococcal disease has decreased, the MeNZB™ vaccine is no longer routinely recommended from 1 June 2008.  
 
It is recommended that children who have started a course of the MeNZB™ vaccine, complete it.
 
Parents who feel their child (up to 19 years of age) is at risk of meningococcal disease should discuss this with their doctor.  While no longer recommended for routine use, the MeNZB™ vaccine is still available where the doctor thinks a child is at risk.
 
The Ministry of Health will continue to monitor meningococcal disease and will consider reintroducing a meningococcal B immunisation programme if it is needed.
 
For more information on meningococcal B disease, see:

 Back to Top

Whooping cough (pertussis)

This is a serious disease in children, especially those who haven't been immunised and are less than one year old. 
 
Whooping cough is not under control in New Zealand. Epidemics occur every three to four years.
 
While whooping cough rates are currently lower as New Zealand is between epidemics, parents still need to remain alert because infections continue to occur.
 
Four infants have died from whooping cough in New Zealand since 2000.
 
For more information, see the following fact sheets on this website:

 Back to Top

Pneumococcal disease

The bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae causes infections in different parts of the body such as the sinuses (sinusitis) and in the ear (ear infection or otitis media). When it attacks other parts of the body it becomes ‘invasive’ resulting in very serious infections including pneumonia, septicaemia (blood poisoning) and meningitis (inflammation of the brain lining).
 
See the following fact sheets on this website:
New Zealand has relatively high rates of this disease. In 2006, 151 children under the age of five years had invasive pneumococcal disease.
 
New Zealand babies can now have a free vaccine that protects against pneumonia, meningitis, ear and sinus infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria. From 1 June 2008, infants starting their routine immunisations are being offered the vaccine, called Prevenar.
 
All babies born from 1 January 2008 can receive a “catch-up” course by contacting their family doctor or practice nurse. The vaccine will also be available free to children under five years old with certain medical conditions that put them at greater risk of pneumococcal disease.
 
For more information about pneumococcal disease, see the IMAC (Immunisation Advisory Centre) website9.
 

 Back to Top

Cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix, which is the lower part of the uterus or womb, and is at the top of the vagina.
 
It's caused by a common virus called HPV or human papillomavirus that is spread through sexual contact.
 
About four out of five people have HPV infection at some time in their lives but most HPV infections clear naturally and don't develop into cervical cancer. If abnormal cells occur and go untreated, cervical cancer can result many years later.
 
The cervical cancer or HPV Immunisation Programme, which began in September 2008, aims to reduce cervical cancer in New Zealand by protecting girls against HPV infection.
 
The vaccine being used in the New Zealand Programme is GARDASIL® which protects against the cause of about 70 percent of cervical cancers.
 
For more information about cervical cancer immunisation, see:

 Back to Top

Influenza

Influenza, commonly called 'the flu', is an infection caused by the influenza virus. The flu can be a serious and sometimes life-threatening infection. It infects many people every year during the winter months in New Zealand.
 
Flu immunisation offers the best protection. It strengthens your child's ability to fight the flu.
 
Flu immunisation is especially important, and free, for children with certain long-term (chronic) health conditions. This is because these children are most likely to develop complications from the flu, such as chest infections.
 
For more information about influenza, see:

 Back to Top

Where to go for immunisation

Vaccines are usually given by the practice nurse at your family doctor’s surgery.
 

 Back to Top

NIR (The National Immunisation Register)

National Immunisation Register pamphlet EnglishNew Zealand’s NIR (National Immunisation Register) records children’s immunisations. This helps keep track of what your child has been given and makes sure that when changing doctors, the records move too.
 
For more information, see:
  • brochures for parents in English23 (at right) and the following languages24:
    – Arabic
    – Cook Island Māori
    – Fijian
    – Hindi
    – Korean
    – Māori
    – Niuean
    – Samoan
    – Simplified Chinese
    – Tongan  
    – Tokelauan
    – Traditional Chinese

 Back to Top

New Zealand childhood immunisation schedule

The national immunisation schedule is the series of vaccines that are offered free to babies, children and adolescents (and adults). The schedule lists the immunisations and the age at which they’re given. 
 
It is important that your child has their full course to ensure continuing strong protection. Immunisations need to be given on time as delaying them leaves children unnecessarily vulnerable to infection. 
 
Some children may have special requirements; for example, babies with specific risk factors may be offered hepatitis B immunisation early or the BCG vaccine to protect against tuberculosis. Discuss your own child’s needs with your doctor.
 
The immunisation schedule is available at:
The IMAC website also allows you to:

 Back to Top

Be there for your baby during immunisations - If you are confident, your baby will be too

Parents can help decrease anxiety about immunisations in a number of ways:

  • start immunising from an early age
  • remain calm and relaxed, even when your child becomes upset
  • breast feeding reduces the baby's pain
  • book your appointment early in the day before everyone is tired
  • plan a calm day
  • bring along a stuffed toy or blanket for your child to hold during the immunisation, or use them yourself as a tool for distraction
  • hold your child firmly during the procedure, talking calmly and gently stroking the child's arm or back
  • after being pricked by the needle, your child may cry for a brief time. It is his or her way of coping. Your job is to comfort, hold, and talk supportively
  • you will need to remain in the clinic for 20 minutes after the immunisation. Rather than leave immediately, stay in the practice until your child has calmed down. This will help your child to remember the clinic as a nice place and will help to make the next visit easier
  • for babies, book your appointment to allow you to feed your child immediately after they have had their immunisation

 Back to Top

After immunisation

Around one in ten children can expect a reaction to an immunisation. The vast majority of these are mild, such as redness on the arm or a grizzly child for a day or two. A reaction is an expected sign that the immune response is building and the vaccine is working. Occasionally, more concerning reactions occur like prolonged crying. Although worrying at the time, research shows there are no long-term problems following such reactions.
 
Very rarely, a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) can happen. This is treatable and occurs very shortly after the injection. This is why you must wait at the clinic for 20 minutes after vaccination. If you are concerned, contact your practice nurse or doctor straightaway.
 
For information about the safety of vaccines, check the websites listed below.
 

 Back to Top

Informed choice

Immunisation is not compulsory in New Zealand but it is a wise parenting choice. There is a lot of information on immunisation and this can be confusing. It is important to check out the source of the material before accepting the conclusions offered. Question critically:
  • is it based on sound evidence?
  • is it up-to-date information taking the latest research into consideration?
  • does it relate to New Zealand?
You may find this table30, on the IMAC website, useful. It compares the effects of diseases with the side effects of vaccines.
 

 Back to Top

Where to go for more information

Childhood immunisation bookletHealthEd website – Ministry of Health
 
Immunisation Advisory Centre
For questions on immunisation, vaccination-preventable diseases or a specific vaccine, you can contact the Immunisation Advisory Centre.
Call free on 0800 IMMUNE (0800 466863), weekdays 9am-4.30 pm
Email: imac@auckland.ac.nz
Website: http://www.immune.org.nz/
 
Medsafe - Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)
In some cases, more information on a particular vaccine is available on the Medsafe website. Go to consumer Medicine Information (CMI).
Website: http://www.medsafe.govt.nz
 
Ministry of Health Immunisation pages
The immunisation section of the Ministry of Health website includes The Immunisation Handbook 200632 and the 2008 National Immunisation Schedule Health Provider Booklet33.  These provide detailed information for health professionals on vaccine preventable diseases, the vaccines available to prevent these diseases and the immunisation schedule. They may be of interest to those parents who want more comprehensive information.
 

 Back to Top

Acknowledgements

IMAC logo
 This fact sheet was produced in collaboration with IMAC (Immunisation Advisory Centre).
 
 
 

 Back to Top
Links   (these are the web addresses for the numbered links in the text above)


Back to Top

Your notes

Print this page

Endorsement

This fact sheet was endorsed by PSNZ - 06/04/2009

Copyright

Fact sheets are subject to copyright. In the interests of information sharing they may be copied but acknowledgement must be given to PSNZ and Starship Foundation.
© The Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 - 2010


The Paediatric Society of New Zealand
http://www.paediatrics.org.nz 		Starship Foundation
http://www.starship.org.nz