Why do we need vaccinations

Within this interview we spoke to Dr. Peter Saul about the need for vaccinating our children and the questions people often have when their child should be vaccinated.

How important are vaccinations?

If you look at how well our children are today compared to 100 years ago that’s partly because we’ve abolished killer diseases like polio and measles.

What is the heel prick test that newborn babies have?

That is a test looking for some serious conditions that babies can be born with. It’s one of these routine screening measures.

What injections will a newborn receive?

It really starts about 2 months of age. The next one is age 3 months, then at 4 we’ve got another booster. They cover a whole host of diseases.

Are there any possible side effects that parents need to be aware of?

You can get local irritation where the injection has been given and any other side effects are usually mild. There’s sometimes a little bit of fever and the parent can give the child a little bit of paracetemol or a bit of ibuprofen but take advice from your doctor or health visitor if the child is only two or three months of age.

What does MMR stand for?

MMR is “Measles Mumps and Rubella” and it’s been given for about 20 years now. A lot of parents come in and see me, they’re worried about autism. Does it cause autism? Can it cause serious bowel disorders? I’d like to put peoples minds at rest. The recent evidence shows that those are not caused by MMR. We’ve had some good research published which has given us more information than the earlier reports.

Is Measles dangerous?

People think it’s just a bit of a rash. Measles can be a killer. Even if they’re healthy it can leave them poorly for a couple of weeks. It’s a horrible condition to have.

What age should our children receive the MMR injection?

It’s usually around 15 months of age and you have a second booster just before school.

Why can’t single vaccines be given to protect against Measles, Mumps and Rubella?

They could but it means having three separate single vaccines. There’s no evidence that the reactions against single vaccines are any less than having the MMR. I don’t think it offers any advantage over having the three in one.