Childhood Immunisations

Childhood immunisations, also known as vaccinations, are a critically important way of protecting your child from the most serious diseases. Many illnesses, which used to kill children, have been virtually eradicated because of immunisation. However, that does not mean you should not get your children vaccinated to protect them too.

What is a vaccine?

Vaccines may consist of a preparation of any of the following:

• a killed virus or bacterium
• detoxified toxins from a virus or bacterium
• a weakened form of a live virus or bacterium

They all work by stimulating the immune system in the same way as the actual infection would, but without causing the full-blown disease. Your immune system is designed to "remember" so once exposed to a particular bacterium or virus, it retains immunity against it for years, decades or even a lifetime.

We provide the standard regime of childhood vaccinations for all of our young patients. For further information on childhood immunisations see the NHS immunisation scheme. A summary of what vaccinations are given and when can be found at Patient UK.