Why this doctor mum will never delay vaccination again

Iryna is a family doctor, currently out on maternity leave after having her second son, Yarema, 11 months ago. He’s cuddly and cheerful, tapping on the window as the snow falls outside while his mother shares her experiences of parenthood.

“What I like most about motherhood is giving warmth and hugs. I am happiest when my children are healthy,” she reflects, while snuggling with her baby.

When Yarema was two months and 28 days old, her older son, Oleksander, now 7 years old, came home a little sick from school. Although he had received all the mandatory vaccinations according to the schedule, whooping cough (pertussis), had been circulating around the school. Whooping cough appears like a cold early on, but as it progresses it can cause life threatening pauses in breathing (apnoea) and rapid, violent, and uncontrolled coughing fits, particularly in little babies. Because of his immunity, Oleksandr was not very sick, but baby Yarema’s health rapidly declined.

When Yarema’s coughing fits grew more intense in between terrifying pauses in breathing (apnoea), Iryna rushed him to the infectious diseases’ hospital where he received swift care.

“As a mother, watching such torment of a child was too difficult. I was in a panic. I was disappointed. I asked the nurses in the corridor if such children could live, because it seemed to me that the child simply would not survive. These apnoea attacks were so terrible that the fear simply enveloped me,” she details.

They were in hospital for nine anxious days.

Yarema became so sick with whooping cough because he had missed his first dose of DTP vaccine. This is a vaccine to prevent diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (or whooping cough). In Ukraine, babies are normally given the vaccine at two, four and six-months-old followed by a booster dose at 18 months, 6 years and 16 years of age.

He had been showing signs of influenza when it was time for his 2-month vaccinations, so his mother, concerned at making his health worse, decided to delay the vaccination. Yarema didn’t have any level of protection when the virus came into the home. Iryna explains that she regrets this decision.

Little Yarema has since made a full recovery thanks to Iryna’s nurturing care and the ongoing support of her paediatrician. She appeals to all parents to vaccinate their children. 

“As a mother and a family doctor, I believe that vaccination is very necessary. We live in an extremely complex world and for children to get sick less often, for them to have stable immunity, it is necessary to vaccinate them. It might seem that the infection could be mild, but the consequences can be irreversible.”

Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccines are very effective and choosing to delay or skip a vaccine is risky. It leaves your child and others who are unvaccinated at risk of contracting an infectious disease.

Iryna is a loving mother, who cares deeply about her children and her community. Her experience with baby Yarema was a terrifying ordeal that no parent should have to experience.

Every parent wants their child to grow up healthy and safe. Vaccines are a powerful means to ensure that your child can explore, play, and thrive.  By following the recommended vaccination schedules in your country, parents can ensure their children are shielded from disease that can cause serious illness or even death.