Routine childhood vaccines – Frequently Asked Questions

Vaccines are safe. All vaccines go through rigorous safety and efficacy testing, including clinical trials, before they are allowed for use. Once they are put into use, their safety is continuously monitored. Vaccines that fail to meet quality and safety criteria are not approved and are not made available for use. Most caregivers throughout the world decide to vaccinate their children because they understand that vaccines are safe and that they are the best tool to help children grow healthy and be protected from dangerous infections.

It is more likely for a child to have serious consequences from a vaccine-preventable disease than from the vaccine itself.  For example, tetanus could cause extreme pain, muscle spasms, and blood clotting. Measles could cause encephalitis (brain inflammation) and, as a consequence, blindness.  Many vaccine-preventable diseases are potentially lethal. The benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks.

No. There is no evidence of any correlation between vaccines and autism or autism spectrum disorders. This has been shown by numerous studies conducted on very large samples of test subjects. 

Make sure to rely on credible sources of information when you search for information on vaccines.  A missed or delayed vaccination could expose your child to a higher risk of dangerous diseases, and even death.

For more information, please refer to: MMR vaccines and autism (who.int)

There is no need to be concerned about the provenance of vaccines. Regardless of the country of manufacture, vaccines go through a rigorous approval process and regulatory process before being made available for use.

Make sure to have your children vaccinated according to the national calendar for immunization in a safe health facility, or within the framework of immunization campaigns conducted by the Ministry of health.

Some children might have reactions such as: mild fever, redness, swelling or other local reactions at the injection site, i.e. the place where the vaccine was applied. Some children may be irritable, cry, or act in unusual ways. These reactions should not concern you because they are transitory.

Serious side effects are quite rare. In fact, the risks of complications from vaccine-preventable diseases are significantly worse than complications associated with vaccines. Inform your family doctor, your pediatrician or the person applying the vaccine if the child has any allergies or has had a severe reaction to a prior vaccine.

Receiving several vaccines at the same time does not upset the child's defense system. It is important to know that every set of vaccines should be received in a timely manner according to the vaccination calendar, to ensure the best level of protection and immunity.

A child should be healthy and in good general condition every time s/he receives a vaccine. You should inform your family physician (pediatrician) if your child is ill or has a fever, if s/he has had a strong reaction to a previous vaccine, if s/he has any kind of allergy, or if s/he takes medications that affect the immunity. These health conditions may not necessarily result in delay of vaccination. The physician will assess which vaccines should be given to your child and at what times.

Babies born prematurely should be vaccinated just like all the others. In fact, it is crucial to vaccinate babies born prematurely because they are more vulnerable to certain infections and vaccines can protect them.

If your child had very low birth weight, you should discuss with your physician about the need for vaccination. Babies who have had jaundice after birth and babies that are breastfed should be vaccinated just like all the others.

Most children, even those with serious illnesses or conditions, should be vaccinated nonetheless. However, there are some rare conditions, such as immune suppression or severe allergic reactions (e.g. anaphylaxis) following a previous vaccine dose or vaccine component, that constitute contraindications for some vaccines. 

If you are concerned about vaccinating your child due to a specific illness or condition, discuss with your physician.

Children with asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis, or simple allergies should be vaccinated, even if they are allergic to eggs (e.g. urticaria, with a reddish skin rash). 

Children who take steroids with an inhaler or a low-dose steroid cream should be vaccinated like all the others. If you have any doubts about the vaccination, talk to the physician or the health facility where the vaccine is administered.

Children with epilepsy should be vaccinated if their condition is stable. Some children have seizures when they have elevated temperature or fever. Children with a family history of seizures or epilepsy should be vaccinated like all the others. 

If you are concerned about vaccinating your child, or if severe side effects have occurred in your child after a previous vaccine, talk to your physician. Remember that vaccines are the best way to protect your child from dangerous diseases that can cause serious long-term health disorders, and even death.

There is no reason to delay immunization of a child due to a previous or future surgery. Surgery is no cause to delay vaccination, and a recent vaccine is no cause to delay surgery.