Immunisation Made Easy

When your baby was in the womb, you gave him natural immunity against disease. But now he’s in the big, wide world he’s more vulnerable to infections. Immunising your baby or child is the safest and most effective way to protect him from serious diseases. It also helps prevent nasty illnesses spreading throughout the community.

Here is a table of all the immunisations your child will need and at what age they’ll need to have them.

The National Immunisation Program (NIP)
Schedule 0 to 4 Years
Valid from 1 July 2007

Age immunisation is given	disease immunised against ¹	name of vaccination
Birth ²	Hepatitis B	hepB
2 months	Diptheria, tetanus and pertussis (Whooping Cough) Polio Haemophilus influenzae type b Hepatitis B Pneumococcal Rotavirus	DTPa IPV Hib hepB 7vPCV Rotavirus
4 months	Diptheria, tetanus and pertussis (Whooping Cough) Polio Haemophilus influenzae type b Hepatitis B Pneumococcal Rotavirus	DTPa IPV Hib hepB 7vPCV Rotavirus
6 months	Diptheria, tetanus and pertussis (Whooping Cough) Polio Haemophilus influenzae type b Hepatitis B (or at 12 month) Pneumococcal Rotavirus	DTPa IPV Hib hepB 7vPCV Rotavirus
12 months	Measles, Mumps, Rubella Haemophilus influenzae type b Hepatitis B (or at 6 month) Meningococcal C	MMR Hib hepB MenCCV
18 months	Varicella (chicken pox)	VZV
4 years	Diptheria, tetanus and pertussis (Whooping Cough) Polio Measles, Mumps, Rubella	DTPa IPV MMR

¹ source: Medicare Australia
² Hepatitis B vaccine should be given to all babies as soon as practible after birth
The greatest benefits if given within 24 hours and must be given within 7 days

What if my child develops a fever after vaccination?

When your child is immunised he’s injected with a tiny amount of the bacteria or virus that causes the disease. Even though this isn’t enough to give him the disease itself, the body can sometimes start battling the bugs. Which means your child’s temperature might go up.

Here are some things you can do to bring your child’s temperature down:

• Keep him in a room that is warm
• Check his temperature regularly to make sure he's not getting too cold
• Give infant ibuprofen suspension, like Nurofen for Children
• Offer drinks and food, even though you might be turned down
• If you’re worried for any reason, please speak to your doctor

For more information please contact your local GP.