BABY VACCINATION: PROTECTING YOUR BABY WITH VACCINES
Singapore has a robust national childhood immunisation schedule to protect your child from birth. This schedule of baby vaccination are fully subsidized for Singapore Citizens at CHAS GP clinics and polyclinics.
To simplify things, we will explain this schedule in greater detail as well as elaborate on the diseases that the vaccines are protecting your child from.
BABY IMMUNISATION AT BIRTH
Your child will receive the first dose of Hepatitis B vaccine. Hepatitis B is a virus that can potentially cause liver scarring and liver cancer. Vaccination will help to protect your child from Hepatitis B.
Your child will also receive BCG which will help to protect him/her from tuberculosis.
CHILD VACCINATION AT 2 MONTHS OLD
Your child will receive the second dose of Hepatitis B vaccine.
He/She will also receive the first dose of Diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio (DTP-Polio), Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine.
In Singapore, we usually provide vaccination against Hepatitis B, DTP-Polio, Hib with one combination vaccine, commonly called 6-in-1.
The following are what these diseases can cause:
Diptheria commonly infect the respiratory tract. This causes swelling in the airways and can lead to difficulty in breathing and swallowing. The bacteria also creates a toxin that can cause kidney, and heart damage.
Symptoms of tetanus include lockjaw – inability to open mouth, difficulties with swallowing and breathing, seizures and even death.
Pertussis is a disease better known as whooping cough. The coughing fits caused by pertussis are so severe that it can cause babies to turn blue or to stop breathing.
The Poliovirus can infect the covering of the brain and spinal cord and cause cause paralysis of the patients’ arms or legs.
Haemophilus influenzae can cause infection of the lungs, middle ear and also meningitis (infection of the covering of the brain and spinal cord).
BABY VACCINATION AT 4 MONTHS
Your child will have the second dose of DTP-polio, Hib. This is usually given as a combination vaccine, commonly called 5-in-1.
The first dose of pneumococcal vaccine will also be administered. This will help to protect your child from diseases caused by the bacteria known as Streptococcus pneumoniae. This bacteria can cause lung infection, meningitis, middle ear infection.
AT 6 MONTHS
Your child will have the third dose of Hepatitis B and DTP-polio, Hib. This is usually given as 6-in-1.
He/she will also receive the second dose of pneumococcal vaccine.
Influenza vaccine can also be given at this age.
AT 12 MONTHS
Your child will receive the first dose of Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
He/she will also receive the first dose of varicella vaccine which protects against chickenpox.
The booster dose of pneumococcal vaccine is also administered at this age.
Possible serious complications of measles include pneumonia, and encephalitis (brain swelling) which can lead to intellectual disability and deafness.
Mumps can occasionally cause serious complications such as inflammation in multiple organs e.g. brain, pancreas, testicles and ovaries. It can also cause deafness.
Rubella in children can cause fever, conjunctivitis, cough, runny nose.
AT 15 MONTHS
Your child will receive the second dose of MMR and varicella as a combination vaccine.
AT 18 MONTHS
Your child will receive the booster dose of DTP-Polio and Hib. This is given as a combination vaccine usually called 5-in-1.
EVERY YEAR TILL 59 MONTHS
Your child can receive fully subsidized influenza vaccination if they are Singapore citizens.
As every child’s health condition is different, this schedule is meant as a guide. Please contact your healthcare provider to verify your child’s vaccination needs before proceeding!
If you wish to vaccinate your child at Eiddwen Family Medicine Clinic, please call 69705818 for an appointment.
We congratulate you on your bundle of joy and wish him/her a healthy childhood!
