Natural immunity

Very young babies have some natural immunity passed to them by their mother when in the womb, but this only lasts a short time.

Your child has natural immunity for 2 or 3 months for:

•   Diphtheria
•   Tetanus
•   Whooping cough
•   Polio
•   The hib form of meningitis

Your child has natural immunity for about a year for:

•   Measles
•   Mumps

The time scales given for vaccinations are intended to increase your child’s protection as their natural immunity wears off, and to make sure the maximum number of people have the vaccinations done.

If your child is ill, or you have not yet made up your mind, you can delay having the vaccination by days or even weeks while you find out more and talk things through. However, some diseases like whooping cough are particularly dangerous for very young babies so it is important for them to have these immunisations early.

• What is immunisation?
• What protection levels do vaccines offer?
• Natural immunity
• The diseases your child can be vaccinated against
• What vaccinations will be offered,when and why
• The vaccination timetable
• Why should I immunise my child?
• What to expect on the day
• What if my baby is premature?
• Contraindications
• Should I have my child vaccinated?
• Can homeopathy be as effective as vaccination?