YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH CARE: IMMUNISATION
WHAT IS IMMUNISATION AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
Immunisation is a technique in which a killed or weakened strain of a bacterium or virus is given to a child or adult, in order to build up the body’s defence against a particular infectious disease. After immunisation the person develops antibodies. These are special proteins that recognise and fight these same diseases when they try to invade the body.
WHY IMMUNISE YOUR CHILD?
Immunisation protects your child against certain diseases which can be life-threatening. World-wide programs attempt to eradicate these diseases. A good example of this is smallpox, which used to kill many thousands of children and adults all over the world. In the 1970′s smallpox was wiped out entirely by a very successful immunisation campaign. Other serious infectious diseases have been brought under control by immunisation programs. These include:
• diphtheria
• measles
• mumps
• pertussis (whooping cough)
• rubella
• tetanus
• haemophilus B (HIB).
These are the diseases against which you should have your child vaccinated. It may save your child’s life one day. Due to the success of immunisation programs, many of these diseases are rarely seen today. This does not mean your child no longer needs to be immunized against them. Parents often forget that only a short time ago many children became very ill and even died because of diseases such as polio, which used to occur in epidemic proportions.
It is vital from the point of view of the community that all children are immunised. Non-immunised children are certainly at far greater risk of being infected with these diseases and, because they lack immunity, they risk serious complications and even death. Non-immunised children also help to spread infection in the community, and make eventual eradication of the disease virtually impossible. It is vital to inform your doctor or maternal and child health nurse if your child is not immunised, so that special care may be taken during outbreaks of certain infections.
The benefits of immunisation far outweigh any risks. Give serious thought to the consequences — for the child and the community — of not immunising your child. We strongly urge you to have your children fully immunised.
Many misconceptions surround the issue of immunisation, and some parents refuse to have their children immunised. If you are still unsure, talk to your doctor before making any final decisions and discuss any doubts you may have.
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