6 week vaccinations

6-in-1-vaccine-overview - NHS

The 6-in-1 vaccine is 1 of the first vaccines your baby will have.

It's given as a single injection to protect your baby against 6 serious childhood conditions:

diphtheria
hepatitis B
Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
polio
tetanus
whooping cough (pertussis)

When babies should have the 6-in-1 vaccine

The 6-in-1 vaccine is given to babies when they're 8, 12 and 16 weeks old.

They need 3 doses to make sure they develop strong immunity to the conditions the vaccine protects against.

Every time another dose of the vaccine is given, your baby's immune response increases.

How the 6-in-1 vaccine is given

The 6-in-1 vaccine is injected into your baby's thigh.

How well the 6-in-1 vaccine works

The 6-in-1 vaccine works well.

It produces very good immunity to diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, Hib, polio and hepatitis B infections.

6-in-1 vaccine safety

The 6-in-1 vaccine is very safe.

It's killed (inactivated), which means it does not contain any live organisms, so there's no risk of your baby getting the conditions from the vaccine.

Side effects of the 6-in-1 vaccine

The 6-in-1 vaccine has few side effects.

Common reactions include:

pain, redness and swelling where the injection was given
high temperature (more common after the 2nd and 3rd doses)
being sick
irritability
loss of appetite

Unusual high-pitched crying and fits or seizures are rare side effects of the 6-in1 vaccine.

Very rarely, a baby may have a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) after the 6-in-1 vaccine.

Find out more about 6-in-1 vaccine side effects

The brand name of the 6-in-1 vaccine is Infanrix hexa (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB). Read the patient information leaflet for Infanrix hexa on the electronic medicines compendium website

The 6-in-1 vaccine and other vaccines

It's safe for your baby to have the 6-in-1 vaccine at the same time as other vaccines, such as the rotavirus vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine and MenB vaccine.

Babies who should not have the 6-in-1 infant vaccine

Most babies can have the 6-in-1 vaccine, but there are a few that should not, for example, those who:

are allergic to the vaccine
have a high temperature at the time of the vaccination appointment – wait until they've recovered
have a neurological problem that’s getting worse, including poorly controlled epilepsy – wait until they’ve been seen by a specialist

The 6-in-1 vaccine should not be given to babies who have had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to a previous dose of the vaccine, or a reaction to any part of the vaccine that may be present in trace amounts, such as neomycin, streptomycin or polymixin B.

There's no need to postpone vaccination if your baby has a minor illness, such as a cough or a cold with no temperature.

If your baby has a history of fits (febrile convulsions) or has had a fit within 72 hours of a previous dose of the vaccine, speak to your GP surgery, nurse or health visitor for advice.

If you miss the 6-in-1 vaccination appointment

It's best if your baby has the 6-in-1 vaccine at the recommended age so that they’re protected from serious conditions as early in life as possible.

If your baby has missed an appointment for the 6-in-1 vaccine, it's never too late to have it. Make an appointment at your GP surgery or local child health clinic.

6 weeks | Sharing Knowledge about Immunisation

What diseases do the vaccines protect babies against?

Three vaccines are recommended for babies at six weeks of age. The technical names for the vaccines are:

DTPa-Hib-IPV-HepB (also called ‘combined’ or ‘hexavalent’), which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Hib, polio and hepatitis B
13vPCV, which protects against pneumococcus
rotavirus vaccine, which protects against rotavirus.

You can read more about these diseases below:

Diphtheria

Diphtheria is a very serious disease. It can cause a membrane (or skin) to grow over a baby’s throat, which stops them from breathing. You may not have heard of it because it is so rare in Australia now. The vaccine is still used here so that babies and children can’t catch diphtheria from people who have travelled to places where it is more common, including nearby holiday destinations in Asia and the South Pacific.¹

Learn more about diphtheria and diphtheria vaccination

Tetanus

Tetanus is sometimes called ‘lockjaw’. Tetanus affects all the muscles in a baby’s body, including the ones they use for breathing. The germ that causes tetanus lives in the soil, which means babies and children can get tetanus through a cut, a burn, a bite or even just a prick from something like a nail or a thorn.¹

Learn more about tetanus and tetanus vaccination

Pertussis

Pertussis is usually called ‘whooping cough’. It spreads very easily from one person to another through the air, like a cold. When someone who already has the disease coughs or sneezes, the pertussis germs float through the air on tiny droplets. If a baby breathes in those droplets, they can catch pertussis, too. Pertussis irritates the airways, which causes long coughing fits that can be very severe. Small babies can die from whooping cough.¹

Learn more about pertussis and pertussis vaccination

Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) causes a variety of serious illnesses, including swelling around the brain (meningitis), blood poisoning (sepsis), swelling in the throat and lung infections (pneumonia). Babies can die from the diseases caused by Hib. Those who survive often have brain damage. Hib spreads from person to person through the air, like a cold.¹

Learn more about Hib and Hib vaccination

Polio causes muscle paralysis in the limbs and can also affect the heart and the muscles that control breathing. It is extremely rare in Australia but still occurs in countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. Polio germs are spread through contact which means babies can catch polio when they put things like hands or toys in their mouth after someone with polio has been touching them.¹ A person with polio can pass on the disease before they even know they are sick.

Learn more about polio and polio vaccination

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a liver infection. Babies usually don’t look or feel sick when they first catch hepatitis B, but it can cause serious liver diseases, including liver cancer, later in life. It spreads from person to person through open wounds or sores. This can happen in households or even childcare settings. People infected with hepatitis B can pass on the disease without even knowing they have it .¹

Learn more about hepatitis B and hepatitis B vaccination

Pneumococcus

Pneumococcal disease is caused by germs (bacteria) that can cause swelling around the brain (meningitis), infection in the lungs (pneumonia), ear infections that can damage babies' hearing, and other serious diseases. Babies and children can catch it from each other just like they catch colds.¹

Learn more about pneumococcal disease and pneumococcus vaccination

Rotavirus

Rotavirus causes diarrhoea and vomiting (gastroenteritis) that can make babies so sick they need to go to hospital for treatment. Babies and children catch rotavirus when they put contaminated objects like hands or toys into their mouths. ¹ A person with rotavirus can pass on the disease even before they know they are sick.

Learn more about rotavirus and rotavirus vaccination

What do I need to do before our appointment?

There’s no need to do anything special to get your baby ready for vaccinations.

Babies can usually get their vaccinations on time, even if they are feeling a little unwell. If your baby has a high fever or if you are worried they are too unwell to go ahead with the vaccinations, give your doctor or nurse a call. They will let you know if you should come in or if you need to make an appointment for another day.

You’ll need to take your baby’s health record booklet with you (that’s the one you were given in hospital or at the birth centre when your baby was born). Your doctor or nurse will make notes in the booklet about your baby’s growth and development and write down the details of the vaccinations they had.

What will happen when we get there?

Some parents take their babies to their local general practice where the doctor (GP) or practice nurse will give the vaccine. Others take their babies to a vaccination clinic run by nurses. The majority of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services also offer influenza vaccination. Vaccination appointments can run differently in different places but this is a rough guide to what you can expect on the day.

Appointments usually begin with a health check. Your doctor or nurse will ask you how you and your baby are going. They will ask if you have any questions for them. They’ll measure and weigh your baby. And they will write some notes in your baby’s health record booklet to help you keep track of how they’re growing and developing.
Once that’s done, the doctor or nurse will get the vaccinations ready. Some doctors will ask you to go to another room where a nurse who is specialised in vaccinating children will vaccinate your baby.
Most doctors and nurses will suggest that you hold your baby during the vaccinations. If you find it upsetting, ask a family member or friend to do it for you. If you can’t bring anyone with you, let your doctor or nurse know: they may be able to arrange someone to stand in for you.
Your doctor or nurse will usually start by putting drops of the oral vaccine into your baby’s mouth.
The needles usually go in the baby’s legs. The doctor or nurse will be as quick and gentle as they can. They might ask a colleague to help so they can give both needles at once – it just makes things a little faster and easier.

The doctor or nurse will ask you to stay at the clinic for about 15 minutes after the vaccinations. This is so they can make sure everything is OK before you and your baby leave.

Take a look at our video: What will happen when I get there?

How can I make it easier for my baby?

No matter how gentle your doctor or nurse is, needles hurt! And most babies cry at least a little after they get a needle.

The good news is that there are things you can do for your child to make needles feel less painful.

Holding or cuddling babies triggers the release of pain-relieving hormones, so hold your baby firmly in a chest-to-chest position before, during and after the needles.²
There are pain-relieving substances in breastmilk so, if your baby is breastfed, you can offer a breastfeed during or straight after the needles.²
Sucking also helps relieve babies’ pain. If your baby is no longer breastfeeding, you can offer a dummy or have a bottle of formula ready to go.
You can ask your doctor or nurse to give the rotavirus vaccine drops before the needles. The drops contain sugar (also called ‘sucrose’), which is an effective pain reliever for babies.^2,3

Take a look at our video: How can I make it easier for my child?

How will my baby feel after the vaccinations?

For a day or two afterwards, some children could feel a little unwell. The most common reactions are:

redness, soreness or swelling at the spot where the needles went in
a small, hard, painless bump (also called a nodule) at the spot where the needle went in
loss of appetite
mild fever (temperature)
grizzly or unsettled behaviour
sometimes vomiting or diarrhoea.

Most of these symptoms last between 12 and 24 hours and then get better. Nodules may take a few weeks to disappear.

Read more about these common reactions and how you can look after them at home

If your baby doesn’t seem to be getting better, or you are worried about your baby, you can get help from:

your doctor
or your nearest emergency department
or by calling Health Direct on 1800 022 222.

Are there any rare side effects I need to know about?

Serious side effects are very rare, but they can happen and some parents want to know more about them before they vaccinate their children.

Febrile convulsions

About one in every 3,000 babies experience fits or seizures known as ‘febrile convulsions’ after vaccination. Febrile convulsions are scary for parents to see, but babies usually recover quickly without any long-term effects.¹ Febrile convulsions can occur when a baby’s temperature goes up very quickly, and stop once their temperature stops rising.

Intussusception

Around 59 babies in every one million who get the rotavirus vaccine experience a blockage of the intestine called an ‘intussusception’.¹ The blockage gives babies strong bouts of pain in their tummies which can make them look pale, weak and very sick. They may vomit. Babies who have signs of intussusception need to go to hospital quickly so they can get the help they need. Babies who are treated for intussusception usually don’t have any long-term health problems.

Anaphylaxis

‘Anaphylaxis’ is a severe allergic reaction to one of the vaccine ingredients. Less than one in every one million babies who gets a vaccine has this reaction.¹ Anaphylaxis usually happens within a few minutes of vaccination, before you and your baby leave the clinic. Your doctor or nurse knows what to do to help a baby having an anaphylactic reaction recover quickly.

When do we come back for more vaccinations?

More vaccinations are recommended when your baby is four months old. These will strengthen your baby's immunity to diphtheria, tetanus, polio, pertussis, Hib, hepatitis B, pneumococcus and rotavirus.

It is important that babies and children get vaccinated on time to make sure they are protected as early as possible.

What if I still have questions?

If you still have some questions about vaccinations for your baby, write them down and make an appointment with your nurse, your doctor, or your health worker so you can ask them.

90,000 vaccination calendar for children - EUROMED KIDS

Article checked by doctors of Euromed Kids

Download or see the vaccination calendar in PDF

The National Vaccation Calendar is approved by the Ministry of Health of each state and determines the Ministry of Health of each state and determines the Ministry what diseases this state is ready to vaccinate people for free. It also outlines which population groups need to be vaccinated (at what age and on what grounds). nine0004

The principle of all National Calendars is "to instill as early as possible". Many diseases are especially dangerous for children 0-2 years old. Following the calendar, we protect the child from the maximum possible number of infections in a short time. Vaccinated children get sick less often, and if they get sick, then without serious and life-threatening complications. The calendar also tells you when to revaccinate children and adults against various infections.

Dates determined by the calendar are really important and should be guided by. The national calendar is designed to minimize the risk of illness and reduce the likelihood of complications. nine0004

The Russian National Immunization Schedule includes:

Airborne infections (measles, rubella, mumps, whooping cough, chicken pox, diphtheria, influenza)
Severe infections with high mortality (tuberculosis, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, Haemophilus influenzae type b)
Vaccinations according to epidemic indications (tick-borne encephalitis, etc. - by region) diseases: hepatitis A, typhoid fever, cholera)

It is important that the National Calendar is not a “list of all necessary vaccinations”. In total, there are 30 preventable infections in the world, 16 are included in the US National Immunization Schedule, and 12 in Russia. With mass free vaccination, the state has to choose the most important in order to rationally allocate resources. Therefore, as far as possible, parents can "supplement" the calendar and vaccinate their children for a fee against those infections that the state does not yet have enough resources to protect against. nine0004

What important vaccinations are not included in the Russian National calendar?

Against rotavirus infection
Against chickenpox
Against Hib infection for everyone (only risk groups are vaccinated in Russia)
Against HPV – human papillomavirus
Against meningitis
There is no second revaccination against whooping cough

But in the Russian calendar, unlike the calendars of many countries, there are vaccinations:

Against influenza for all
Against tuberculosis

The situation in the world is constantly changing. Science is advancing. Therefore, the vaccination calendars of all countries, including the Russian one, will also change. And we will monitor developments and strive to protect children from all relevant preventable infections.

Read also:

We vaccinate a baby 0-2 years old: vaccination according to the calendar and not only
Vaccination for the whole family! nine0028
Vaccination in questions and answers

Fomin's clinic — a network of multidisciplinary clinics

You probably know that in the modern world there is a fierce struggle. And this is not about military conflicts or political strife, but about clashes between supporters of vaccination and anti-vaccinationists who claim that vaccination is a real universal evil that causes irreparable consequences - pathologies and disorders. Nevertheless, pregnant women and newborns are the most vulnerable groups, which can be taken care of by timely vaccination. nine0004

What diseases should a pregnant woman be vaccinated against?

Pregnancy is stressful for the body, and therefore it functions differently than before or after it. It is because of a weakened immune system that the risk of severe influenza in pregnant women is much higher than in non-pregnant women. Influenza can not only cause premature birth, but also harm the health of the unborn baby.

Influenza vaccination is strongly recommended by all world medical organizations (including the well-known World Health Organization). There are controversial opinions about vaccination in the first trimester, therefore, if it does not fall in autumn or winter - the most dangerous months for the active spread of the disease, it is better to get vaccinated in the II-III trimester. nine0004

Get vaccinated

When you get vaccinated against influenza, it primarily has a preventive effect directly for you - the expectant mother, but the whooping cough vaccine is about taking care of the baby's health. The woman who received the vaccine will pass antibodies to the child in utero - and this will save him from the disease in the first months of life, because for the newborn it can be fatal.

Whooping cough is difficult to recognize immediately, because it does not always manifest itself with a characteristic cough - at one moment breathing can simply stop, although there were no visible symptoms. For your baby's safety, you should get the whooping cough vaccine (along with diphtheria and tetanus) during every pregnancy - best done in the third trimester. nine0004

No, not dangerous.

There is a myth that you can get the flu after vaccination. It is impossible to catch the flu from a vaccine, since the vaccine does not contain the whole virus, but only its parts - antigens. Antibodies are produced against these antigens, our defending cells. And the next time our body encounters a virus, already real, our antibodies will actively destroy the viral particles.

Many people do not consider it necessary to be vaccinated because they think that the vaccine protects against only a few strains of influenza, and there are a lot of them. But every year the vaccine contains precisely the actual strains for this season and this territory. So mass vaccination forms a stable herd immunity. Immunity after vaccination lasts for a year, so the flu shot is annual. nine0004

In some cases, pregnant women need additional vaccinations:

Vaccination against hepatitis B. The immunobiological preparation does not contain live or whole virus. According to medical research and statistics, this hepatitis shot is safe for a child. However, the vaccine is recommended for expectant mothers who are at risk of infection with this type of hepatitis (for example, if a loved one is infected). If the likelihood of the disease increases, then the pregnant woman is given emergency vaccination and a specific immunoglobulin is administered. nine0004

Vaccination against hepatitis A. Hepatitis A can be contracted through contact with objects that contain the virus, after drinking contaminated water or food. The immunobiological preparation contains an inactivated virus, and therefore the likelihood of its negative effect on the fetus is minimal. Vaccination is carried out if the risk of infection increases. This is possible if a pregnant woman enters a region unfavorable for hepatitis A or doctors suspect that contact with the virus has already taken place. In some cases, human normal immunoglobulin is given with the vaccine. nine0004

Rabies vaccination. Infection usually occurs after the bite of a sick animal. The rabies virus is quite strong and dangerous, with the development of the disease provokes death. It is for this reason that rabies vaccination is an urgent and necessary measure. The vaccine contains an inactivated virus, so the drug is considered safe for the fetus. If the bites and injuries are severe, then the victim is injected with a specific immunoglobulin.

Meningococcal vaccination may also be recommended by a doctor during pregnancy in the event of a meningococcal outbreak or if traveling to an area endemic for meningococcal disease. nine0004

The possibility of vaccinating a pregnant woman against pneumococcal infection may be considered by a doctor for women who have chronic respiratory diseases during the II-III trimesters of pregnancy.