Q : ” Besides the required jab as per given by the klinik kesihatan, how important for me to take the additional jab from private hospital such as influenza, pneumococal, etc. What are the side effects towards our children? I just felt, there are too many vaccine to be given to a child… What do you think of this?” ( Baizura )
A: Puan Baizura, I understand the dilemma of parents regarding immunization. To jab or not to jab? But the real question to ask really is: What are the benefits versus risks?
Additional jabs are not in the government schedule partly because of the cost of vaccines related.
When deciding whether additional vaccine is necessary, I always discuss with parents while looking at important factors like below:
i) Is the child born premature( before 37 weeks pregnancy, premature baby is more susceptible to infection),
ii) Is the child healthy otherwise (children with lung and heart disease have higher risk of infections)
iii) Environmental factor ( children that are sent to crowded nursery at just few months old are exposed to myriads of virus and bacteria from mixing with other sick kids).
iv) Any plans to travel abroad?
Then lets look at the diseases singularly.
1) Influenza is a common virus. It causes high fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat and body aches. In its severe form, it can cause pneumonia (lungs infection), bronchitis (airway infection) and even death.
The current influenza vaccine only covers certain strains of Influenza A and Influenza B.
Side effects influenza vaccine are: (info from CDC website)
– soreness, redness and swelling at injection site
– fever
– body ache
– headache
– itching
– fatigue
*Life threatening allergic reaction is rare.
* Risk of Guillain Barre syndrome is 1-2 cases per million people vaccinated
2) Pneumococcal bacteria (Streptococcus pneumoniae) is a bacteria that causes brain infection, pneumonia (lungs infection), blood stream infection and ear infection.
Complication involves brain damage, empyema (pus in lungs) and even death.
Side effects of pneumococcal vaccine are: (Info from CDC website)
Reported problems associated with PCV13 (Prevenar 13 strains coverage) vary by dose and age, but generally:
- About half of children became drowsy after the shot, had a temporary loss of appetite, or had redness or tenderness at injection site
- About 1 out of 3 had swelling at injection site
- About 1 out of 3 had a mild fever, and about 1 in 20 had a higher fever
- Up to about 8 out of 10 became fussy or irritable
- Life threatening reaction from vaccine is rare
I hope my explanation helps.
( answered by Dr Wong Wei Yin )
Comments
7 responses to “Do I need additional Vaccines for my child ?”
*comment notification*
hi doc,
anak saya sekarang berumur 2 tahun.dia sering dijangkiti selsema dn batuk.kadang-kadang batuknya bunyi seperti dalam. saya bercadang untuk mengambil suntikan tambahan. apakah yang terbaik untuknya? influenza atau pneumococcal? kerana daripada pembacaan saya kedua-duanya adalah vaksin bagi pneumonia.tq
Pneumonia adalah jangkitan paru-paru. Ia boleh disebabkan oleh pelbagai kuman dan bukan satu jenis kuman sahaja. Pneumococcal adalah kuman bakteria dan influenza adalah kuman virus. Ada pelbagai lagi kuman bakteria dan virus selain dua kuman ini. Ini bermakna anak masih boleh mendapat pneumonia dari kuman lain walaupun diberi vaksin ini. Namun begitu pneumococcal boleh menyebabkan jangkitan yang memudaratkan dan bukan sahaja menyebabkan masalah paru paru, ia juga boleh menyebabkan jangkitan otak dan jangkitan telinga dalam. Ambil pneumococcal vaksin.
hi doc,
saya nak tanya berapa cos suntikan pneumococcal ni?
then sekarang anak saya da 1 tahun 1 bulan boleh kah dia amik suntikan ini?
antara PCV10 dan PCV13 yang mana yang doktor lebih suggestkan?
terimakasih
Hi Doc.,
Anak sy berumur 1y8m. Sejak dia berumur 1y hingga sekarang, sudah 3 kali dia admitted wad kerana lung pneumonia. Jadi kami mengambil vaksin pneumococcal (1st jab) (Synflorix = PCV10) untuknya. Saya mendapat maklumat yang pelbagai versi berkaitan vaksin ini daripada pegawai perubatan yang sy jumpa. Ada yang menyatakan PCV10 tidak cover untuk otak dan telinga dan PCV13 cover untuk semuanya (otak, paru-paru dan telinga). Ada yg menyatakan tiada perbezaan significant antara PCV10 dan PCV13. Kedua-duanya cover semuanya (otak, telinga dan lung). Yang membezakannya cuma syarikat yang menghasilkannya. Tp performance nya sama. Ini membuatkan sy sedikit pening. Persoalannya ialah:
1) Apakah perbezaan antara PCV10 dan PCV13?
2) Bolehkah saya mencampurkan kedua-dua vaksin ini? (Contohnya, 1st jab sy ambil PCV10 dan 2nd jab sy ambil PCV13)
Sekian, terima kasih.
PCV 13 mempunyai ‘coverage’ untuk 13 jenis strain bakteria pneumococcal, dan PCV 10 ada 10 jenis. UK guidelines sekarang memberikan PCV 13.
Secara asasnya, coverage oleh PCV 10 dan PCV 13 memang dianggap dalam beberapa kajian sebagai lebih kurang sama. Walaubagaimanapun, Sememangnya kelebihan 3 lagi jenis strain memang adalah suatu kelebihan.
Saya kurang pasti sama ada campurkan vaksin ini adalah langkah yang baik. kedua-duanya produk yang berbeza, walaupun secara asasnya ada faedah walaupun diberi sekalipun tanpa booster.
Namun, ia mungkin menjejaskan tempoh immunisasi kerana campuran itu mungkin bermaksud kedua-dua PCV tidak mendapat booster yang lengkap.
[…] Do I need additional Vaccines for my child ? […]