Immunisation against pneumococcal disease

I took my boy to the paediatrician recently and was asked whether I wish to vaccinate him against pneumococcal disease. Apparently this vaccine is available now and although its not a must yet, parents can consider giving their child this vaccine.

What is pneumococcal disease? Pneumococcal disease describes a grop of illness caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, also known as pneumococcus. It is a serious infection that occurs most commonly in children, particularly those under 2 years of age.

The pneumococcus bug can cause meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain), pneumonia (infection of the lung), septicaemia (blood infection), as well as otitis media (infection in the middle ear).

I'm no medical person, just a parent. I got the above information from the Wyeth leaflet the doctor handed to me. All of the above sounds rather serious so this needs careful consideration.

The doctor says that my girl won't need it since she is 4 1/2 years old now but she recommends one jab for my boy who is 2 1/2 years old. She says that this jab can be given to babies as early as 4 months of age and if given at that age, the baby will require 4 jabs altogether ie 3 jabs plus a booster one. Each jab will cost about RM300.

This is just one more of the many decisions a parent has to make. Its expensive but costs aside, as parents we still have numerous concerns and worries about the safety and effects of vaccines. One has to weigh carefully about whether its better to prevent vs our concerns and worries.