There’s no straight forward answer to this question. If your child has a mild cold, for instance, then it should be fine to continue with his immunisation schedule as planned. If your child has a high fever, the flu, or some other serious disease, then most doctors would recommend waiting until your child has got over it.
The best idea is to speak to your child’s doctor. In many cases, as long as your child is over the acute stage of the illness, your doctor will be okay with giving him his vaccinations – however, this can differ from doctor to doctor, so you will need to phone your doctor and check whether you need to postpone the appointment.
Some vaccines, such as DtaP and MMR, can cause a mild form of illness, so it’s also wise to avoid them if your child is well, but if you’re travelling or have another engagement in a few days or weeks.
In some cases, the immune system is compromised, either temporarily, in the case of steroid treatments for asthma for instance, or permanently in instances of HIV or some forms of cancer. In this case, it’s best to speak to your doctor, who can advise you if an when your child can receive his or her vaccinations.
Egg allergies can be dangerous to children having the MMR vaccine, and if your child has a bleeding disorder, or a low platelet count, then injectible vaccines should be avoided altogether.
