Paediatric Vaccine Flashcards
Why do you sometimes need multiple doses of a vaccine?
to allow for the production of long-lived antibodies and development of memory cells
What is a vaccine?
a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious or malignant disease.
What is an immunogenic substance?
substances able to produce an immune response
Why can you not give babies any vaccines until 2 months after birth?
babies have transplacental IgG
- is the transfer of immunoglobulins from the mother to the foetus during pregnancy
before 2 months, the vaccine would not be immunogenic as the mother’s IgG would cause an immunogenic response instead
- vaccines need to be given after 2 months to be effective and elicit an immunogenic response
When are primary vaccinations given?
at 2, 3 and 4 months
What is tetanus? What are its symptoms?
an infection caused by bacteria called Clostridium tetani
- is an infection of the nervous system that causes painful muscle contractions
symptoms
- lockjaw = stiff jaw (main feature)
- sudden painful muscle spasms = abdomen, arms, legs
- seizures
Who’s at risk for tetanus?
Newborn babies and mothers who are not vaccinated
IVDU
Elderly over 64
Found in soil and faeces of animals e.g cows, horses NOT person to person
Spread in contamination of wounds with C tetani
What is clinical governance?
framework through which healthcare organisations are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services and safeguarding high quality of care
What are the 7 pillars of clinical governance?
Education and Training
Clinical Audit
Clinical Effectiveness
Staff Management
Patient and Public Involvement
Risk management
Information Management
What are congenital anomalies? What are examples?
an abnormality of structure, function or metabolism present at birth that results in physical or mental disability or is fatal
can be inherited, sporadic or have environmental causes (diet, drugs, toxins, radiation or infection)
cleft palate, spina bifida or down’s syndrome
What is allergic march?
refers to the association between these diseases and the tendency for children to ‘outgrow’ certain aspects of their allergic disease
- eczema
- milk allergy
- gastrointestinal symptoms
What is meningococcal disease? What are the signs and symptoms?
systemic bacterial infection by niesseria meningitides
symptoms
- malaise, pyrexia, vomiting, headache, neck stiffness, photophobia, drowsiness, confusion or joint pain
can progress to meningococcal septicaemia
- rash may develop, signs of advancing shock and isolated limb/joint pain
What is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)? What are the symptoms?
common respiratory virus that causes RT infections in infants and young children
symptoms
- rhinitis, pyrexia, cough, apnea, wheezing, decrease in appetite and headache
What factors can affect oral absorption?
gastric and intestinal pH
gastrointestinal contents
posture
disease state
therapeutic interventions
How does intramuscular absorption change from the neonatal period (first 28 days) to infancy and children?
intramuscular injection is absorbed faster in infants and children than in neonates
- this is because muscle blood flow is increased
