Benefits Of Early Childhood Immunisation

Overview

Vaccinations are the most effective way of preventing many infectious diseases. Early childhood immunisation involve vaccinating children to protect them, usually from birth to age 5. Immunisation is the process by which people develop immunity to diseases. 

Vaccinations in early childhood provide protection when they are most vulnerable. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), babies receive some passive immunity from their mothers after birth and can fight off most pathogens. However, immunity wears off during the child’s first year and ineffective against certain diseases. 

Without vaccinations, young children’s bodies struggle to fight off diseases, resulting in fatal complications and even death. Childhood vaccines account for 2-3 million lives saved worldwide each year, reducing the global infant mortality rate.¹

Read on to discover the benefits of early childhood immunisation, including the diseases that can be prevented, and how immunisation contributes to public health. 

Protects the child’s health 

Strengthens the immune system 

Vaccines contain weakened or inactive parts of an antigen that trigger an immune system response in the body. Antigens are the part of a pathogen that causes the formation of antibodies in the body which can fight off disease.

Each antibody within the body is specific to one antigen and generally does not protect against other pathogens unless they are similar in their structures. Additionally, the body also creates antibody-producing memory cells (memory B lymphocytes) that remain alive even after antibodies fight off the pathogens.² This means that if the body is exposed to the same pathogen at a later time, the immune system produces antibodies more effectively. This not only protects children against diseases but aids in strengthening their immune systems. 

Examples of diseases that can be prevented through early childhood immunisations include: 

• Diphtheria 
• Tetanus 
• Pertussis (whooping cough)
• Polio 
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) 
• Hepatitis B  
• Rotavirus
• Meningococcal group B (MenB) 
• Meningococcal group C (MenC) 
• Pneumococcal disease 
• Measles  
• Mumps 
• Rubella 

In the UK, the NHS vaccination schedule for those in early childhood include: 

The 6 in 1 vaccine provides immunity against diphtheria, hepatitis B, Hib, polio, tetanus and whooping cough. 

The 4 in 1 vaccine protects children from diphtheria, polio, tetanus and whooping cough.

The whooping cough vaccine is available to those who are 16-32 weeks pregnant. This vaccine is offered during pregnancy as it is highly effective in protecting babies from developing whooping cough in their first few weeks of life as they are too young to start their vaccinations. Babies who develop this disease are more likely to be admitted to hospitals and severe cases of this disease can lead to death. 

Reduces the risk of severe illness or complications 

Recurring infections in early childhood could lead to stunting of growth, negatively affecting adult health and cognitive health. For example, the measles vaccine is vital as several episodes of the disease can damage a person’s protective immune memory for 2-3 years, increasing  susceptibility to future measles and other infections.³ 

Prevents spread of disease 

Herd immunity

Whilst immunisation keeps young children safe, it can also protect those in the community who are unable to receive vaccinations. This may be due to reasons such as underlying health issues that weaken their immune system, or severe allergies to components of vaccines. 

When the majority in a community have been vaccinated, it is difficult for pathogens to circulate and spread as most people are immune. This, in turn, provides indirect immunity to those who have not been vaccinated and is referred to as herd immunity.⁴

However, It is not enough to rely on herd immunity for early child immunisation because it is only effective against pathogens that are easily spread between people. The more contagious the pathogen, the more people need to be vaccinated. For example, before the measles vaccine was introduced, one person could infect 10-25 people.

Community-wide protection 

The importance of herd immunity should not be overlooked, as it also:

• Reduces transmission
• Prevents outbreaks
• Preserves healthcare resources
• Protects those with a weakened immune system
• Global health security
• Promotes health equity

Saves lives 

Since being introduced in the UK, grave illnesses such as smallpox, polio and tetanus, known to kill and disable millions of people, have either been eradicated or are rarely seen in the population. Measles and diphtheria have been reduced to 99.9% since their vaccines were established.  The chance of infectious diseases spreading in communities remains high if vaccines are not taken. 

Timely vaccination schedules 

Increasing the likelihood of a child’s prompt vaccination depends on their caregiver being aware of vaccination schedules and vaccine-preventable diseases.⁵ This is important for several reasons:

• Maximises protection - Following vaccination schedules means that children’s immune systems will be stimulated effectively. Delaying or missing vaccines can compromise the child’s immune response, thus reducing the vaccine's effectiveness.
• Prevents complications - Delaying vaccines may leave young children vulnerable to diseases and likely to develop serious complications
• Early protection - Early childhood immunisation means that if a child is exposed to certain diseases, they will have the necessary antibodies to effectively fight off the diseases. 
• Prevents outbreaks - Vaccines prevent individual disease infections but also strengthen herd immunity. This means that outbreaks, hospitalisation and even death can be minimised.
• Long-term protection - Receiving the appropriate doses during childhood means children maintain stable immunity throughout their lives.

Global efforts in vaccination campaigns

If enough people are vaccinated, the prevalence of infectious diseases can be reduced or even diminished in communities and populations all around the world. Examples include the eradication of smallpox.^3,6 

Smallpox is caused by the variola virus (VARV) and spreads by inhaling microdroplets released from infected people, and contact with skin and body fluids.⁶ The most commonly known feature is a rash leading to skin lesions, alongside a high fever and headaches.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) launched an intensified plan to diminish smallpox and it was officially declared eradicated in 1980. Although vaccines were already available, WHO established the “Intensified Smallpox Eradication Programme”, which identified  new cases, isolated them, and tracked any individuals who were in close contact with those infected.⁶ This is known as ring vaccinations and it has led to the success of smallpox eradication. 

If programmes like the “Intensified Smallpox Eradication Programme” are implemented for other infectious diseases that exist today, they may become eradicated in the future.

Cost-effective 

Comparison of costs 

Immunisation via vaccinations is generally more cost-effective than the total costs of treating vaccine-preventable diseases and their complications. Furthermore, childhood immunisations are noted to avert costs such as treatment expenses, healthcare provider costs, and losses in the wages of caregivers.¹ 

Long-term economic benefits

The long-term economic benefits of immunisation programmes include:³

• Prevention and control of infectious disease by outbreak prevention and reducing disease burden.
• Economic growth and development because caregivers will not need to take too much time off work to care for their children.
• Healthcare costs are reduced due to the prevention of diseases and their associated complications. 
• Poverty reduction as infectious diseases could otherwise cause struggles with caregiving, treatment expenses, and loss of work due to taking time off. Thus pushing families into poverty.

Promotes public health equity 

Health equity is defined as differences in health or unfair distribution of health resources. Government-funded early childhood immunisations promote public health equity by:

• Ensuring access to all children regardless of their location, income or social status. Vaccination programmes reduce the financial barriers by ensuring vaccines are available for free.
• Addressing healthcare disparities by protecting vulnerable communities. This includes those living in poverty, remote or rural areas as they are at a higher risk of developing infectious diseases due to the lack of healthcare access.⁷
• Reducing vaccine hesitancy, largely due to inadequate education about vaccines and safety concerns. Vaccine development takes many years and each vaccine undergoes rigorous testing through clinical trials, ensuring they do not cause harm before they are approved for use. However, vaccines can have short-term side effects such as mild swelling at the site of infection or feeling unwell.⁸

FAQs

What are the types of immunity?

There are two types of immunity.

Active immunity is when exposure to a disease triggers the immune system to produce antibodies. It can be acquired by two methods:

• Natural immunity, through direct infection with the disease.
• Vaccine-induced immunity, via vaccination of a weakened form of the disease.

Passive immunity is when you acquire antibodies instead of producing them via your immune system. For example, newborn babies receive passive immunity from their mothers through the placenta. 

Why does the UK not vaccinate against chickenpox?

The chickenpox vaccine is not included in the NHS vaccination schedule due to worries that it could increase the risk of chickenpox and shingles in adults. Most children recover quickly and easily from chickenpox, but in adults, it can be more severe. Introducing a childhood chickenpox vaccination programme means the infection would not circulate amongst children and people would not be infected. Therefore unvaccinated children would be susceptible to chickenpox as adults, leading to a risk of complications. Instead, the vaccinations are only available for those vulnerable to chickenpox, including those undergoing chemotherapy.

Summary 

The benefits of early childhood immunisation outweigh the mild side effects involved. Timely vaccination protects children and those in the community who are unable to get vaccinated due to herd immunity, preventing the spread of diseases and saving lives. Government-funded immunisation programmes allow all children to have access to these vaccines as it is more cost-effective to get vaccinated than to endure the costs associated with developing vaccine-preventable diseases. Overall, vaccinations are safe and effective and have made several childhood diseases rare today.