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Guide To Child Vaccination For COVID-19
Dr Aaron Chambers
As we approach Christmas, Growlife Medical doctors and staff have been asked “can my child get vaccinated for Covid-19”? We have been having lots of great conversations with families about vaccinating their primary school-aged children. We thought we would therefore highlight some of the important information to help our families with planning child vaccination for COVID-19.
When Will COVID-19 Vaccine Be Available For Kids Under 12?
The Australian Government accepted recommendations from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), and has announced Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination program will be extended to all children aged five to 11 from 10 January 2022. Growlife Medical has now received vaccine supply for paediatric COVID vaccinations and are running regular clinics.
When Can I Book My Child For Coronavirus Immunisation?
COVID-19 vaccination for children is
now available to GP clinics, and Growlife Medical has opened up Pfizer vaccination clinics for children aged five to 11 years old. We have contacted our patients and will be posting to our Facebook page, once more clinic dates open and vaccine supply increases. Just like with our regular appointments, you will be able to book child vaccination for Covid-19 online
or over the phone.
As a reminder, if you or your children are experiencing Coronavirus symptoms including fever, sore throat, runny nose, cough or shortness of breath, please book a Telehealth Consult
with Growlife Medical as soon as possible.
How Many COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Will My Child Need And How Is It Different?
The current recommendation for 5-11 year old children is for two doses of Pfizer, given eight (8) weeks apart. Children aged 5-11 years can receive a lower dose (1/3 of the full dose). The lower dose has been demonstrated to generate an effective immune response for fighting COVID-19 and is considered to be safe for children as young as five years of age.
ATAGI has recommended an 8-week dosing interval, since there is emerging evidence in adults of a potentially better immune response-with a longer gap between doses. Canada have also reported fewer significant adverse effects with a longer dosing interval.
Importantly, this dosing interval can be shortened in an outbreak setting or for children who are at higher risk of severe disease from COVID-19.
How Should I Prepare My Child For Their COVID Vaccination Appointment?
Children can be anxious about receiving a vaccine, mainly relating to the pain of the procedure. Some children are quite excited to be receiving the COVID vaccination, as they know it will protect them and those around them.
We have prepared a kid-friendly COVID vaccination briefing video
that we recommend you watch with you child before they come for their vaccination. Use this as a chance to discuss the vaccine and ease any concerns they might have. It gives them a chance to hear from other children what they felt about the vaccination, and describes why it might be beneficial for them, from the mouths of children their own age.
On the day of vaccination, it is important that waiting, discussion and negotiation are kept to an absolute minimum. The quicker we can vaccinate your child after they enter the clinic, the easier and happier the process will be for both you and your child. Confident, older children may be happy to sit in a chair and accept the vaccine. It is helpful if you have anxious or younger children sit on your lap, and hold their hands firmly in your lap when the clinician is about to give the vaccine.
Your doctor or nurse will ask you if you're ready to go ahead. Be ready to say yes straight away, and for the clinician to administer the dose immediately once you have your child comfortably held and still. Be confident and kind, whilst being directive if you child tries to negotiate or delay the injection. Delay only tends to increase their anxiety, and the difficulty and the pain of injection.
If you have a child who has needle phobia or gets upset with vaccines, be sure you have consented prior to this appointment, and made a separate appointment in the preceding days to ask these questions, rather than demonstrating any uncertainty to your child on vaccine day.
Overall, reassure your child that this is a positive thing for them and their family. Acknowledge that no one really "likes" needles, but we appreciate getting them done to protect our health. You can also reassure them from our own experience with children, that the COVID-19 vaccination is one of the least painful they will ever receive. Most children are surprised it is over much more quickly than they expect!
Watch This Video With Your Child To Explain The COVID Vaccination
What Are The Side Effects Of Coronavirus Vaccine In Children?
Commonly as with any vaccination, after receiving a Coronavirus vaccine your child may experience fever, have a sore arm/injection site, headache and/or fatigue. Should you have any concerns, both before or after vaccination we are happy to support you and your family.
There are rare side effects, for any vaccine, such as severe allergic reaction to the vaccine or its components. For this reason, we will ask you to stay for 15 minutes after your child’s vaccination so we can monitor their condition before you take them home.
You may have heard that some mRNA vaccines approved for use in Australia have been associated with myocarditis and pericarditis. These are inflammatory heart conditions and appear to occur 1-2 times per 100,000 people. The lower dose for children and wider dosing schedule may reduce this risk.
Should you have any questions around the side effects your child may experience, speak to your Growlife GP or nurse when booking your appointment.
More real-time reporting and published reports on vaccine side effects can also be found the TGA's Covid-19 vaccine weekly safety report.
Should I Vaccinate My Child Against COVID-19?
Understandably, even when only small risks are applicable, there is some vaccine hesitancy for parents with young children. Case numbers in Brisbane and the State of Queensland have remained low during border closures and there has been discussion in the media of rare, significant vaccine side effects and the observation that COVID-19 usually does not make children very unwell or result in hospitalisation. As parents and doctors in Queensland, our team at Growlife Medical have spent a lot of time pondering these thoughts and concerns.
All Growlife Medical doctors are very comfortable with the COVID-19 vaccination for children, and agree the benefits far outweigh the risks..
Should you have any questions around whether you should vaccinate your children we encourage you to speak to your Growlife GP or nurse who will only be too happy to discuss you your child’s unique situation with you to help you make an informed decision.
Child Vaccination For Covid-19 In Brisbane At Growlife Medical
Our Coronavirus vaccination service
will be extended for children at our Highgate Hill clinic, Sherwood clinic
and Oxley clinic. We are experienced with immunisation, with many qualified GPs and nurse immunisers, and have provided many thousands of COVID-19 vaccinations. And we vaccinate
thousands of children each year with flu vaccines
under the national immunisation program, as well as providing travel vaccinations
and being an accredited Yellow Fever Vaccination provider at our Sherwood Medical Centre. Our advanced digital systems allow for seamless reporting of your vaccinations to your My Health Record
and to the Australian Immunisation Register.
Book a consultation
with Growlife Medical
today. If you are experiencing any cold/flu like symptoms be safe and phone ahead!
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Dr Aaron Chambers
General Practitioner
BSc, MBBS(Hons), FRACGP, Dip Child Health
BSc, MBBS(Hons), FRACGP, Dip Child Health
Experienced author Dr Aaron Chambers
has worked in General Practice since 2006. He is passionate and an authority on family practice, paediatrics and obstetric care. After completing his medical degree with honours at the University of Queensland, Dr Chambers served as an RAAF Doctor, conducting humanitarian missions and evacuating wounded servicemen from the Middle East. Dr Chambers now works alongside the combined medical experience of 20+ Doctors at Oxley, Sherwood
and Highgate Hill Growlife Medical Clinics.