Vaccinations and your child
It is important to vaccinate your child to protect them from many different diseases. Your child should receive all the recommended vaccines. The timing for each vaccine may vary depending on where you live. Vaccines are very safe. Here is what the Canadian Paediatric Society and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization currently recommend:
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
Virtually all children get an RSV infection by the time they are 2 years old. Most of the time RSV will cause a mild, cold-like illness, but it can also cause severe illness such as:
- Bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung)
- Pneumonia (infection of the lungs)
One to two out of every 100 children younger than 6 months of age with RSV infection may need to be hospitalized. Those who are hospitalized may require oxygen, intubation, and/or mechanical ventilation (help with breathing). Most improve with this type of supportive care and are discharged in a few days. To read more about common winter illnesses please click here.
For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control 'Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)' web page.
