Importance of Children & Youth Vaccination
COVID-19 is having a significant impact on the mental and physical well-being of children, youth and their families.
Although children and youth are less likely to get really sick from COVID-19, they can still:
- get sick from COVID-19
- be infected and not have any symptoms
- spread COVID-19 to others
- experience longer-term effects if they do get infected
- get a rare but serious complication called multi system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)
- this is a condition that can occur several weeks after COVID-19
- MIS-C involves inflammation in the body and it can affect the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes or gastrointestinal organs
- symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and skin rash
- the majority of children and adolescents in Canada who have had this condition have fully recovered with treatment
Children and youth with certain underlying medical conditions may have a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
COVID-19 vaccines help the body fight off the virus. Like adults, children and youth are well protected against severe illness 14 days after their second dose. How long protection lasts is still being evaluated.
Booster dose appointments can be booked at least six months (168 days) after a second dose. All children aged six months and over can get an appointment. Discuss with your doctor specific vaccine brands available for different age cohorts.
How and why you should vaccinate your kids
Review this PDF to find additional information on vaccinating kids aged 12+
Vaccines for children: What to expect at the vaccination appointment
Before the vaccination
Consult with your health care provider or public health authority to determine when you should book an appointment. You also need to know the measures put in place to safely deliver vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contact your provincial or territorial public health authority
Vaccination records
Keep your child’s vaccination record in a safe place so you can find it when needed. From time to time, you may be asked to provide proof of your child’s vaccinations.
Before starting school or daycare, it may be necessary to provide your child’s up-to-date vaccination record. Also, having this record is helpful if you need to take your child to another health care provider.
If your child is sick or has a fever when it’s time for their vaccination, talk to your health care provider. They will let you know if it’s okay to go ahead with the vaccination or if it will need to be rescheduled.
Learn more about:
Checklist for your child’s vaccination visit
- Make an appointment with your health care provider or local public health authority.
- Bring your child’s vaccination record to the appointment.
- If your child doesn’t have a vaccination record yet, your health care provider will give you one.
- Book the next vaccination appointment before you leave your health care provider’s office.
- Mark the next appointment in your calendar to help you remember.
Make a plan for reducing fear of and pain from needles
Tell your child about vaccination using age-appropriate language. Tell them what will happen and how it will feel. Try using words such as ‘pressure’ or ‘poke’ to describe how it might feel. Avoid misleading information like ‘it won’t hurt.’
Answer your child’s questions and tell them what you’ll do to help make it a better experience.
Pick strategies that consider your child’s needs and preferences for coping and bring them with you.
Try:
- distraction (toys, games, music, talking, or singing)
- relaxation techniques (deep belly breathing)
- numbing medications for the skin called ‘topical anesthetic’
- these medications dull sensation from the needle and are available from the pharmacy without a prescription
- medication should be applied 30 to 60 minutes before the appointment, so plan ahead
Learn more about:
- Immunize Canada: CARD (comfort, ask, relax, distract) system for parents and caregivers (PDF)
- CanVax: CARD system (video)
- Parents Canada and Immunize Canada: Needles don’t have to hurt (PDF)
- Caring for Kids: A guide for parents to reduce vaccination pain (PDF)
- SKIP (Solutions for Kids in Pain): Fear of needles: 5 simple ways to ease vaccination pain for yourself and your child
- Alberta Health Services: Comfort care plan (PDF)
- IWK/Dalhousie University Centre for Pediatric Pain Research: It doesn’t have to hurt (video)
For more information on what to do During and After the vaccination:
Information source: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/vaccination-children/covid-19.html