First Few Months

Immunisations

Immunisation is one of the best ways to protect your baby against diseases like measles, rubella, tetanus and meningitis. Your baby needs their first injections at 8 weeks, then 12 weeks, 16 weeks and one year.  Hartlepool health visiting service provides parents and carers with tailored information and support the opportunity to discuss any questions or concerns you may have about your baby’s immunisations.

For more information regarding vaccinations and immunisations for your baby, click here.  The NHS has developed a handy timeline for childhood vaccines, to give you an idea about your baby’s immunisations schedule.

Watch the videos below to find out why not being vaccinated means serious illnesses can be more common and why its important to keep up to date with your child’s vaccinations:

Screening

Screening tests will be offered to your baby in their first few weeks of life:

Most babies will not have the conditions that the screening tests are looking for, screening is important for those babies who do have a health problem as spotting the condition early means that management can be put in place to help improve health and prevent severe disability or death. All babies are offered a newborn physical examination, a hearing test soon after birth and a newborn blood spot test when they are arounf 5 days old.

Watch this video for more information about newborn hearing screening.