CHAPTER 5. The Importance of Immunisation

UNIT 18 IMMUNISATION
P1 Term 3

Objectives By the end of this topic, pupils should be able to: 1. List some sickness that happen in their homes. 2. Identify some of the bad effects of these diseases. 3. List ways in which these diseases can be prevented. 4. Describe the importance of immunisation. 5. Recognise the child health card. 6. Identify immunisation scars.

Behavioural Changes

Pupils should:

· encourage their parents to take their younger brothers and sisters, to clinics to be immunised.

Main Ideas

· There are some diseases which kill children. Some of them can be prevented by immunisation.

· The bad effects of these diseases. Children become very sick, some die, others may be lame, and they can infect others.

· Immunisation and the health card. The card shows that children have been immunised.

· Some immunisations leave scars on the arm where they are given. TB leaves a scar. Smallpox used to leave a scar. Other vaccinations do not produce scars. Polio is given as oral drops (by mouth). Others are given by injection.

Notes for the Teacher

Many sicknesses are found in the home. Some are preventable by immunisation.

A person can be protected against a disease by immunisation. Antibodies are what protects against diseases. After immunisation, the body of a person produces these antibodies which offer protection for a long time. People who are immunised should not catch the diseases they are immunised against even if they get in contact with those who have the diseases. BCG immunisation scars can be found on the left upper arm.

For details of these diseases, see chapter 8. Other diseases can be prevented by good health habits.

Use of the Child Health Card for Immunisation

The first page of the child health card gives information on immunisation. It looks like this:

The child needs to go to the clinic several times to complete the immunisations. It starts with Polio I/BCG at birth.

Figure

When a child has had each immunisation the date is written in the space on the card (see above). BCG and measles only need one immunisation so the card is shaded.

The times when a child needs to go to the clinic for immunisation is on the following schedule.

For more information on the child health card see the booklet: "How to use the child health card" in the Primary School Health Kit on Immunisation.

SOME ACTIVITIES FOR PUPILS:

1. Look for scars on the body. Identify an immunisation scar.

2. Take the children to the clinic to see immunisation being given.

3. Show the children a health card. Show them where the names and ages are written, and also where the health worker writes a number of doses the child has got.

4. Ask children to find out from their parents, if they are immunised fully. They should also ask what immunisation they were given. Ask them to see their child health cards and those of their brothers and sisters.

5. Make a child health immunisation birthday card for new babies.

Figure

SKILLS TO DEVELOP:

1. Following instructions.
2. Observation.
3. Drawing.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

1. Health card
2. Walking stick
3. Posters of healthy children
4. School health kit on immunisation

EVALUATION:

1. Testing knowledge.
2. Report back after finding out who is immunised at home.
3. Observe those who fall sick.

FOLLOW-UP

Find out which children have younger brothers and sisters and ask to see their Child Health Cards.

TEST YOURSELF:

(What have you learned from this chapter?)

1. What does the child health card show?
2. Which immunisations leave a scar? Where?
3. Which immunisation is given as oral drops?
4. What does the body produce after immunisation?
5. How old will a child be when all the immunisations are complete?