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immunised before reaching 1 year of age, an investigation has been
made of a sample group of children with the following results:—
Of 173 children born in the Area who had not completed a course
of immunisation before reaching 1 year of age:—
18 were in the process of being immunised.
49 were said by their parents to be going to receive or had already
received a course of immunisation from their own doctors.
30 had removed from the Area.
12 immunisation refused.
1 immunisation inadvisable.
1 combined immunisation refused but agreed to make arrangements
for diphtheria immunisation only.
54 had not kept appointments for various reasons though in some
cases the parents professed to be willing to attend.
8 no information.
173
Mention was made in my last Annual Report of the high rate of
removals from the Area of children under six months old and it can
be seen that in the above sample group more than 17% of children
born in the Area had removed before reaching 1 year of age.
The defaulters who for one reason or another do not keep appointments
appear to be the most fruitful field for further improving the
number of children immunised. Some have good reasons for not having
attended (e.g. illness of child or parent) but the remainder, although
some parents profess to be willing for their children to be immunised,
just do not come. It is hoped that by continual follow-up by health
visitors, and by clinic doctors offering the opportunity to immunise
children whenever they may attend a centre for whatever purpose, to
make some progress with this group, but in the end this will depend on
the parents themselves.
Immunisation of Children under 5 years of age
Although every endeavour is made to ensure that children are protected
before reaching 1 year of age, there are inevitably some who
receive immunisation between 1 and 4 years of age.