Routine Immunization

• See the Canadian Immunization Guide for recommended immunization schedules for infants, children, youth, and pregnant women from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI).

• Provincial/territorial immunization schedules may differ based on funding differences. Provincial/territorial immunization schedules are available at the Public Health Agency of Canada.

• Immunization pain reduction strategies: During vaccination, pain reduction strategies with good evidence include breastfeeding, use of expressed breast milk or use of sweet-tasting solutions, encouraging parents to hold their child, avoiding aspiration during IM injections, giving the most painful vaccine last, and consideration of topical anaesthetics. Immunization pain management (Immunize CA)

• Acetaminophen or ibuprofen should not be given prior to, but after vaccination as required.
  Prophylactic Antipyretic Administration (PLOS ONE)

• Information for physicians on vaccine safety:
• Vaccine safety: (HC) (Immunize Canada) Canada’s vaccine safety program (CPS)
• Autism spectrum disorder: No causal relationship with vaccines (PCH)
• Information for parents on vaccinations can be accessed through:
• ImmunizeCA
• Vaccination and your Child (CPS Caring for Kids)
• Deciding to vaccinate (HC)
• A Parent’s Guide to Vaccination (PHAC)
• Vaccine hesitancy was identified by WHO in 2019 as one of the 10 threats to global health. Evidence-based interventions to improve vaccine confidence include non-judgemental parent education and communication (face-to-face, pamphlet, video, apps, texts), anticipatory guidance including prenatally, team-based approaches and tracking/recall systems, and community wide collaborations.
• Working with vaccine-hesitant parents (CPS)
• Addressing vaccine hesitancy (CFP)