Mom Health Talk

We all want the best for our children. For them to be healthy. And we would all do anything for them, right? So when I found out that meningitis B is a potentially life threatening illness that is not part of the routine vaccination schedule for children in Canada – unlike vaccines for some other strains of meningitis, I needed to find out more. I learned that Meningococcal B infection is caused by bacterial meningococcal type B. It can cause serious and potentially life-threatening infections including meningitis (an infection of the lining that covers the brain) & septicemia (an infection of the blood). Meningitis B is responsible for 63% of invasive meningococcal disease in Canada. Although this strain of meningitis is rare, permanent complications from this type of infection can include brain damage and deafness, and approximately 1 in 10 people who get sick may die. Such a horrible topic to talk or even think about, but as a parent I feel like it is my utmost responsibility to be as informed as possible about anything that can potentially harm my child.

Because a vaccination for meningitis B is not part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule in Canada, it’s important to talk to your child’s doctor to find out which childhood options are available to help ensure that your child is protected, so that’s exactly what we are doing... talking to our doctor and figuring out what we feel comfortable with as a family to help protect our child. I hope you talk to your doctor too, because being informed and being able to make a decision you feel comfortable with is such a reassuring feeling as a parent. Knowing your options and keeping your babies healthy... because as parents, it’s really all that matters.❤️

Although this post has been sponsored by a research-based pharmaceutical company, the opinions and language are my own. If your child suffers from a side effect following immunization, please contact your public healthcare provider or contact the Vaccine Safety Section at the Public Health Agency of Canada at 1-866-844-0018.