Why Vaccination is a Topic That Deserves to Be Well Understood
When a newborn arrives in the family, the list of medical appointments quickly grows. Among them, vaccination sessions hold a special place. For many parents, they raise sincere questions: which vaccines are mandatory, which are recommended, at what age, and why? These questions are legitimate, and it is important to answer them with reliable information, from French health authorities.
This article aims to give you a clear overview of the vaccination schedule in force in France, to distinguish what falls under legal obligation from what falls under recommendation, and to guide you towards official resources for further information. It is in no way a substitute for the advice of your doctor or pediatrician, who remains your primary contact for any decision concerning your child's health.
The Legal Framework: Which Vaccines are Mandatory in France?
Since January 1, 2018, eleven vaccines have been mandatory for children born from that date, compared to three previously. This legislative evolution, brought about by the 2018 Social Security financing law, follows the recommendations of the High Authority for Health (HAS) and responds to a worrying decrease in vaccination coverage observed in certain French regions.
The eleven mandatory vaccines cover the following diseases:
- Diphtheria
- Tetanus
- Polio
- Whooping cough
- Measles
- Mumps
- Rubella
- Haemophilus influenzae type b
- Hepatitis B
- Meningococcus C
- Pneumococcus
These vaccines are 100% covered by the Social Security. The obligation applies until the child's 18th birthday and conditions access to childcare facilities (crèche, nursery school, leisure centers). For more information, the ameli.fr website and the Santé Publique France website detail the regulatory framework in force.
The Vaccination Schedule Recommended by the HAS
Beyond mandatory vaccines, the HAS publishes an updated vaccination schedule each year that includes vaccines that are strongly recommended, without being mandatory in the legal sense of the term. These recommendations are based on available epidemiological data and the evaluation of the benefit-risk ratio of each vaccine.
The First Months of Life
The vaccination schedule begins very early. Here are the main steps for children from 0 to 24 months, as defined by the HAS in its current schedule:
- At birth: hepatitis B vaccine for newborns of mothers carrying the virus (and BCG in certain contexts with a high risk of tuberculosis).
- At 2 months: first combined vaccines covering diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, Haemophilus influenzae b, and hepatitis B (hexavalent vaccine), as well as the pneumococcal vaccine.
- At 4 months: second injection of the same vaccines.
- At 5 months: meningococcus C vaccine.
- At 11 months: hexavalent and pneumococcal booster, second dose of meningococcus C.
- At 12 months: first dose of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine.
- At 16-18 months: second dose of the MMR vaccine.
This schedule is subject to change: always consult the HAS website or ask your doctor for the most recent version.
Additional Recommended Vaccines
Some vaccines, not mandatory but highly recommended depending on the context, deserve to be discussed with your pediatrician. This is the case for the seasonal flu vaccine (recommended from 6 months of age for at-risk children), the chickenpox vaccine (recommended in certain situations), or the rotavirus vaccine (recommended but not currently reimbursed, to be administered before 6 months of age).
What Parents Feel: Normal Concerns
Many parents express real anxiety before vaccination sessions. Watching their child receive an injection is an emotional ordeal, even when convinced of the merits of the act. These reactions are human and normal.
It is also common to encounter contradictory information on social media or from those around you. Faced with vaccine misinformation, which remains a phenomenon documented by Santé Publique France, the best attitude is to rely on institutional sources and to ask questions directly to a trusted healthcare professional.
If you have specific doubts or questions, do not hesitate to ask them during your consultation with your general practitioner, pediatrician, or during sessions at your local Maternal and Child Protection (PMI) center. These professionals are trained to respond with kindness and without judgment.
Side Effects: What is Normal, What is Not
After vaccination, it is common for an infant to have a slight fever, irritability, or redness at the injection site within 24 to 48 hours. These reactions are mild and indicate the immune response is initiating.
However, certain signs should prompt you to consult quickly: high and persistent fever, seizures, breathing difficulties, significant swelling, or a generalized reaction. In case of doubt, contact your doctor or call 15 (SAMU, emergency medical service).
The HAS and the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM) continuously monitor the safety of vaccines used in France within the framework of a rigorous pharmacovigilance system.
How to Prepare Your Child for the Vaccination Session
Practical Aspects
Bring your child's health record, which centralizes all vaccination information. This official document is given at birth and should be kept carefully throughout childhood. Also, remember to bring a comforting item for your baby, and to feed them before the appointment if possible.
Emotional Aspects
Your calm and reassuring presence is the best preparation you can offer your child. Research in developmental neuroscience shows that infants perceive their parents' emotional states. Staying grounded and serene, even if you feel apprehension, helps to soothe the baby before, during, and after the injection.
Skin-to-skin contact or breastfeeding (for breastfed babies) immediately after the injection can also help reduce the perceived pain for the infant, as suggested by several pediatric studies.
Reliable Resources for Further Information
Given the multitude of sources available online, here are the institutional references you can trust:
- Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS): publication and update of the vaccination schedule — has-sante.fr
- Ameli.fr: practical information on vaccine coverage and reimbursement — ameli.fr
- Santé Publique France: epidemiological data and prevention resources — santepubliquefrance.fr
- Mon Espace Santé: personal digital space to centralize your child's health information — monespacesante.fr
Vaccination in a Conscious Parenting Approach
At Treelys, we believe that caring for your child also means taking the time to inform yourself seriously, without being overwhelmed by ambient anxiety. Conscious parenting is not about questioning everything, but about asking the right questions to the right people, and acting in your child's best interest with discernment.
Vaccination is one of the protective gestures that mark the first years of life. Like first steps, first nights, or first teeth, it is part of a developmental journey that you support every day.
If this article was useful to you, you will find other resources on parenting life in our blog: we have notably discussed the importance of language from birth, infant crying, and parental mental load. All these topics, like vaccination, deserve reliable information and a benevolent approach.
