pneumoniccocal (sp?) jabs - can anyone direct me some information please

[popsycal]

got a letter through for ds2 - aged 18 months to have this jab.

Don't know anything about it.....research etc.
blatant googling will no doubt just scare me to death
thanks

www.meningitis.org, go to 'about the diseases' and click on pneumococcal.

We all went as a family to have this jab as soon as it became available - dh included and he never sets foot in the dr's surgery. That says it all really.

NHS immunisation website has info about it too.

I found this leaflet pretty good.

Personally I think it's a great thing that children are being immunised against these diseases. I speak as one who actually had the pneumococcal (??) jab yesterday as I had serious pneumonia last year and know how awful it can be. I think it immunises against the most common form of pneumonia (which is on the rise in the UK) and a couple of the most common meningitis bugs (sorry if I go that wrong! I'm not a doctor!) I know it's not a live vaccination so it doesn't give you a mini dose of the disease (in the same way that a flu jab does). My arm is killing me today though!!!