Epiglottitis - Preventing epiglottitis
- Introduction
- Symptoms of epiglottitis
- Causes of epiglottitis
- Diagnosing epiglottitis
- Treating epiglottitis
- Preventing epiglottitis
- See what the doctor sees with Map of Medicine
The most effective way to prevent your child getting epiglottitis is to make sure their vaccinations are up to date.
Children should receive their Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) as part of the 5 in 1 DTaP/IPV/Hib vaccine, which also protects against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio.
Children should receive three doses of the vaccine: one at two months, one when they are three months and one when they are four months old. This is followed by an additional Hib/Men C ‘booster’ vaccine at 12 months.
As children from developing countries may not have received the vaccination, children who have immigrated into the UK should take part in the UK immunisation programme. Contact your GP if you are not sure whether your child’s vaccinations are up to date.
Read more about the childhood vaccination schedule.
A person in close contact with someone who has epiglottitis may also be given antibiotics to reduce the chance of the infection being passed on to them.
© Crown Copyright 2009
