Toddler Health in Portugal

Understand the schedule of vaccinations for toddlers in Portugal...

Mothers with newborn babies are visited by a health visitor who will check that the mother is well and that the baby is healthy. After that toddlers are generally looked after by the family doctor, but will also attend a baby clinic for regular development checks of growth, weight, limb, and head size, as well as routine immunisations.

A health booklet is issued by the clinic which charts and records the child's growth and developmental progress from birth to five years of age.

Vaccinations

Portugal has a national vaccination policy with the following calendar:

  • At birth: BCG (against tuberculosis) and VHB (against Hepatitis B)
  • At 2 months: DTP (against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough), VAP (against poliomyelitis), VHB (against Hepatitis B), and HiB (against Haemophilus influenza type B) Pn13 (against  Steptococcus pneumoniae) MenB 1 against Neisseria meningitidis.
  • At 4 months: DTP (against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough), VAP (against poliomyelitis), and HiB (against Haemophilus influenza type B)
  • At 6 months: DTP (against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough), VAP (against poliomyelitis), VHB (against Hepatitis B), and HiB (against Haemophilus influenza type B)
  • At 12 months: VASPR (against measles, mumps, and rubella)
  • Between 15 and 18 months: HiB (against Haemophilus influenza type B, booster)
  • At 18 months: DTP (against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough, first booster)

The Portuguese National Health Service's website has more on the vaccines provided by the National Vaccination Programme.