The Hib vaccine protects your child against this one specific type of meningitis. The Hib vaccine does not protect against any other types of meningitis. Before the Hib vaccine became part of the childhood immunisation programme in 1992, over 60 children a year died as a result of Hib infection. And more than twice that number were left with permanent brain damage. It is quite normal for your baby to be miserable within 48 hours of the injection.
Some babies develop a fever.
Sometimes a small lump develops where the injection was given. This lump can last for several weeks. If this happens, talk to the doctor, nurse or health visitor. But if you delay the immunisation, it increases the chances of fits after DTP-Hib. So, it's important to make sure your child gets vaccinated on time.