Babies
Babies
12 months and under
In children, the most common manifestation is bacteraemia without focus. This accounts for approximately 70% of IPD, followed by pneumonia with bacteraemia.
Symptoms
Meningitis is the least common but most severe category of IPD.
Pneumococcal meningitis symptoms include:
- stiff neck
- fever
- headache
- sensitivity to light
- confusion
- irritability
- seizures
Acute middle ear infection is the most common non-invasive manifestation of pneumococcal disease in children. Streptococcus pneumoniae is detected in 28–55% of test samples from children with acute middle ear infection.1
Take the risk assessment
Answering a few quick questions will help you and your doctor understand if you are at risk of contracting pneumococcal pneumonia.
Start
Question 1 of 4
What is your age?
Age can be a risk factor, even if you're healthy.
- I am a parent of a baby
- I am under 50
- I am 50-64
- I am 65-69
- I am 70 or older
Next
Question 2 of 4
Do you have any of these health conditions?
Certain conditions may put you at higher risk for pneumococcal pneumonia, even if they're under control. The medicines you take may also affect your risk. Select all that apply.
- Yes
- No
Please select all that apply
- Asthma
- Chronic lung disease
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Chronic renal failure
- Certain cancers
- Non-functioning spleen (asplenia)
- HIV
Next
Question 3 of 4
Do you take a medicine that suppresses your immune system?
This includes some medicines that treat psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, among other conditions.
- Yes
- No
Next
Question 4 of 4
Do you identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander?
- Yes
- No
Submit
Results
Based on your answers, you may not be at increased risk of pnuemococcal pneumonia right now, but you should still take it seriously. The truth is, your risk actually increases as you age.
NEXT STEPS
Stay vigilant and check in with your doctor if your health circumstances change.
Results
Based on your answers, you may be at
increased risk of pnuemococcal pneumonia
and should take steps to protect yourself.
Next Steps
Talk to your Doctor, Nurse or Pharmacist about how you can protect yourself against pneumococcal pneumonia. Bring a copy of this assessment with you to help get the conversation started.
Download Results
Start over
References
- Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, Australian Immunisation Handbook, Pneumococcal Disease. September 2023. Accessed March 2025. Available here: https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/contents/vaccine-preventable-diseases/pneumococcal-disease.
