College students and Meningitis vaccine

[hercamore]

Hi,

I am wondering whether or not to have my freshman dd vaccinated for the Meningitis virus.

I know the odds are slim she will contract the virus, BUT she will be living in a dorm and I torn whether or not to get her the shot.

It is not required by the University of Minnesota systems to have this vaccination. Dd's friend attending a school in the University of Wisconcsin system is required to get the shot.

There are lot of other parents of college students on this board...what have you done?

Herc.

[kejoda]

I would say better safe than sorry. College tend to be so busy that they don't always get themselves to the doc. when needed. It also will save the long wait in line if she has to get the shot.

[Ranatra]

My DD got the vaccine back in June. It was her choice.

[NancyIL]

My DD didn't have to have that vaccination, but we wanted her to get it. We will also strongly urge her to get a flu shot in the fall.

[hercamore]

Hi Ranatra,

Did your dd have an side effects from the shot?


Herc.

[helenabear]

I graduated from Ohio State in '99 (one of the largest campuses in the USA) and honestly there were only two or three students who had meningitis (I think two) the entire time I was there. No I didn't get the vaccination and neither did my DH (we both lived in dorms our entire time too) and the University didn't require it nor did they even recommend getting it (at least at the time). I think if you want to, go ahead but I never felt the need to have it (and I am paranoid about things like that usually). Now the flu shot is definitely one I recommend getting though!

[CyranoJones]

When I IMed my daughter last night and asked her what she did yesterday she told me she went to the health center and got her meningitis and hep vaccines. I'm glad she did but it wasn't up to me. She really took me by surprise...this is a young woman who is not fond of doctor visits or needles. Then she told me she also made an appointment for a check-up, that she thought it was time she did it by herself. I said brava for her!!

[Krisu]

I know the chances are slim to contract it, but I think if it's offered at school she should take advantage of it. It's the law here in Ct. if you're in a dorm.

[Kitty 34]

My son got vaccinated at the request of his basketball coach.

[minniecarousel]

Younger DS got it two years ago when he was a Freshman and living in the dorm. He had no reaction. I guess I'm easily influenced by the scary stories of healthy college students who get sick and die from meningitis. Even if your DS or DD doesn't normally share a soda can or a cigarette (eek! - perish the thought that they smoke in college!) they DO share these things and that's one of the ways the virus is passed around. The son of a friend got a red splotch at the shot site - but that was the extent of the "reaction". I'm one of those better-safe-than-sorry type people!

[CarolA]

I would get it. There was a girl here at a local university who got meningitis and had to have both her legs amputated. She was on a basketball scholarship at the university.

[judi]

Our son goes to OSU and he had his shot last year as a freshman. I think more than anything it gave me piece of mind. I figure why take the chance, the shot was only the $20 co payment and he didn't have any side effects.

[SPAGo 98]

i got the shot before my freshman year. the chances of meningitis are slim, but the disease is so devastating that the shot is definitely worth it. i didn't have any side effects either.

[Eeyore2U]

I do billing for a Family Practice office and it's amazing the number teens getting it. I guess it's one of the things you should do just to be safe. What's the saying? Better safe then sorry.

[Tiggeroo]

and Hepatitis series, which we didn't do earlier. However, I was told that insurance doesn't cover shots for kids her age and it will cost $95 Alot with dh out of work.

[helenk]

Boy I am glad to read this thread. Penna just passed the law this summer for students staying in state univ dorms to get the shot and my son who is 20 is getting his tomarrow. I have been very aprehensive about this because my son was an infant during that pertussis (spelling) the P part of the DPT shot and there were stories about brain damage etc so I tend to be a bit worried (okay over worried)
Certainly I would rather the vaccination than the disease, since he is over 18 it is his choice. But I feel better knowing that there have been little or no side effects

[Eeyore2U]

Originally posted by Tiggeroo
and Hepatitis series, which we didn't do earlier. However, I was told that insurance doesn't cover shots for kids her age and it will cost $95 Alot with dh out of work.

Tiggeroo, I have yet to see them not covered.

[hercamore]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the many thoughtful responses!

I am still worried about the side effects of the vaccine, but am going to let DD decide what she wants to do.

I suspect she will get the shot.

Herc

[krazyboutWDW]

I had all three of my teenagers take the shot last Jan. (DS is in third year of college, DD started college this past Monday, and DS#2 is a junior in HS). None of them had any reactions at all except a little soreness at the site where they actually took the shot and that passed very quickly. I spoke with two very close friends who are doctors and they both told me to give them the vaccine - in fact they had their own children take the shot.

The only downside was that the insurance did not cover the cost of the shots. We had two students die in local hospitals within a month of each other. We did not want to take any chances.

[Judy from Boise]

Have you called the local health dept and asked them the cost ? I know in Idaho all vacines are free as long as you are under 19. Even at private MD's office, they will vacinate for free using state vaccine stock that they keep on hand.

In many states, including idaho, we start the Hib vaccines at birth, prior to leaving the hospital ! It is a very safe vaccine.

[caitycaity]

at my school we had to get the meningitis and the hep vaccines before we could attend. i din't have a reaction other than the typical shot-site being a bit sore. definately better safe than sorry. she may not get the disease, but what if she does? as someone said above, it is such a devistating disease, i would get it just for peace of mind.

[Krisu]

I'm not an expert in billing but I think it's covered under the medical portion of your insurance, not the pharmacy. We don't carry it in our office but we give people the script to get it at the pharmacy then they come back for me to give the injection. Local Health Depts. do it but may not bill the insurance. That would be cash.

[Lucky4me]

I had all three of my teenagers vaccinated for Hep. No side effects at all. I'm surprised it's not mandatory at your college, it is in NY....

[Regina]

My DS attends college in CT, and we got the letter earlier this summer advising us that it's now mandated. He's 21, and had no reaction to the shot.

My DD is a NY college student. She's still home for another week. I think I'm going to schedule this for her, whether it's mandated or not.

[danacara]

Required at P'ton. The scary thing about meningitis is that its symptoms oftentimes mirror the flu. You could be terminally ill and realize it too late. Get the shot.

[I <3 Eeyore]

As a mom who lost her beautiful 2 yr old daughter to the side effects of HiB meningitis, I strongly support vaccinations. The damage it can cause is devastating. In Alyssa's case, she suffered severe brain damage which resulted in death. Please don't let the minimal risk of contracting the illness or the cost of the immunization prevent you from protecting your children.

[helenk]

Our doctors office did not say that the shot would not be covered by insurance, but they did have to order the vaccine which took awhile. My son had called last week for an appt and is just going today.

[ChibiJones]

I got alot of shots last month at my physical. At the same time I got blood drawn, the Hep. shot, a tetnus shot & the menigitis show. I didn't have any reaction besides feeling like a human pincushion. ;)

[cinlee3]

My DS will start college next year and I am having him get the meningitis vaccine. I would much rather be safe than sorry. He wasn't required to have the Hep B but I got that series for him anyway. DS #2 was required to have Hep B before age 12 and DD had it at birth.

[Carole]

My daughter was vaccinated without any reactions. A graduate of my daughter's high school died his freshman year from meningitis. His mom urged people at the senior awards assembly to have their children vaccinated before attending college.

[wld]

As a nurse I jumped at the chance for both of my dd's to get the hep B free from our local health dept when they were in 7th grade.

When DD was leaving for college last year I asked our infectious disease MD what she thought about the shot since it doesn't cover all forms of meningitis but it does cover the most serious and deadly form. She didn't hesitate and neither did we. DD received her injection at the health dept. It cost $60 and I payed it gladly.

She had no side effects.

FYI she was in a class with a girl that came down with neisseria meningitis. I'm glad to say the girl was diagnosed early and lived but with a long recovery.

[wld]

As a nurse I jumped at the chance for both of my dd's to get the hep B free from our local health dept when they were in 7th grade.

When DD was leaving for college last year I asked our infectious disease MD what she thought about the shot since it doesn't cover all forms of meningitis but it does cover the most serious and deadly form. She didn't hesitate and neither did we. DD received her injection at the health dept. It cost $60 and I payed it gladly.

She had no side effects.

FYI she was in a class with a girl that came down with meningitis. I'm glad to say the girl was diagnosed early and lived but with a long recovery.