Vaccinations

[pigget74]

I understand that we need to vaccinate kids, but do we have to do it all at once. THey thought I was crazy when he was 2 mths because I asked to have the shots on mulitple visits, not all at one time. ENded up going to pediatrician and health department to get all shots. Well--he did not get sick from those. In Feb. we went ahead and did them at one time--guess what he was sooo sick. We just went 2 weeks ago for his 1 year checkup (didn't think he was getting any shots) he gets the measels and chicken pox shot and they also wanted to give Hep A shot. I declined the Hep A shot becuase it is not required. THat week he had a 104.3 fever, but he aslo had a sinus infection. By last Friday he had a 104.4 fever but his ears were a little infected. Well on Sunday he broke out in measels. Last night he started breaking out with chicken pox. Now I know that they say that since he had the shot they are not conatgious, but I really do not think daycore really cares. THey didn't mind the measels--b/c no one could see them on his butt, back, and tummy. THe chicken pox are everywhere. IS the point of the shots so they break out in a mild case or that they do not get it at all. Just frustrated--He has been sick now for 6 weeks--now granted we started daycare in August--some is related to that but other is realted to only the shots.

 

[barkley]

if a person innoculated for chicken pox gets a minor case they ARE contagious-the innoculation does not prevent the spread of the disease to others. and a daycare should not permit them to attend until they are beyond the contagious stage (all pox scabbed over).

i am shocked and appalled that a daycare permitted a child with measles to attend (even a minor case)-they are highly contagious, and if a pregnant woman is exposed-even if she shows no sign of 'catching' them, her pregnancy can be greatly endangered or the unborn could suffer birth defects.

i beleive the reason some shots are given together is the creation of combo vaccines-like the MMR, which innoculates against measles, mumps and rubella.

btw-while the hep a is not required allot of people opt to do it because of increasing rates of hepititis in the u.s.-as my pediatrician puts it 'you can control the circumstances in which your child is raised and educated, but you can't control that of the other children with whom your child wil interact' (so despite your best efforts your child may be exposed to certain diseases during the normal course of play).

i know there are those that are very anti vaccination-but, for me, it was a huge wakeup call when i worked for social services and encountered adults and children who were ill with diseases that have been largly absent in the u.s. population for decades. these were people who were going about their daily lives-shopping, working in jobs that included public contact, sending the kids to school, with contagious diseases that endangered peoples lives. it had gotten so bad in the county i worked in that a couple of diseases were deemed public health threats and the courts actualy HAD to put some contagious adults and kids under house arrest because they refused treatment/refused to refrain from activities/schooling that exposed others.

 

[kaysmommie]

I'm shocked someone would even want to leave their sick higly contagious child at daycare and alos expose others to it . I know you said you didn't think they were contagious. Chicken pox and measles are serious stuff and even I and adult have had the shot because I don't want to get deathly ill or get the shingles from someone who has chicken pox. As far as vaccines at this point we are doing the required ones but not all at once. We only gave both children 2 maxuim at once because of reactions. The Prevnar caused problems with my older DD so waited until she was 2 and she only had to have it once more. I have very mixed feeling about vaccines but feel some are neccesary at least IMO. It's a personal choice for everyone. I like the idea of not giving them all at once but on the other hand I hate bringing my kids to the germy Dr. office more than necessary too. I hope your baby is feeling better though .

 

[KristiKelly]

I always had them for my kids all at once. I do think that it is alot at once but I would rather her get it all over with at once rather than have to keep going back. None of my kids ever had reactions from them other than a little irritability.

I don't think you can catch Shingles from someone who has Chicken Pox but you can give someone the Chicken Pox if you have Shingles. I had a bad case of Shingles last year and passed it onto DD who was 5 mo. at the time. The only good that came from that was that she didn't have to have the Chicken Pox vaccine.

 

[barkley]

I always had them for my kids all at once. I do think that it is alot at once but I would rather her get it all over with at once rather than have to keep going back. None of my kids ever had reactions from them other than a little irritability.

I don't think you can catch Shingles from someone who has Chicken Pox but you can give someone the Chicken Pox if you have Shingles. I had a bad case of Shingles last year and passed it onto DD who was 5 mo. at the time. The only good that came from that was that she didn't have to have the Chicken Pox vaccine.

be careful now that you've had shingles-you can get a reoccurance if you are exposed to someone with chicken pox (both of the grandmas had had them before my 2 kids came down with pox several years ago-the pediatrician and both the grandma's doctors told them to steer clear until they were no longer contagious).

p.s.-was you pediatrician surprised that your dd caught them so young? i caught them when i was 4 months old and the ped. could'nt beleive it (said it's realy unusual in that young a child)-but my mom said she knew it for sure, my big brother brought them home 'to share' from kindergarten. she did say it was allot easier dealing with someone who did'nt have the co-ordination to figure out how to scratch

 

[MSSANDRA]

I think you need to look at your daycare. If they would allow your child to come to daycare with these disease, they are going to allow other children to expose your child as well. Children new to day care do get sick a lot but there are lots of ways to reduce that risk and I would be sure that your center is doing that.

It is very important that every parent do as much research as possible on the immunizations that your child receives, especialy if you are condering not giving some of them. Check out the facts on which can or can not produce an active illness.

Our doctor recomended combining as many shots as possible but always gave parents an option of breaking them down. The general thinking is that once the child is upset by one shot, it is better to just do them all than to have to repeat the situation a short time later. We choose to give as many as possible at one time.

Please do your research on hep A so you will be informed of the number of children with this disease .You will be surprised.

ms sandra

 

[KristiKelly]

be careful now that you've had shingles-you can get a reoccurance if you are exposed to someone with chicken pox (both of the grandmas had had them before my 2 kids came down with pox several years ago-the pediatrician and both the grandma's doctors told them to steer clear until they were no longer contagious).

p.s.-was you pediatrician surprised that your dd caught them so young? i caught them when i was 4 months old and the ped. could'nt beleive it (said it's realy unusual in that young a child)-but my mom said she knew it for sure, my big brother brought them home 'to share' from kindergarten. she did say it was allot easier dealing with someone who did'nt have the co-ordination to figure out how to scratch

No my ped wasn't surprised but I was very upset. It's a long story but I will try to condense. My Dr. (for years) had retired & I didn't have a new Dr. yet so I had to go to a local walk in clinic. I was breastfeeding at the time and that Dr. said "I'm going to give you a Rx for ??? it will help it to clear up but you'll have to quit breastfeeding for 2-3 weeks." Umm, well, NO!!! I told him I would make it through without the Rx.

I asked him if DD was at risk for chix pox and he said no. Also, my older DD has a friend who was going through treatment for leukemia at that time. We had a play date planned, I asked if friend could be at risk with a weakened immune system, he said "no, that she would have to actually touch one of the blisters and then put her hands in her mouth." I still didn't feel right so I cancelled the playdate.

The next week, younger DD came down with chixpox, I took her to ped. and told him what this other Dr. had said. He was surprised that he told me younger DD was not at risk. But he was very upset that he said the friend w/ leukemia would be okay. He said that I should never go around anyone with a weakened immune system having Shingles. I have told everyone I know NEVER go to that walk in clinic.

By the way, I had Chix Pox when I was 6 mo. old, a gift from my brother.

 

[Ariel8676]

My girls all get Vax'd, but we do break them up...we get 2 at a time max...I feel so bad when i read that someone's baby had to get like 4-5 shots at a time..
I just feel that if i get maybe 2 a time, and they have a reaction, at least i can figure out which one was bothering them.

 

[pigget74]

WAIT !!! WAIT !!!
Please let me clarify-----I never sent him sot school with a fever. When we got the shots we were told if he gets a rash or chicken pox spots he is not contagious. I specifically asked because I have never had chicken pox. I was told by them--NO THEY ARE NOT CONTAGIOUS. I thought that was odd--so I called a Dr. friend of mine out of state and asked the same thing. I was told again they are not contagious. When he broke out in a rash on Sunday afternoon he never ran fever--the fever was 2 days before--he was in a great mood--I again called the doctor and checked every bit of information I could get my hands to online---everything I read and was told--was they are not contagious and they can do normal everyday avtivities. When I wrote that he was covered earlier --I thought he would have broken out more during the night, but he didn't. He still has only 6-10 spots. Again, I called and was told--he just had a reaction and he is not contagious. He is acting like he does everyday-playing and not acting sick at all.

I am sure that someone will find something that is different and post it here--but the items I found said he was not contagioius. I am a very cautious parent--if he has a green nose or the slightest fever he does not go to daycare.

Hep A--the reason I said no is I did not know anything about the vaccine. I told the nurse I would talk with DH and do research on it. I wanted to know about the vaccine before I gave it to him. He is up to date on all of his shoits-hep a.

 

[twinspluscade]

if a person innoculated for chicken pox gets a minor case they ARE contagious-the innoculation does not prevent the spread of the disease to others. and a daycare should not permit them to attend until they are beyond the contagious stage (all pox scabbed over).

i am shocked and appalled that a daycare permitted a child with measles to attend (even a minor case)-they are highly contagious, and if a pregnant woman is exposed-even if she shows no sign of 'catching' them, her pregnancy can be greatly endangered or the unborn could suffer birth defects.

i beleive the reason some shots are given together is the creation of combo vaccines-like the MMR, which innoculates against measles, mumps and rubella.

btw-while the hep a is not required allot of people opt to do it because of increasing rates of hepititis in the u.s.-as my pediatrician puts it 'you can control the circumstances in which your child is raised and educated, but you can't control that of the other children with whom your child wil interact' (so despite your best efforts your child may be exposed to certain diseases during the normal course of play).

i know there are those that are very anti vaccination-but, for me, it was a huge wakeup call when i worked for social services and encountered adults and children who were ill with diseases that have been largly absent in the u.s. population for decades. these were people who were going about their daily lives-shopping, working in jobs that included public contact, sending the kids to school, with contagious diseases that endangered peoples lives. it had gotten so bad in the county i worked in that a couple of diseases were deemed public health threats and the courts actualy HAD to put some contagious adults and kids under house arrest because they refused treatment/refused to refrain from activities/schooling that exposed others.

I think that's a great point. Many people in the US think these disases are completely irradicated in the US--they aren't! We recently had an outbreak of polio in an Amish community near where I live (they don't believe in immunizing). Now, normally the Amish do keep to themselves, but there are times they come into town for various things: someone not immunized could be exposed,and get polio. It's usually not fatal in this day and age, but can cause paralyzation. I know, two of my cousins had it as babies and are now partially paralyzed. I also know of a person who's a carrier for Hep B. She's in 5th grade (caught it from her Mom during pregnancy). She doesn't actually have Hep B (shows no symptoms), but is a carrier--meaning she can give it. NO ONE in the school knows she has it. I know there would be a lot of furious parents if they ever found out (which is why her adoptive family have decided not to tell anyone about it).
I guess my point is that in this day and age, even in the US you can still be exposed to supposedly "extint" diseases.

Kelly

 

[jennifer293]

When I take my kids in I just do what the Dr. tells me is going to be done. He has a PHd ..I pretty much figure he knows a lot more about it than I do!!

As far as your child being sick for the past 6 weeks, I would say has more to do with the daycare allowing sick children in and spreading it to your son, and his poor little immune system just cannot fight off all of that at once..I would switch daycares if it were me. I know I cannot even take DD to the daycare at the YMCA if she has a runny nose.

 

[pigget74]

When I take my kids in I just do what the Dr. tells me is going to be done. He has a PHd ..I pretty much figure he knows a lot more about it than I do!!

As far as your child being sick for the past 6 weeks, I would say has more to do with the daycare allowing sick children in and spreading it to your son, and his poor little immune system just cannot fight off all of that at once..I would switch daycares if it were me. I know I cannot even take DD to the daycare at the YMCA if she has a runny nose.

Yes, daycare is the culprit and we realize it. The only problem is that in our town every daycare has a waitlist--unless they are very poor rated. We had a person watching only him and that fell through for this school year---we knew this in January so we went on the list. After one week and he got sick and some other factors we put him on another list. At that daycare it could take us until August to get in. I teach and my DH is self-employed but travels all the time. He will not go to daycare over school vacations and such--when school is out in May he is done as well. As soon as the other daycare has an opening we are moving him. There are other good daycares in our town--but with DH traveling and the time I have to be at work--I can't get him to daycare and back in time for my job. Even if we are there when they open . I am also in the process of trying to find someone to watch him in my home or theirs. Talking to several ladies at church.
Please do not think that I am a bad parent--we were only going by what the DR's have told us. I do believe in vaccines, but just not all at once--I know they are less traumatized if they get them all at once.

 

[KristiKelly]

When I take my kids in I just do what the Dr. tells me is going to be done. He has a PHd ..I pretty much figure he knows a lot more about it than I do!!

 

[pigget74]

Here is what I found on the web:

If my child develops a rash after getting the MMR vaccine, is he contagious?
Transmission of the measles vaccine virus does not occur from a vaccinated person, including those who develop a rash. No special precautions (e.g., exclusion from school or work) need be taken.

 

[noodleknitter]

When I take my kids in I just do what the Dr. tells me is going to be done. He has a PHd ..I pretty much figure he knows a lot more about it than I do!!

I'm hoping he has more than a PhD!

Last time I looked, docs were human. My dad personally killed 3 people in the 60's. Thorazine was considered "the" drug for alcoholics. I was prescribed Vioxx, chose not to join the class-action suit because I haven't died from it. My niece died from her 3rd DTP. My husband's cousin is deaf following her 2nd.

Everyone should do their own research, and make the decision that is best for their families.

 

[MSSANDRA]

OP- Sounds like you are a great mom trying to do what is best for your child!!!

 

[barkley]

WAIT !!! WAIT !!!
Please let me clarify-----I never sent him sot school with a fever. When we got the shots we were told if he gets a rash or chicken pox spots he is not contagious. I specifically asked because I have never had chicken pox. I was told by them--NO THEY ARE NOT CONTAGIOUS. I thought that was odd--so I called a Dr. friend of mine out of state and asked the same thing. I was told again they are not contagious. When he broke out in a rash on Sunday afternoon he never ran fever--the fever was 2 days before--he was in a great mood--I again called the doctor and checked every bit of information I could get my hands to online---everything I read and was told--was they are not contagious and they can do normal everyday avtivities. When I wrote that he was covered earlier --I thought he would have broken out more during the night, but he didn't. He still has only 6-10 spots. Again, I called and was told--he just had a reaction and he is not contagious. He is acting like he does everyday-playing and not acting sick at all.

I am sure that someone will find something that is different and post it here--but the items I found said he was not contagioius. I am a very cautious parent--if he has a green nose or the slightest fever he does not go to daycare.

Hep A--the reason I said no is I did not know anything about the vaccine. I told the nurse I would talk with DH and do research on it. I wanted to know about the vaccine before I gave it to him. He is up to date on all of his shoits-hep a.

i can only base my knowledge on personal experience-dd got the vaccine and only got a 'mild' case following (less than a dozen spots)-her brother who had not been vaccinated yet nor exposed to anyone other than her came down with them soon after. our pediatrician won't let kids vaccinated or not with symptoms in the waiting room-you have to schedual an appointment and when you arrive you are escorted into an isolation room to protect the other patients. and neither of mine had much if any fever (in fact with dd we initialy thought it might be poison oak).

honestly-even the world's best daycare is still going to cause new kids (and teachers) to catch everything that goes around until they build up immunities to them. the first year i taught i was on a merry-go-round of antibiotics and otc meds (if anything can result in an ear infection with me it will ).
so theres not much you can do to prevent it-and if the kids don't build up the immunities in daycare or preschool they end up going through the same thing when they enter kindergarten (my kid's k teachers have joked that they can tell which kids have gone to preschool by virtue not of their academic skills but by how well they are able to fend off all the colds, sorethroats and random viruses going around).

i don't know if it's still the norm, but when my kids got their baby shots the ped. had me dose them about an hour beforehand with tylenol or motrin in case they were prone to spike a fever (she also contended it helped with the pain around the shot site).

hope your little one starts feeling better.

 

[pigget74]

I truely did not mean to start a debate on these boards--I was just addressing why do kids have to have all the shots at once. To me you are just overloading the body of these babes with doses of everything. To me for him to get both from one shot just worries me. I wish you could choose to break them up than be forced to take it all in one dose. I have done my research and I do understand everyones point. Thanks for the different views.

 

[Bird-Mom]

--I was just addressing why do kids have to have all the shots at once. To me you are just overloading the body of these babes with doses of everything. To me for him to get both from one shot just worries me. I wish you could choose to break them up than be forced to take it all in one dose.

I will tell you why they do so many at once. Parents are most likely to bring their children in to the doc when the children are under 2. This is why there are so many "well baby" visits on the "schedule." They are trying to get in as many shots as they can within the framework of the "schedule" before the age of 2. Well baby visits aren't for the wellness of the child-of course they get weighed and measured, etc, but this is not essential to their wellness. Well baby visits are for shots and to ensure compliance.

You are absolutely correct that the body is overdosed at these visits. Think about it for a minute-assaulting the body with 5 different kinds of illnesses at the same time. That is way more sickness than a person would ever get naturally. Little immune systems are very incomplete and immature.

You are not forced to take it all at once. You can break it down within the parameters that are offered. For example, you can get the Pediarix 5 in one, or you can break it into DTaP, HepB, and IPV. The latter is 3 pokes, but at least you can give the body a break to recover from the assault. You would also be able to get a better idea of which vax caused a reaction, should there be one. You can get the MMRV or MMR and Varicella separately. You may be able to find a doc or pharmacy who can break up the MMR in M, M, and R. You are the parent, and it is your choice when, if, and how many. The doc is employed by you; you choose.

You do not have to give vaccinations ever if you do not want to.

 

[kaysmommie]

WAIT !!! WAIT !!!
Please let me clarify-----I never sent him sot school with a fever. When we got the shots we were told if he gets a rash or chicken pox spots he is not contagious. I specifically asked because I have never had chicken pox. I was told by them--NO THEY ARE NOT CONTAGIOUS. I thought that was odd--so I called a Dr. friend of mine out of state and asked the same thing. I was told again they are not contagious. When he broke out in a rash on Sunday afternoon he never ran fever--the fever was 2 days before--he was in a great mood--I again called the doctor and checked every bit of information I could get my hands to online---everything I read and was told--was they are not contagious and they can do normal everyday avtivities. When I wrote that he was covered earlier --I thought he would have broken out more during the night, but he didn't. He still has only 6-10 spots. Again, I called and was told--he just had a reaction and he is not contagious. He is acting like he does everyday-playing and not acting sick at all.



Hep A--the reason I said no is I did not know anything about the vaccine. I told the nurse I would talk with DH and do research on it. I wanted to know about the vaccine before I gave it to him. He is up to date on all of his shoits-hep a.

As far as Hep A they tried to talk me into it for my DD6 and DS2 last well visit and I said no at this point. I'm in no rush to be the first one in line for this vaccine. If in the future I decide to get it then fine. I have more research to do in the meanwhile.
Ds had the Pedirix and he was fine but he's 2 and your baby is young so I would do what you think is best for you and your baby.