Why are booster shots routine but titer tests aren't?

[LisaR]

Reading the thread about vaccines got me to thinking. My DH had a couple titer tests done to see if he had immunity when he was traveling overseas. One doctor just wanted to give him the vaccines but another suggest the titer first. Great idea since it turned out he didn't need the vaccines.

Why don't we do this to children before giving them a booster shot? Some do have immunity. I suppose you can ask a doctor to do this but why isn't it common practice? Why inject something into our kids if it may not be necessary?

 

[LuvOrlando]

I suspect it's all about the bottom line. Of course, it would be better to only vaccinate kids who need it but since medicine is more about what administrators have to say about cost than sense I can't say I'm surprised. Doing what's best for our kids means challenging the protocols and fighting every so often. I saw this up close when my DD nearly died last November because my Dr's were not thinking with their heads and stuck to outdated protocols over the Pneumonia vaccine and H1n1 in spite of news reports and my desperate pleas starting inApril 2009 and the fact I had a CDC paper saying my kids fit the criteria I tend to respect Dr's very much but sometimes they aren't always the smartest people in the room, a little more respect towards parents on their part could could really go a long way towards improving healthcare.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Double post