MMR, possible measles, unvaxed kids....should I go see an old friend?

[ChristusG]

Confusing enough title? LOL

 

See, I have an old friend in town. I've only seen her probably a handful of times in the past ten years. We had plans to go over and visit her tomorrow while she's here visiting her mother.

 

However.....

 

Her son (just turned a year old) got the MMR vaccine a few days ago. Long story, but she didn't want him to get it but the doc gave it to him anyways when the daddy brought the kid into the doctor. Anyways, he woke up this morning with quite a few red spots on him. She called me and let me know this. She's not 100% sure that it is a reaction from the vaccine (possible mild case of measles) but she's thinking it may be. She's supposed to call me back in the morning and let me know if the spots had spread.

 

My kids are not vaccinated. Well, actually my 5 year old had the vaccine when she was 18 months old (before I began non-vaxing), but has not had the booster. My 2 year old has not had either MMR shot.

 

My question is this....if she calls back in the morning and says that he still only has a few spots, should I go over there? I dont want to risk my kids getting the measles....but I havent seen my friend in a long time. Is he contagious if it is a mild case of measles from the vaccine?

 

What would you do?

[Jean in Newcastle]

I thought that most people who did not vaccinate wanted their kids to get the illness naturally while they are young? At least that is what I would want. So in my case, I would take them over anyway.

[Emmy]

I have a friend whose son got the measles from his MMR. I remember her saying that while a child can get a very mild case of the measles from the vaccine, it wasn't strong enough to be contagious; I kind of doubt that your kids could get measles from her son.

[plain jane]

I thought that most people who did not vaccinate wanted their kids to get the illness naturally while they are young? At least that is what I would want. So in my case, I would take them over anyway.

 

:iagree: Those are my thoughts as well. My only hesitation would be how young your younger dd is. If it were me, I'd want my youngest to be older. In a perfect world, and all that... :rolleyes: However, we just don't get that choice sometimes.

 

Most importantly, I'd vote for going with your motherly instincts. We have been selective about vaccinations (didn't do the Chicken Pox one) but I wouldn't just run out and expose my littles to Chicken Pox just to get it over with at this point. These illnesses ARE dangerous and not to be taken lightly.

[Matryoshka]

Personally, measles is not chicken pox. I wanted my kids to get chicken pox naturally, but not measles - measles can be pretty nasty. I just didn't want them to get the MMR shot (three live viruses in one shot!). I did get them vaxed for measles alone, but when they were older (4 and 6, not toddlers).

 

I have not idea of the OP's reasons for not vaxing, but it may not be because she wants her kids to get the measles naturally.

 

Measles incubation is usually 1 1/2 weeks. One of my dds did have a vaccine reaction from the single dose she got, and it was 1 1/2 weeks later. This seems soon to be a measles, but of course viruses don't always behave in a nice linear way...

 

The doctors do also claim that the break-through measles cases that some kids get from the vax are not contagious. I'm not sure how they can be so sure - break through cases from other live vaccines have been known to be contagious (polio, flumist).

 

One more tidbit... something like 90% of kids are immune after one does of measles vax. The boosters are just to get the remaining kids without having to check everyone's titers. Since my one dd had a reaction, I did get titers done, and all three of my kids were immune after one shot.

 

Anyhow, that's not that helpful, is it? But it's more info, anyway... :tongue_smilie: