If you delay your vaccinations could you post your general schedule?

[PinkInTheBlue]

Please! We've delayed and are trying to decide which ones really have value. If your beliefs are not for delayed or no vaccines, please understand.

 

Thanks!

[PinkInTheBlue]

Nobody delays and has an idea of how you space out what you DO let them get? :) How about a website you prefer that has a layout of what you loosely follow? Thanks!

[Mrs Mungo]

http://askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/

[hsm6kids]

:bigear:

[easygoer]

Not specifically to help you decide how to start them, but I request a titer every time a booster is scheduled/ordered and I highly recommend it to anyone.

 

For example, my DD was slated for MMR and varicella boosters (she has been vaccinated for these previously) and the Dr. grudgingly ordered the titer when I asked. She shows definitive immunity to all four illness, so no boosters.

[PinkInTheBlue]

Not specifically to help you decide how to start them, but I request a titer every time a booster is scheduled/ordered and I highly recommend it to anyone.

 

For example, my DD was slated for MMR and varicella boosters (she has been vaccinated for these previously) and the Dr. grudgingly ordered the titer when I asked. She shows definitive immunity to all four illness, so no boosters.

 

Thank you. I appreciate the suggestion.

 

Quick question, I've heard of many people developing an immunity to things they think they've never had. Should I get the titer for MMR and varicella before considering these shots, you think? If you had not yet done shots, would you check this before getting them?

 

Thanks again :)

[juelle]

Our rule of thumb is:

---start after 6 months

---only when WELL

---one at a time (DTaP counts as one, as does MMR-unless you have world's most cooperative practice)

---at least one month apart

 

The exact order depends on the season. I try to do Hib before winter, polio (injected) before summer, DTaP before they're getting into everything!

 

We're never done chicken pox until they're 11 and have a -ve titre. Try to get it for real.

 

Not doing Gardasil because of low risk factor.

 

We've have drs refuse to work with us, but now have a very respectful practice.

[PinkInTheBlue]

Ah, I just about answered my own question.

 

Thanks to Mrs. Mungo, I remembered I had Dr. Sears Vaccine Book. In the delayed vaccination chapter he talks about getting the titer testing even if they haven't yet had the actual vaccine. Apparently it's not too rare to develop an immunity in childhood without knowingly getting the disease.

[kokotg]

For my youngest, we alternated hib and polio with dtap (started at 4 months, I think) until he'd had all of those (maybe around 18 months or 2)? I think that's all he's had so far (he's 4 now). Or maybe he's had one measles shot? I'm hoping to get the MMR split up for him, but our ped only has it in sporadically...so I can't remember if she had it available and he had a measles when he was 3 or 4 or not. If she doesn't have the separate shots when he does his 5 year, I'll probably go ahead and get the regular MMR. He'll get varicella at some point by the time he's 9 or 10 if he doesn't get it naturally, and then we'll do hepB around puberty.

[easygoer]

Thank you. I appreciate the suggestion.

 

Quick question, I've heard of many people developing an immunity to things they think they've never had. Should I get the titer for MMR and varicella before considering these shots, you think? If you had not yet done shots, would you check this before getting them?

 

Thanks again :)

 

I don't know, it's a good question. My gut reaction is: you could, there's no real risk/harm, although I don't know how optimistic I'd be. Maybe chicken pox, but no one gets that often anymore I don't know how much there is floating around to 'rub off.'

 

Part of it is influenced by personal experiences...my daughter at age 5 (I'm madly knocking wood over here) does exceptionally well with blood draws. Like, doesn't mind a bit. So I can be a bit cavalier about it. Some kids have such miserable experiences I wouldn't put them through it.

 

It'd be nice if you could find a doctor to talk to about it, but I haven't had any luck on that at all.

[LisaKinVA]

Sorry, I don't have a definitive schedule... all my kids have been a bit different.

 

In general, we don't start shots until the baby is 6 mos. If the baby has a cold, fever, or is showing other symptoms of illness... no shots.

 

We usually skip the Hepatitis shots (at least for now), and flu.

 

Pertussis and Pneumococcal are usually the first couple, followed by a Rotavirus, DTaP, Hib, then Polio. MMR we do around 3 years of age, and Chicken Pox around 5 or 6.

 

We try to do one shot a visit. Abby (my youngest) has been sick for nearly every well baby check up since 6 mos... and started her shots at 18 mos old -- so we are actually scheduling nurse visits to try to "catch up."

[smrtmama]

We do nothing at all until age 2.

 

At age two, we start with one vaccine at a time, only one shot per visit, single rather than combo vaccines if available. We complete a full course before moving on to the next (all the DTaP before starting the Hep A, for instance).

 

We did the Hib at 2, then the DTaP series starting at 2.5 and at the recommended intervals, and are now doing Hep A and then Polio. I haven't made a decision yet on when we'll do the MMR -- in a perfect world, we'd have access to single vax for all three viruses and would do measles + mumps for our sons, measles + rubella for our daughter, but only the measles is likely to be available as a single vaccine within the next few years. We will not vaccinate for chicken pox, rotavirus, Hep B, or meningitis in childhood; we will likely get them the Hep B at around the age of sexual maturity and probably meningitis before college, since day cares and college campuses are the most common places for outbreaks.

 

To be honest, we will likely not do the Hib or DTaP for our third or any subsequent children. Our children are all at home (no daycare or out of the home school), my husband and I have had boosters in adulthood for several common illnesses and my titers for several illnesses were checked during my 2nd pregnancy and were still within the good range, the pertussis vaccine offers minimal protection at best, and tetanus shots can be given on an as-needed basis.

 

We started a selective, delayed course after a potential adverse vaccine reaction, with the support and ongoing input of our pediatrician, and we make changes to our schedule as necessary.

[sagira]

:bigear:

 

My ds is 7 and has never had any vaccines, but I'm considering starting him on a few.. If necessary. Buying The Vaccine Book.

[Snowfall]

I don't like to share schedules, since every one is so different, but here is some information I do think is very important.

 

First, in children under age 6, Hep A is almost ALWAYS asymptomatic. It's just not a big deal in young kids. Even after age 6, it's usually just a mild stomach bug until they hit the teen years. Then it becomes the big, nasty, yucky (but not deadly) illness adults get. So it makes sense to me to delay that one for a period of years, then check titers.

 

Second, you actually cannot get the tetanus vaccine on an "as needed" basis. If you haven't already had at least 2 doses, getting a dose after you're injured will not work. That only works for people who've had at least 2 doses. If you haven't been vaccinated for tetanus and you receive a tetanus-prone injury (crush, burn, or puncture wound) then you can get the TIG shot, which is not a vaccine, but an immunoglobulin. It's a blood product that you need to get within a day of the injury. It protects for a few weeks. Some people are very, very leery of blood products, some aren't. Either way, you should be aware that this is what your child would need if they received an injury that was likely to develop tetanus, not just a tetanus vaccine.

 

Third, there is some about whether Hib and Prevnar (the pneumococcal vaccine) actually reduce the incidence of invasive disease at all. For some reason, this idea seems really complicated to a lot of people, but it's actually quite simple. There are many strains of both Haemophilus and Pneumococcal bacteria that colonize the upper respiratory tract. They're supposed to be there. Pneumococcal bacteria produce peroxie which helps keep Staphylococcus bacteria in check...it's a delicate balance. Anyway, invasive disease seems to be a host problem, not a bacteria problem - meaning the host has a weakness, the bacteria invade. You get rid of one type of bacteria, another type becomes invasive instead. There's a lot more explaining to do on that, but you may not even be interested anyway. You should be able to find plenty to keep you busy if you are, though. Just google "Prevnar non-vaccine serotypes" or something like that. Also google "Prevnar MRSA" because one study has shown that carriage of pneumococcal bacteria prevents colonization by staph bacteria, which means kids vaccinated with Prevnar could be more susceptible to MRSA.

 

Just some things to consider. :)

[PinkInTheBlue]

Wow Snowfall! I would imagine you would be positively a plethora of pertinent information on this topic! I have to admit you lost me on about 50% of that last paragraph but now I'm going to have to research that one more. Thank you!

 

If I could persuade you, would you PM me more about your personal schedule you have chosen? Absolutely for education. No judgment. I just want to get a feel for what others have chosen and maybe even why. Please? :) This is a very important decision that we are ready to revisit and decide on and I want to make the right decision again. (delaying was the right decision for us :) )

 

I don't like to share schedules, since every one is so different, but here is some information I do think is very important.

 

First, in children under age 6, Hep A is almost ALWAYS asymptomatic. It's just not a big deal in young kids. Even after age 6, it's usually just a mild stomach bug until they hit the teen years. Then it becomes the big, nasty, yucky (but not deadly) illness adults get. So it makes sense to me to delay that one for a period of years, then check titers.

 

Second, you actually cannot get the tetanus vaccine on an "as needed" basis. If you haven't already had at least 2 doses, getting a dose after you're injured will not work. That only works for people who've had at least 2 doses. If you haven't been vaccinated for tetanus and you receive a tetanus-prone injury (crush, burn, or puncture wound) then you can get the TIG shot, which is not a vaccine, but an immunoglobulin. It's a blood product that you need to get within a day of the injury. It protects for a few weeks. Some people are very, very leery of blood products, some aren't. Either way, you should be aware that this is what your child would need if they received an injury that was likely to develop tetanus, not just a tetanus vaccine.

 

Third, there is some about whether Hib and Prevnar (the pneumococcal vaccine) actually reduce the incidence of invasive disease at all. For some reason, this idea seems really complicated to a lot of people, but it's actually quite simple. There are many strains of both Haemophilus and Pneumococcal bacteria that colonize the upper respiratory tract. They're supposed to be there. Pneumococcal bacteria produce peroxie which helps keep Staphylococcus bacteria in check...it's a delicate balance. Anyway, invasive disease seems to be a host problem, not a bacteria problem - meaning the host has a weakness, the bacteria invade. You get rid of one type of bacteria, another type becomes invasive instead. There's a lot more explaining to do on that, but you may not even be interested anyway. You should be able to find plenty to keep you busy if you are, though. Just google "Prevnar non-vaccine serotypes" or something like that. Also google "Prevnar MRSA" because one study has shown that carriage of pneumococcal bacteria prevents colonization by staph bacteria, which means kids vaccinated with Prevnar could be more susceptible to MRSA.

 

Just some things to consider. :)

[Pretty in Pink]

We follow the delayed schedule in the back of Dr. Sears' Vaccine Book. We started vaccines at 1 year with our youngest.

[Snowfall]

Actually, we don't vaccinate right now. My older DD had a severe reaction to Prevnar, even though at her first round we only got that, Hib and IPV. As a child, I'd had a severe reaction to DTP - I almost died and from then on could only get the DT, without pertussis. After DD's reaction, I just felt like there was a chance maybe this was genetic or something. I couldn't risk continuing to find out.

 

If you'd like any other information, I can message you tonight. We just got back from a camping trip, I have a stomach bug, the house is a disaster of dirty clothes and blankets, and DD has a science class today...then someone called to ask for a showing, since our house is on the market. (I am only online because the baby needs to nurse, lol.) When it rains, it pours. :001_smile:

[ktgrok]

This is the schedule for a local pediatrician. We will skip polio abd possibly hib, mme, and prevnar.

 

6 months: DTaP#1

9 months: DTaP #2

12 months: IPV #1

15 months: HIB (When you give one

HIB at 15 months you need one instead of 4)

18 months: DTaP # 3

24 months: Prevnar #1

30 months: IPV#2

36 months: MMR#1

48 months: DTaP #4/IPV#3

[kokotg]

Just a thought...one thing to keep in mind about a lot of published delayed vac schedules is that they're designed to get kids "caught up" by school age so that there aren't any hassles with enrolling kids in school. A parent who's planning on sending a kid to school might want a schedule that pushes things as late as possible, spreads them out, and cuts back on required doses while still meeting all school requirements. My concerns as a homeschool parent are somewhat different.