Pegasus Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I'm generally pro-vaccine but even I was stunned when a trip to the pediatrician today generated a recommendation for 5 different shots for DD11 and DD14. I was expecting a recommendation for Tdap, MCV4, and HPV. I was not expecting additional recommendations for Hep A and chicken pox booster. I was really thrown by the Hep A recommendation. I stated that I thought it was only recommended for particular high risk groups and the nurse said that it had changed in the last couple of years. Hmmmm. . .it's still on the CDC recommendation chart only for high risk folks and even the description handed to me by the nurse listed the high risk factors for those who should receive the shot. So much for the "lots of shots" visits being for babies and toddlers. Pegasus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Did your children not have the chicken pox or Hep A vaccines as babies/toddlers? California recommends Hep A for everyone. My daughter only needed her Tdap. She had the Hep A series when she was 2. And our dr didn't mention the MCV4, and HPV vaccines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Fairy Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 It might depend on where you live too. Originally my pediatrician said we didn't need it in our circumstances, but I think at our last visit we found that it was now recommended for everyone in California. One interesting thing I remember him asking the first time is if we eat out a lot. He said that that Hep A is more common among immigrants, and here it's mostly immigrants working in restaurant kitchens. ETA: Thanks for mentioning this. The kids all have check-ups scheduled for next month, so now I won't be surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 Yep, they both already had the chicken pox shot. This was for a booster as they determined that the single shot in early childhood did not provide lasting immunity. They also had all the other recommended vaccines as infants and young children so while I don't specifically remember them getting Hep A, I think they did. We are in Tennessee. . .but we do eat out a lot. . .but we didn't mention that while at the doctor's! Pegasus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginevra Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 When I just recently took dd14 in, I was expecting HPV. They didn't even mention that. They wanted Tdap, but she had Td when she was 11, so once I got the records from the other pediatrician, that was fine. They also gave her MCV4, MMR booster and Varivax booster. I was totally thrown about those last two. Didn't expect it at all. Haven't ever had Hep A recommended to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Yep, they both already had the chicken pox shot. This was for a booster as they determined that the single shot in early childhood did not provide lasting immunity. They also had all the other recommended vaccines as infants and young children so while I don't specifically remember them getting Hep A, I think they did. We are in Tennessee. . .but we do eat out a lot. . .but we didn't mention that while at the doctor's! Pegasus :001_huh: And here I was thinking we'd gotten past all those shots! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I got the Hep A vaccine for myself and for my kids. I travel internationally. I don't want hepatitis of any sort. It's very easy to catch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarreymere Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 We are in Pa, we've never had the Hep A recommended to us, not for any of the babies, kids, or adults in my 'clan'. Hmm.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 My DD4 had the Hep A shots when she was about a year old. Our ped said that in the next few years it will be on the madatory list for schools and stuff. He recommended getting it now why it was still just that one shot before they decide to add to it ( like a combo shot). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnitaMcC Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Wow, I don't recognize many of these vacs. Vacs my kids have had DTP, Polio, MMR, Hep B, HIB, Tdap, Varicella, and the one for menigitis. My 10 yr old hasn't had the Tdap or menigitis shots yet. No Hep A, MCV4, or HPV for any of my kids... yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74Heaven Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 One of the reasons the kids are getting their shots earlier is that the older they get, the harder time the docs have getting them in to the office for the shots. It really irritates me, but that's why the MMR (which we don't do as it originally was grown in fetal tissue) MMR booster is given during the elementary years now. It used to be jr. high (actually possibly even 14yo high school age.) So much of vaccination is *not* about health, but about engineering public policy. Fyi, we do most vaccinations. Lisaj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcelmer Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I was surprised that they now recommend that caretakers of infants (moms) get a pertussis booster... I had no idea they wore off eventually. I have 6 years between my 2 youngest...so I was surprised when I needed more shots after BB#3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 they now recommend that caretakers of infants (moms) get a pertussis booster... I had no idea they wore off eventually. I had it when my kids were little. Not a pleasant issue as you are trying to care for two little people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntPol Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 We put off the chicken pox booster and HepA for later as I don't like to do a gazillion shots at once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 We had a Hep A outbreak in our town a few years back. It really hurt local restaurants for a while. I got the shot voluntarily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 The kids got Hep B shots as infants, but they weren't offered Hep A. Now the ped is recommending Hep A for all the kids. We weren't offered chix-pox boosters, and 16yo came down with it a couple of months ago. He was the only one of mine who hadn't been vax'd for that because he'd had a mild case as an infant. The other kids, who were vax'd for it, didn't show any signs of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 My kids got the Hep A shot a few years ago as a recommendation from our Ped. The chicken pox booster is a new thing too. They were finding that kids who had the vaccine as babies were not protected into the teen years, so they have to have a booster. My doc did not even suggest the HPV (or course, I have boys) but we won't get that one anyway. We did get the meningitis vaccine, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Our ped told us last year that Hep A is now recommended for everyone due to the importing of food from various countries because the virus can be spread through food, particularly produce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyWifeandMommy Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I'm generally pro-vaccine but even I was stunned when a trip to the pediatrician today generated a recommendation for 5 different shots for DD11 and DD14. I was expecting a recommendation for Tdap, MCV4, and HPV. I was not expecting additional recommendations for Hep A and chicken pox booster. I was really thrown by the Hep A recommendation. I stated that I thought it was only recommended for particular high risk groups and the nurse said that it had changed in the last couple of years. Hmmmm. . .it's still on the CDC recommendation chart only for high risk folks and even the description handed to me by the nurse listed the high risk factors for those who should receive the shot. So much for the "lots of shots" visits being for babies and toddlers. Pegasus We all go the Hep A shot mostly because we travel and camp quite a bit. Once we got orders overseas our Peds MD was glad she recommened the Hep A to our family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 There are a lot of food-borne Hep A outbreaks these days. Honestly, five shots is not a lot. I think that people think of shots as some sort of concentrated assault on the immune system, but they are not. Five shots is a drop in the bucket compared with what the immune system is dealing with naturally. The only reason it's an issue is because you are aware of the fact that you just got five pathogens introduced to your body. If you were alerted every time your body naturally encountered a pathogen, five at once would seem exceedingly insignificant. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tohru Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I don't want to be controversial, but I do want to add for those that have girls to do some research on the HPV vaccine before getting it. I did a college research paper on that particular vaccine a few years back. Some experts believe that there might be a strong correlation between the HPV vaccine and later infertility and miscarriage. Just something to look into before making the decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share Posted July 8, 2011 Honestly, five shots is not a lot. Tara Oh, I agree completely with you about the level of pathogens. However, my kids would disagree completely about 5 shots not being a lot. Their father has a phobia of needles. While my kids aren't quite phobic, they have more than the normal level of dislike for needles and shots. Pegasus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I highly recommend the Hep A shot. I believe it is a series of two vaccines...six months apart. But foodborne illness is on the rise and Hep A has been found to be rampant among food service workers in certain places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnitaMcC Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I don't want to be controversial, but I do want to add for those that have girls to do some research on the HPV vaccine before getting it. I did a college research paper on that particular vaccine a few years back. Some experts believe that there might be a strong correlation between the HPV vaccine and later infertility and miscarriage. Just something to look into before making the decision. I refused to give this to my DD (she is 16 now). I just didn't feel that the unknown of the risks of the vaccine outweighed the risk of future cancer. It just made me nervous to give it to her so I said no. I did have my kids get the chicken pox vac. But that is because I didn't have chicken pox and doctor said it would be safer for me (being on long term prednisone) and my kids (asthma) to get the vaccine. But also several of my nieces and nephews (older than my kids) had severe chicken pox (two of my nieces/nephews were hospitalized). And that because my kids had asthma dx as infants, they were at a higher risk of complications. I just didn't want to take a chance. Ds #2 did get the vaccine but then two days later he broke out in the rash. He had already been exposed. And unfortunately, just as the pox was healing, he broke out in head to toe hand-foot-mouth disease (literally head to foot). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnitaMcC Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 However, my kids would disagree completely about 5 shots not being a lot. Their father has a phobia of needles. While my kids aren't quite phobic, they have more than the normal level of dislike for needles and shots. Pegasus I had a phobia of needles, doctors, nurses growing up... I was very bad. :blushing: :leaving: I remember my dad trying to convince school nurse to ignore the fact that I was behind on shots when I was in 5th grade. He knew that taking me in was going to be rough for him. I would bite, kick, scream, etc. He never was without trauma himself anytime I had to go to doctor and he really didn't want to take me in when I wasn't sick-LOL. I still can't stand them, but I try hard to behave.. I don't want my kids to be so terrified like I was. But then again, I was born 3 months early and my first 5 yrs of life was pretty much me living in the hospital. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I think Hep A started being offered to babies right after my youngest passed that stage. So now, all of my children are being encouraged to have it, esp. since we travel a lot internationally. One of my children is going to Africa for a semester in August, and she had to have 6 vaccines yesterday! Some required just to get into the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Fairy Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 This thread reminds me of when my dh was deployed to Turkey during the first Gulf War. They injected him with a boatload of stuff, and I've always wondered if it would come back to haunt us some day. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I actually requested meningitus (MCV4 I think) for both my teens. That isn't recommended until 17. Meningitus spreads quickly among young people, typically when sleep deprived and living in close situations (dorms). The symptoms typically look like flu to start, by the time many people realize what they are dealing with the results can be devastating. Since dd was headed out for 3 weeks of overnight camp and ds was going for 5 weeks of ROTC camp, I decided to get them vaccinated. I'm sure the next time I get to the ped I'll be hounded about HPV and chicken pox boosters and a few others. I'm going to have to review the studies of HPV again. Has anyone done studies on men--they are recommending it for boys now too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I just took my son in (on Thursday) for his check-up. Last year, they recc'd 4 shots, Hep A, Pertussis, Meningitis, and Chicken Pox. We did two last year, and two this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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