Are there ppl here that do delayed vax for their dc?

[mama2cntrykids]

My youngest is 5 weeks old today. We go in a couple of weeks for her first round of shots. With my other dc, I was more of "go with the mainstream" type. Now I'm thinking that all those vax at the same time aren't good for a little body, but I really don't know what to do about it?

 

How do I go about setting up a delayed vax schedule? Do I just talk to her Dr. about it:bigear:.

 

Thanks!!

[Whereneverever]

The CDC has a chart with what shots are scheduled when. Look up the shots your child is scheduled for. Look at the diseases the shots are meant to prevent and look at the side effects of the shots.

 

Then, go talk to your Dr. about your concerns.

[Chez J]

We didn't as a newborn. However, at the 6 month shots, directly after, we had a major reaction to one of the many. After that, our doctor agreed to do only one at a time so we'd know in the future what might cause a problem. Never figured out which one. HOWEVER, the prevnar one is the suspect one because they later changed the schedule due to issues. :angry: (It was launched the year my dd was born!)

 

I would just ask for it. You will have to go in weekly or at some agreed upon interval to get all the shots.

 

Check with your insurance to make sure they will cover the dr office visit. Some dr offices will let you just come in to see the nurse without a visit charge. Ask about that.

 

Also, ask to see the inserts of the packaging for the vaccines and read to make sure you are getting the ones that are free of the harmful stuff. This will make them mad! Like you don't trust them. Choose your words carefully.

[diresu]

With my first who was a preemie I was very nervous about the vax and what we did was just one shot at a time. Which is bad enough because they are all combo shots now and even with one shot you are getting 2-3 things. I explained to my medical providers that I only wanted one at a time and then I let them pick which ones they felt were the most important to do first. We would go to the office every week or two and get another shot so he was really not very far behind.

 

With my second we did one shot at a time for the first round and now we let him have more than one provided that he has had all of them at least once. Oh and we skipped the Rotavirus thing all together.

[ScoutTN]

We went with Dr. Bob Sears' schedule from The Vaccine Book for DS b/c he had a reaction to his 8 wk shots (high temp, hives, screamed constantly for 3 days). I highly recommend this book! Website has updates, but not all the basic info in the book. We thought it was one of only a few balanced approaches that we read in a very complex, emotional subject with massive numbers of variables and unknowns, strong corporate and gov't. interests, and various philosophical/religious convictions all mixed in together. Clear as mud!

 

We do almost all the vax, just slower and one at a time. We avoid combo shots when possible. Very happy with that here.

Edited July 8, 2011 by ScoutTN

[Supertechmom]

I also used a couple of other books, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations and Vaccinations: A Thoughtful Parent's Guide: How to Make Safe, Sensible Decisions about the Risks, Benefits, and Alternatives in addition to Dr Sears.

 

I went in with my list of when I would like to do which vaccines, which ones I wouldn't do and why, and then talked with the ped. Every area of the country has hot spots of disease. We discussed it , she gave me reasons why to do this one or that one based on our area, our lifestyle, and our inherent chance of picking up the disease (largely based on our lifestyle) and the ones that she felt are just horrific to get and recover from in her experience. Several she had no problem never giving. Some no problem waiting until after 1 year or 18 months and 4 years. Two she wanted like yesterday. Those two we did in separate runs. She wrote it down in the chart and it hasn't been a problem since. We did delay the next round of vaccines one month because he had been really sick and last month she did some blood work and urinalysis to make sure he wasn't sick as the other kiddos had been sick. I'm sure from the fact that it is the first thing we discuss every. single. visit. that she would prefer I do things differently but she also admits that due to past issues with the other kiddos I have "the right to be cautious and concerned" over vaccines. And some of the shots we simply waited on until they could be delivered in one dose instead of three or four. Hope you get the same treatment.

 

Oh and we also looked at whether I had natural or artificial immunity to some of the stuff since immunity can be passed through breast milk and natural immunity lasts longer and protects the baby longer.

 

There are so many factors involved that it boggles my mind that we just blindly vaxed our first three with no thought at all to the individual genes/health issues that make up my kids.

[CrossFitMama]

We used Stephanie Cave's schedule. It took a bit of interviewing in our small town to find a ped who was ok with it.

[Kim in Appalachia]

I did not end up following any schedule with my youngest child. I never made the next appointment, and tended to forget to make one. The result was the my youngest ended up with a very delayed vaccination schedule. My child's doctor was often at my house and joked that he was going to turn me in for non-compliance. :D

 

My other kids tended to be vaccinated on schedule, I think....I'm very bad at making those doctor appointments or remembering to go to them.

[Firestar Academy]

I did not end up following any schedule with my youngest child. I never made the next appointment, and tended to forget to make one. QUOTE]

 

but I did this on purpose. and even more so when dr charged for walking in and seeing a nurse for shot. it was an office visit and we had $20 copay.

 

my girls were small on the weight scale and it felt to me, like vaccines were based on age and that was a lot of stuff to put in a small body.

 

I think we are alll caught up now.

 

robin

[janie_ranae]

Thanks for sharing some of the books you used in helping you make vaccination decisions. We vaccinated our first without much thought, our second is almost current, and our youngest has only had 1 vaccination. There's a lot to ponder when making the decision, which has resulted in a delayed scheduled here.

[happypamama]

I would talk to the doctor about what he/she feels is most crucial for *your* particular child. One of our peds felt that DTaP was most important for our child but that it was fine to skip the chicken pox and MMR, for instance (though both of those are given later). She didn't feel that he was at great risk for Hep B either. At the time, I was concerned about meningitis, so I wanted to do Hib and Prevnar. We ended up doing those three at a slow pace -- like Hib and Prevnar at one visit, Hib and DTaP at the next, DTaP and Prevnar at the one after that, and so on. But it really depends on what is most risky for your child, given your particular lifestyle, location, etc. If you live in an area prone to outbreaks of something, you might do certain vaccines, or if you have other children prone to ear infections, maybe Prevnar is applicable to you, etc.

 

Also, some of the vaccinations are (or at least were, at the time) cultured in human fetal tissue, with no other alternative, and that didn't sit well with my pro-life stance, so we did not do those vaccines. I want to say the MMR was one of them, but I honestly don't remember.

[GardenTenders/Kim]

LOL I forget to make appts too. But we have done some delay on some things. Unless they slipped something in without my knowing we still haven't done Hep A.

[Sputterduck]

We do. I just shared what we are going to do with the doctor, and she didn't mind at all.

[Dirtroad]

They are required by law in my state when child enters school... unless you get a relegious exemption (which isn't difficult). So, no pressure legally on little ones.

 

As for doctors... one pestered me & I told them I was informed with a very stern look. He dropped it. The other said "you are the Mama"... we discussed pros/cons.... I have not allowed them to take all the shots b/c so many are for convenience of work and schools.... but we delayed the life threatening ones until kids hit 3 years old. That is when they have a developed immune system. He is still our pediatrician.

Edited July 9, 2011 by Dirtroad

[ktgrok]

This article is great, and there are two different schedules, one more delayed than the other, at the very end of the article. I use the second one, except I don't give polio either.

 

http://drcorneliafranz.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=1

[FrogMom5]

Due to moving, we ended up not getting my dd her shots until she was about 7 mo. Then, we did them one at a time, 2-4 weeks apart. Her oldest brother had a reaction to the Hib so we waited a long time between that shot and others. I had to call and ask doctors if they were willing to do this delayed schedule. One was fine with it, one almost turned me in to social services and most just said no. You may need to shop around.

Denise

[PentecostalMom]

We either delay or don't give some, period. I have a done a lot of research, starting with Dr. Sears. Where I live, it is extremely difficult to find a doc to cooperate with any variations, so right now we are delaying all. Plans to start when dd's are older, still not giving some.

[Thia]

We delayed here. I just gave my 6 and 4 year old the MMR. Based on their reactions (fevers, rashes, light sensitivity, stomachaches), I think it will be several months before I take them in for another. The drs are not fine with it, I had to sign a waiver and got lectured. Sigh.

[rjand6more]

This is the schedule I use as a guide. A ped on another forum I am on recommended it. I am so happy I found a ped near me that is ok with a delayed schedule. Each kid has been different with vaccines. 1st 2 were vaccinated on schedule and with all recommended vaccines(many fewer than recommended now!) #3 has just completed the ones I plan on getting for her(at age 6 1/2) #4 has just had his 1st MMR at almost age 4. He had fewer in a series because I delayed. #5 is having 2 at a time at the most. I am focusing on the ones that could land a baby in the hospital-pertussis(Dtap) and Prevnar.

 

 

Also, I called and asked a rep from the CDC about restarting a series because of time elapsed between vaccines. (Our health dept was suggesting repeating shots because of how long the span of time in a series...) The rep said you absolutely NEVER have to repeat shots and sometimes, if you wait long enough to start the series, you have to get many fewer.

 

I really do think vaccines are valuable and I agonize/pray/agonize every time it is time to consider it again.