Vaccine gurus

[Whereneverever]

I have three kids- almost 8, almost 5, and almost 2. So far they are unvaccinated. I think we are going to start vaccinating selectively but I feel kinda overwhelmed.

 

My thoughts were to get the younger two the Hib, Pneumoccocal, and Dtp.

I'd get the older the Dtp.

 

I'm pretty sure that those shots are a good idea for us. Are any of them really reactive?

 

Also, both of my girls have had pertussis. And all three have had chicken pox.

 

I think my husband and I will get the Dtp. I'm not vaccinated, and he's not up to date.

 

What other shots should we consider? Or is that a decent start?

 

And if you could reassure me that this isn't going to give us three heads or something, that'd be swell, too. :tongue_smilie:

[*********]

And if you could reassure me that this isn't going to give us three heads or something, that'd be swell, too. :tongue_smilie:

 

Well, we delay/selectively vax, but I do NOT give others advice, or even (usually) opinions on what they should do for their family. It's just such a hot button topic nowadays.

 

But I wanted to say, your last line there made me snort out loud. :D Me and my kids all have had at least some vaxes, and still only have one head each. So you can cross that off of your 'to worry about' list. :lol:

[Whereneverever]

Well, we delay/selectively vax, but I do NOT give others advice, or even (usually) opinions on what they should do for their family. It's just such a hot button topic nowadays.

 

But I wanted to say, your last line there made me snort out loud. :D Me and my kids all have had at least some vaxes, and still only have one head each. So you can cross that off of your 'to worry about' list. :lol:

 

Well, at least I can check that one off my list!

 

And I hope this doesn't get contentious. I'm nervous enough about the whole thing without being flamed. I wouldn't have really asked if I could get more definitive answers from my doc- she just told me she'd do whatever ones we want. :glare:

[DianeW88]

Those look good. The DTaP will give you a red, sore arm and a slight fever....that's the reaction of your immune system, not a bad thing. The others don't really cause any major reactions.

 

DTaP for those aged 4 months to 6 years will require 4-5 doses to be caught up and fully vaxed.

 

HiB and Pneumoccocal should be ok with one dose.

 

TdaP for those over age 7 will require two doses if never vaxed.

[Whereneverever]

Those look good. The DTaP will give you a red, sore arm and a slight fever....that's the reaction of your immune system, not a bad thing. The others don't really cause any major reactions.

 

DTaP for those aged 4 months to 6 years will require 4-5 doses to be caught up and fully vaxed.

 

HiB and Pneumoccocal should be ok with one dose.

 

TdaP for those over age 7 will require two doses if never vaxed.

 

Am I supposed to give Tylenol or Motrin before or after the shots then? How high of a fever? My kids tend to run pretty spectacular fevers.

[*********]

 

Here's the American Academy of Pediatric's recommended immunization schedules. I used it when deciding what and when to get my boys. All of the notes at the bottom about timing/spacing of each vax really helped me come up with my own schedule I was comfortable with.

[NicAnn]

If 2 have had pertussis, you may want to consider getting a vax without that component. Dtap is considered one of the more reactive vaccines, along with HiB and MMR. I can't speak for DTP on it's own.

 

I know it's super overweening. Have you read Thoughtful Parents Guide to Vaccinations by Romm? or the Vaccine Book by Sears? I found those to be helpful and myself referring back each year just to solidify my decision (we don't vax)

[TheHomeScientist]

Rather than soliciting advice from the laypeople here, why not ask your physician, who actually went to medical school and is qualified to have an opinion?

[zenjenn]

I'm guessing MMR is off the table? It no longer contains thimerosal, if that makes a difference.

 

My mother-in-law has had lifelong health issues due to a nasty case of the mumps when she was young (and at the time, was ill for 3 months.) I know I've read news stories in the past few years about isolated reappearances of the measles and mumps (maybe not in the US? I don't recall), so it's something to consider.

[Whereneverever]

Rather than soliciting advice from the laypeople here, why not ask your physician, who actually went to medical school and is qualified to have an opinion?

 

I mentioned already that I did that prior to asking here. She told me she'd do whatever shots I want but offered no guidance on which ones to do.

[DianeW88]

It really won't make a difference when you give a pain reliever....before or after is fine. The height of the fever depends on the kid, and some never get a fever. That's mostly seen in babies. Younger kids run higher fevers as a general rule. I've never seen any bad reactions to DTaP in school-age kiddos. The injection site may feel warm and you can usually feel a hard lump there for a week. Some can be quite spectacular! LOL The tetanus component will make your arm sore for two or three days after the injection. Annoying, but not harmful. Just an immune system reaction...which you want. Sometime rubbing the injection site after the shot helps lessen that.

[*********]

Rather than soliciting advice from the laypeople here, why not ask your physician, who actually went to medical school and is qualified to have an opinion?

 

:glare: I didn't realize one had to go to medical school to be qualified to have an opinion.

 

The OP is more than welcome to ask for advice here. And she said she asked her doctor, who said he would do whatever the OP wanted. Not exactly helpful.

 

Let's not make this into a pro/anti vax thread. I think the OP wants advice, not her thread locked.

[zenjenn]

I mentioned already that I did that prior to asking here. She told me she'd do whatever shots I want but offered no guidance on which ones to do.

 

The vast majority of doctors believe all approved, routinely-given vaccines are almost entirely safe and that any risk is preferable to the potential risk of the illnesses they prevent. To me she sounds like a supportive doctor who respects that you differ and is choosing to remain silent on the matter and letting you decide what you want for your family without additional commentary or pressure from her.

[Whereneverever]

If 2 have had pertussis, you may want to consider getting a vax without that component. Dtap is considered one of the more reactive vaccines, along with HiB and MMR. I can't speak for DTP on it's own.

 

I know it's super overweening. Have you read Thoughtful Parents Guide to Vaccinations by Romm? or the Vaccine Book by Sears? I found those to be helpful and myself referring back each year just to solidify my decision (we don't vax)

 

Ok, I just read the CDC thing about the Dtap. It can cause seizures? Yikes. My four year old has epilepsy already. :(.

 

This whole thing is overwhelming.

[NicAnn]

Rather than soliciting advice from the laypeople here, why not ask your physician, who actually went to medical school and is qualified to have an opinion?

 

Sadly, this is not an option for everyone. Our (former) pediatrician was so clueless about current vaccine research that he actually tried to convince me there was pertussis only vaccine for infants I could get and that there had been "hundreds of cases" of measles in our town that year (there were none in over 5 years. So no, as much as I would love to sit down and discuss it with a doctor, I've yet to find one in our town who can do that. Now our Naturopath on the other hand..

[DianeW88]

Do you take your kids to a pediatric practice? If so, the nurses will be well versed on how to vax the littles. I've found that our kindergarten aged kids are the most difficult. :lol: If you suspect they may be uncooperative, the best thing to do is tag-team inject. It's what we do as a rule with the kindergarten set....and here's how we do it:

 

Three nurses in the room. Child lays back on the table with Mom at their head, holding their hands and blocking their view. Mom speaks soothingly and distractingly with the child (we have stuff on the ceiling for this reason :lol:) Nurse one gently holds down the child's legs. Nurses two and three administer the vaccines simultaneously in each thigh. One right after the other if three or more are required. We are FAST...and the child has a lollipop and a sticker without too much crying before they even know what happened.

 

Mom holding the child in her lap doesn't usually work well. I don't recommend it. However, if your child is cooperative, it will be fine. Most peds nurses are pretty darn quick with those vaxes. :D

[Dana]

I'm guessing MMR is off the table? It no longer contains thimerosal, if that makes a difference.

 

My mother-in-law has had lifelong health issues due to a nasty case of the mumps when she was young (and at the time, was ill for 3 months.) I know I've read news stories in the past few years about isolated reappearances of the measles and mumps (maybe not in the US? I don't recall), so it's something to consider.

 

I'm pretty sure my grandmother died from heart damage she got from having rubella as a child. Otherwise everyone on that side of the family lived much longer than she did (died in her 50s, I think).

[Whereneverever]

Do you take your kids to a pediatric practice? If so, the nurses will be well versed on how to vax the littles. I've found that our kindergarten aged kids are the most difficult. :lol: If you suspect they may be uncooperative, the best thing to do is tag-team inject. It's what we do as a rule with the kindergarten set....and here's how we do it:

 

Three nurses in the room. Child lays back on the table with Mom at their head, holding their hands and blocking their view. Mom speaks soothingly and distractingly with the child (we have stuff on the ceiling for this reason :lol:) Nurse one gently holds down the child's legs. Nurses two and three administer the vaccines simultaneously in each thigh. One right after the other if three or more are required. We are FAST...and the child has a lollipop and a sticker without too much crying before they even know what happened.

 

Mom holding the child in her lap doesn't usually work well. I don't recommend it. However, if your child is cooperative, it will be fine. Most peds nurses are pretty darn quick with those vaxes. :D

 

They do go to a ped practice. Ok, I can handle that part, thanks!

[TheHomeScientist]

I mentioned already that I did that prior to asking here. She told me she'd do whatever shots I want but offered no guidance on which ones to do.

 

Sorry. The post where you said that wasn't visible yet when I responded. As any physician (or scientist) will tell you, you're doing the right thing by vaccinating. If I were you, I would ask her specifically for her recommendations and then follow them. If she won't tell you what she recommends, find a new physician.

[AimeeM]

Sorry. The post where you said that wasn't visible yet when I responded. As any physician (or scientist) will tell you, you're doing the right thing by vaccinating. If I were you, I would ask her specifically for her recommendations and then follow them. If she won't tell you what she recommends, find a new physician.

I think that's ridiculous. Many doctors aren't allowed to give personal opinion; they are required to give certain guidelines, regardless of their personal comfort level with those guidelines. Losing a great doctor because she won't give a personal recommendation on something is overkill, to say the least.

Also, some scientists (such as my husband) aren't supportive of ALL vaccinations (although he is supportive of most); so your use of "any physician (or scientist) will tell you..." is flawed. I know several who aren't supportive of ALL vaccinations, done completely on "schedule".

There are several medical doctors on this board, fyi.

Edited January 8, 2012 by AimeeM

[RainbowSprinkles]

I have three kids- almost 8, almost 5, and almost 2. So far they are unvaccinated. I think we are going to start vaccinating selectively but I feel kinda overwhelmed.

 

My thoughts were to get the younger two the Hib, Pneumoccocal, and Dtp.

I'd get the older the Dtp.

 

I'm pretty sure that those shots are a good idea for us. Are any of them really reactive?

 

Also, both of my girls have had pertussis. And all three have had chicken pox.

 

I think my husband and I will get the Dtp. I'm not vaccinated, and he's not up to date.

 

What other shots should we consider? Or is that a decent start?

 

And if you could reassure me that this isn't going to give us three heads or something, that'd be swell, too. :tongue_smilie:

 

I read in the Dr. Sears Vaccine Book that the Hib vaccine is unnecessary after age 2.

ETA: Pertussis is cyclical and you can get it more than once (even if you're vaccinated..) If they all had the chicken pox already, there's no need to get vaccinated for it because of life-long immunity.

Edited January 8, 2012 by RainbowSprinkles

[Samiam]

If it were me, I would start by looking at the "recommended list" and then go in that order. The ones recommennded for newborns first, although spaced out, etc......so you'd be giving the newborn shots first, then on down the list.

 

There's one, Tetanus, which I would do sooner rather than later, since you can get Tetanus from playing and eating dirt (also dirt in open wounds)...which, sounds silly, but with children, dirt can end up anywhere. Since that is a more likely thing, than say, Polio, I felt that was more important than others especially once my children got to the age where they were outside playing alot. Tetanus can cause lock-jaw, which can be very painful and affect life longterm....and can happen these days. My Ped has a patient in the hospital with lock-jaw recently. It's not far-fetched at all.

Edited January 8, 2012 by Samiam

[ktgrok]

Get the Sears vaccine book,it will tell you what the vaccines are for, what the risks are of cathing the disease, who is more at risk, who might not want to get the vaccine, how many you need if you start late, etc.

[tomandlorih]

So this may not be terribly helpful but have you googled delayed vaccine schedules? I'm almost sure I have seen recommendations out there. Also, I know folks that request single vaccines(ie measles only) not MMR for less of a stress on their little systems. I'm sure they'd need to be ordered but they are available.

[NicAnn]

Yeah, Tetnus is one I would get as well. They will usually just give it to you in the ER, if you go in for a cut or whatever. But who wants to deal with giving a traumatized child a shot on top of everything else? I'd rather get a preventive shot.

[justamouse]

I read in the Dr. Sears Vaccine Book that the Hib vaccine is unnecessary after age 2.

ETA: Pertussis is cyclical and you can get it more than once (even if you're vaccinated..) If they all had the chicken pox already, there's no need to get vaccinated for it because of life-long immunity.

:iagree:

 

We don't get the MMR here, because we have direct family that died from the vaccination.

 

Actually, though my kids have had vaccines, they're technically unvaxxed at this point because we never followed through with so many. I'm waiting one to two years before I consider it again. I have a feeling some big things are going to be brought to light this year about vaxxs.

 

We DO get tetnus when needed. Though that seems to be me, more than others because I'm always stabbing myself with something.

[klmama]

Our pediatrician recommended getting the DTaP and polio first, as tetanus and polio are the diseases with the worst results if caught.

 

As for fever, it's my understanding that it's better to give Motrin than Tylenol. Tylenol (acetaminophen) depletes the body's glutathione, which is needed to help detoxify the adjuvants in the vaccines.

[EKS]

And if you could reassure me that this isn't going to give us three heads or something, that'd be swell, too. :tongue_smilie:

 

*Lots* of people are fully vaccinated and I've never met one that had three heads.

[Iucounu]

Sorry. The post where you said that wasn't visible yet when I responded. As any physician (or scientist) will tell you, you're doing the right thing by vaccinating. If I were you, I would ask her specifically for her recommendations and then follow them. If she won't tell you what she recommends, find a new physician.

Yep. One of the primary functions of a doctor is to give medical advice. A pediatrician isn't much good if she won't give advice on such a basic subject.

[Iucounu]

The Sears vaccine book is to be avoided IMO. Among other problems, it relies on unverified VAERS data in making primary assumptions. It really isn't much help in making informed decisions, and contains much wishy-washy language in a seeming attempt to please everyone, while it presents misleading information and is actually quite anti-vaccination (hence its popularity in certain circles).

 

The first, best source of vaccination information is always the bona fide medical establishment, so I'd shun anti-vaccination websites and start with Wikipedia, the CDC website, etc. Anti-vax websites are riddled with inaccuracy and wild claims by peddlers of homeopathic remedies and other shysters.

Edited January 8, 2012 by Iucounu

[AimeeM]

Yep. One of the primary functions of a doctor is to give medical advice. A pediatrician isn't much good if she won't give advice on such a basic subject.

I disagree. She is to give medical advice. Sometimes they cannot (or aren't supposed to) give PERSONAL recs if those recs differ from what AAP recommends. That can be dangerous for them.

[Iucounu]

I disagree. She is to give medical advice. Sometimes they cannot (or aren't supposed to) give PERSONAL recs if those recs differ from what AAP recommends. That can be dangerous for them.

Are you a medical professional? On what are you basing this? What sort of danger can attach to giving medical advice which correctly informs a patient about the risks and benefits of a treatment?

 

No, there's simply no good reason for a pediatrician to remain mum about vaccinations.

[Shellydon]

I would give the DTAP, MMR and Polio to all. I would add the pneumococcal and HIB to the youngers.

 

We selectively vax, but start at birth with pneumococcal and HIB, adding DTAP at 18 months and MMR and Polio at 2.5

[AimeeM]

Are you a medical professional? On what are you basing this? What sort of danger can attach to giving medical advice which correctly informs a patient about the risks and benefits of a treatment?

 

No, there's simply no good reason for a pediatrician to remain mum about vaccinations.

I am not. My husband is a scientist by education, worked as an RT during grade school, and did complete about a year of medical school (although he works in a completely unrelated field now); as a result, we have friends in the medical field. With that said, please keep in mind that I said PERSONAL RECS. As in, it presents an uncomfortable area when a patient asks a doctor what "she would do with her own child"; because sometimes that can present potential risks to which the patient can then say "but my doctor recommended...".

Of course a physician should give all risks and not keep "mum" about vaccinations; but asked to give a recommendation for vaccination that goes against the mainstream vax schedule (unless the child is medical special needs); I'm aware of not many who would risk that. People are sue happy these days.

Again, I said personal recs; not medical advice.

Having a son with life threatening medical problems also puts us in the position to understand the difficult position we sometimes put our physicians in. There was more than once that I put my ped in tears because I begged her to just TELL ME what she would do in my situation. I had too much going on. I couldn't keep the info straight. I had specialists coming out the a*s, and everyone had a different opinion, based on their specialty - they all felt that the area they specialized was obviously the most important focus. She couldn't give that advice though. Not freely. Not without masking it with a lot of "hypothetically speaking..." and other beating around the bush because she was suddenly caught like a deer in the headlights - not sure whether she should give advice as a fellow Mom, or as a medical professional with a rear to cover.

And don't start with the "are you a professional" game. Just because my experience with the medical professionals I do know, differs from your own, doesn't make my experience less valid :001_smile:.

Edited January 8, 2012 by AimeeM

[Iucounu]

I am not. My husband is a scientist by education, worked as an RT during grade school, and did complete about a year of medical school (although he works in a completely unrelated field now); as a result, we have friends in the medical field. With that said, please keep in mind that I said PERSONAL RECS. As in, it presents an uncomfortable area when a patient asks a doctor what "she would do with her own child"; because sometimes that can present potential risks to which the patient can then say "but my doctor recommended...".

I don't see any actual support for your statement. Doctors are expected to give medical advice, and it's not "dangerous" for a pediatrician to give advice to inform a patient's parent about vaccinations, although they certainly need to know, as all doctors must, what they're doing. The risks and benefits are in fact very well known regarding most vaccinations, and to the extent that they're not, the doctor can simply say as much.

 

And don't start with the "are you a professional" game. Just because my experience with the medical professionals I do know, differs from your own, doesn't make my experience less valid :001_smile:.

Your opinion is less valid because you vaguely assert without basis that it would be dangerous for a doctor to give certain advice, and you're not a doctor. It's not "dangerous", above the basic requirements of the profession, for a ped to advise regarding vaccinations, and even if it were it is necessary. I would treat that as a basic expected part of the service they provide, since vaccination issues affect all children except those living in bubbles.

Edited January 8, 2012 by Iucounu

[AimeeM]

I don't see any actual support for your statement. Doctors are expected to give medical advice, and it's not "dangerous" for a pediatrician to give advice to inform a patient's parent about vaccinations. The risks and benefits are in fact very well known regarding vaccinations.

 

 

Your opinion is less valid because you vaguely assert without basis that it would be dangerous for a doctor to give certain advice, and you're not a doctor. It's not dangerous for a ped to advise regarding vaccinations; in fact I would treat that as a basic expected part of the service they provide, since vaccination issues affect all children except those living in bubbles.

Where did I say that a doctor shouldn't give info regarding risks and benefits?! Again, I stated that a doctor generally won't recommend veering off the mainstream vaccination schedule. Are you even reading my replies?

[DianeW88]

Well, to be honest, in our office we don't give personal advice about vaccines. We hand the patient the vax info sheet and they decide. We explain contraindications (if there are any) based on the patient's medical history, but we never say "get this one" or "don't get that one".

 

For a perfectly healthy child whose parents are deciding to delay vaccination, the standard reply is, "The American Pediatric Association recommends these vaccines at these ages. Here is their schedule. If you don't want to do that, that is your choice, but this is what we recommend."

 

If the child has a medical issue where vaccinations are generally delayed or avoided in certain cases (a known allergy to eggs for some shots, or a compromised immune system, certain heart defects, etc.), then the patient is told that they will not be given those vaccines at our practice for those reasons.

 

The final decision is ALWAYS left up to the parents and they also must sign waivers indicating that. The reason? An overabundance of malpractice suits in this country and malpractice insurance premiums that are SKY HIGH. Unfortunately, this does put most doctors in a position of not being able to advise patients the way they used to. Sad.

[Iucounu]

Where did I say that a doctor shouldn't give info regarding risks and benefits?!

 

HTH:

 

I wouldn't have really asked if I could get more definitive answers from my doc- she just told me she'd do whatever ones we want.

 

One of the primary functions of a doctor is to give medical advice. A pediatrician isn't much good if she won't give advice on such a basic subject.

 

I disagree. She is to give medical advice. Sometimes they cannot (or aren't supposed to) give PERSONAL recs if those recs differ from what AAP recommends. That can be dangerous for them.

Every bit of medical advice could probably be described as a "personal recommendation", but advice doesn't have to involve the doctor actually making the choices for the patient. If you're saying now that the OP's pediatrician should have actually given medical advice regarding vaccinations, and that to do so would not have been especially "dangerous", then I think that we've been victims of a communication problem.

 

There's simply no good reason for any pediatrician, ever, to refuse to give advice on vaccinations. It comes with the territory. If a parent refuses to vaccinate, then a doctor can discontinue or continue treatment, but that's a different issue; of course any doctor is required to respect the wishes of the patient or proxy.

Edited January 8, 2012 by Iucounu

[Iucounu]

Well, to be honest, in our office we don't give personal advice about vaccines. We hand the patient the vax info sheet and they decide. We explain contraindications (if there are any) based on the patient's medical history, but we never say "get this one" or "don't get that one".

 

For a perfectly healthy child whose parents are deciding to delay vaccination, the standard reply is, "The American Pediatric Association recommends these vaccines at these ages. Here is their schedule. If you don't want to do that, that is your choice, but this is what we recommend."

 

If the child has a medical issue where vaccinations are generally delayed or avoided in certain cases (a known allergy to eggs for some shots, or a compromised immune system, certain heart defects, etc.), then the patient is told that they will not be given those vaccines at our practice for those reasons.

 

The final decision is ALWAYS left up to the parents and they also must sign waivers indicating that. The reason? An overabundance of malpractice suits in this country and malpractice insurance premiums that are SKY HIGH. Unfortunately, this does put most doctors in a position of not being able to advise patients the way they used to. Sad.

I see plenty of medical advice being given here, and of course if a patient has questions regarding any of the above it's certainly explained to her. Advice can be based on written material, and a great deal of explanation of risks occurs in the context of discussions prior to signing waiver forms. If the OP had gotten such answers she would have had more than she got from her doctor, which sounds like no answer at all but "We'll give your child what you ask us to give her". Medical advice doesn't have to involve making choices for the patient.

[ktgrok]

Yeah, Tetnus is one I would get as well. They will usually just give it to you in the ER, if you go in for a cut or whatever. But who wants to deal with giving a traumatized child a shot on top of everything else? I'd rather get a preventive shot.

 

Actually, that shot only works if you have previously been vaccinated. Otherwise it involves a totally different protocol, and may not work.

[NicAnn]

Actually, that shot only works if you have previously been vaccinated. Otherwise it involves a totally different protocol, and may not work.

 

Oh, it doesn't? Darn, I didn't know that. So if I step on a nail, the shot I get in the ER would be a different shot than if I go to the dr today and ask for a tetnus? Tetnus is the one vaccine I never did a ton of research on.

[DianeW88]

I see plenty of medical advice being given here, and of course if a patient has questions regarding any of the above it's certainly explained to her. Advice can be based on written material, and a great deal of explanation of risks occurs in the context of discussions prior to signing waiver forms. If the OP had gotten such answers she would have had more than she got from her doctor, which sounds like no answer at all but "We'll give your child what you ask us to give her". Medical advice doesn't have to involve making choices for the patient.

 

Yes...she should have been given the information sheets from the APA or the CDC on each vaccination given. If the pediatrician just shrugs her shoulders and says, "You decide", that is not appropriate. Informed consent is the standard all medical professionals should adhere to.

Edited January 8, 2012 by DianeW88
Clarification.

[HiddenJewel]

One thing I would suggest is reading the CDC Pink Book. It has all the information on all the vaccines and their associated diseases. Very good reading for helping make these types of decisions. All the chapters are available online for free.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/index.html

[iamrachelle]

It really won't make a difference when you give a pain reliever....before or after is fine. The height of the fever depends on the kid, and some never get a fever. That's mostly seen in babies. Younger kids run higher fevers as a general rule. I've never seen any bad reactions to DTaP in school-age kiddos. The injection site may feel warm and you can usually feel a hard lump there for a week. Some can be quite spectacular! LOL The tetanus component will make your arm sore for two or three days after the injection. Annoying, but not harmful. Just an immune system reaction...which you want. Sometime rubbing the injection site after the shot helps lessen that.

 

I respectfully disagree with this. The latest thinking is not to medicate with tylenol or motrin until after, or if, they start to run a fever post injection. The purpose of the vaccination is to kick-start their immune system into producing antibodies to whatever illness you're trying to prevent. There is research that suggests that if you prevent a fever from ever happening it decreases the efficacy of the vaccine. It is, however, fine to medicate if your childs temp goes over 101. Anything less, you should just ride out with plenty of fluids.

 

FWIW, I'm a registered nurse.

[MrsJewelsRae]

There is a fairly active vaccine board on mothering.com that may be able to provide more experience in this topic, there is a board dedicated solely to delayed/selective vaccinating. Make sure you share any long term illnesses (such as the epilepsy). I agree with the previous poster, you do not want to dose eith Tylenol before the shots, I think I have read something about high doses of vitamin c before shots, but thats something you'll have to look into as I cannot recall specifics or if it's even advisable.

 

FWIW, I am not surprised at the peds lack of guidance in this, many doctors are are all or nothing. They are trained to follow the schedule, and I don't know if they are even trained in how to advise delayed and selective vaccination, other than delaying due to a currently ill child, or advising against certain vaccines due to a known allergy (eg. Eggs). Although they should be able to guide on this, IMO, the pat answer is usually to recommend following the schedule. I think a great doctor should advise you something like this: "well I would suggest vaccine A first since your children are at the highest risk of contracting it/ or there's been a recent outbreak of it. You could skip/delay vaccine B since your children have already had it or it is no longer as much of a threat past infancy. I would advise against vaccine C for child x due to his health problem and the risk of listed side effects for that particular vaccine. Then I would suggest following with vaccine d for such and such a reason.". Although I must say, I think physicians like this are very hard to come by. I would read "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You Avout Childhood Vaccinations" by Stephanie Cave, if you haven't already.

 

I think it is important for parents to think for themselves, I have found myself in many situations with a medical professional where I knew his advice was not a good idea or where he was unsure of the diagnosis or treatment and I suggested something, he verified it was likely right and I got the treatment I wanted and it worked.

[Parrothead]

...

 

FWIW, I am not surprised at the peds lack of guidance in this, many doctors are are all or nothing. They are trained to follow the schedule, and I don't know if they are even trained in how to advise delayed and selective vaccination, other than delaying due to a currently ill child, or advising against certain vaccines due to a known allergy (eg. Eggs). Although they should be able to guide on this, IMO, the pat answer is usually to recommend following the schedule. I think a great doctor should advise you something like this: "well I would suggest vaccine A first since your children are at the highest risk of contracting it/ or there's been a recent outbreak of it. You could skip/delay vaccine B since your children have already had it or it is no longer as much of a threat past infancy. I would advise against vaccine C for child x due to his health problem and the risk of listed side effects for that particular vaccine. Then I would suggest following with vaccine d for such and such a reason.". Although I must say, I think physicians like this are very hard to come by.

 

...

 

I think it is important for parents to think for themselves, I have found myself in many situations with a medical professional where I knew his advice was not a good idea or where he was unsure of the diagnosis or treatment and I suggested something, he verified it was likely right and I got the treatment I wanted and it worked.

:iagree:100%

[kathymuggle]

Sorry. The post where you said that wasn't visible yet when I responded. As any physician (or scientist) will tell you, you're doing the right thing by vaccinating. If I were you, I would ask her specifically for her recommendations and then follow them. If she won't tell you what she recommends, find a new physician.

 

For goodness sake - I think Op specifically did not want to turn this into a vaccine debate.

Edited January 8, 2012 by kathymuggle

[Parrothead]

It really won't make a difference when you give a pain reliever....before or after is fine. The height of the fever depends on the kid, and some never get a fever. That's mostly seen in babies. Younger kids run higher fevers as a general rule. I've never seen any bad reactions to DTaP in school-age kiddos. The injection site may feel warm and you can usually feel a hard lump there for a week. Some can be quite spectacular! LOL The tetanus component will make your arm sore for two or three days after the injection. Annoying, but not harmful. Just an immune system reaction...which you want. Sometime rubbing the injection site after the shot helps lessen that.

 

I respectfully disagree with this. The latest thinking is not to medicate with tylenol or motrin until after, or if, they start to run a fever post injection. The purpose of the vaccination is to kick-start their immune system into producing antibodies to whatever illness you're trying to prevent. There is research that suggests that if you prevent a fever from ever happening it decreases the efficacy of the vaccine. It is, however, fine to medicate if your childs temp goes over 101. Anything less, you should just ride out with plenty of fluids.

 

FWIW, I'm a registered nurse.

Here is a perfect example of why parents need to make informed choices and educate themselves about the care of their children. We have two medical professionals (both nurses) with two different ideas on how children pre- and post- vaccine should be taken care of.

 

Which advice does a parent follow? Tried and true or new thinking?

[kathymuggle]

I do not vax...but I might consider rubella for my girls. The idea scares me wrt pregnancy. Any way to test titres? Can you just get rubella vax? Is rubella common where you live?

 

So many question with regards to vaxxes!

[amey311]

The CDC does have a "getting caught up" vaccine schedule - depending on the age of the child, certain things aren't needed, or are needed on a different schedule. That's a good starting point.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/child-schedule.htm - the catch up schedule