to ask if any of you will be having your children vaccinated with bexsero (meningitis b vaccine)

[ditsydoll]

At between £75 and £160 per dose I could not afford to have my children vaccinated and really hope it becomes available in the nhs or at least cheaper pravately. Young children need beteween 2-4 doses depending on their age.
I'm debating really pushing our budget or borrowing money to have it done.

[BeaWheesht]

I've never heard about it

[expatinscotland]

Cannot afford it.

[ditsydoll]

was approved for UK use in Jan 2013 and is currently not available on nhs.

[SpottyTeacakes]

Just about to fork out for chicken pox but definitely couldn't afford that for both dc. I don't know anything about meningitis b though

[BeaWheesht]

Ok well from what your said there is no way we could afford it for the dc

[ditsydoll]

Iv not had chicken pox one done, I don't know how to write this without it sounding awful but I was wondering why people get the chicken pox vaccine and I'm curious? I thought it was just something all kids get once usually with out any awful complications?

[UnicornCrisps]

I don’t think we could afford it but it’s something I will be seriously looking into and trying to budget for.

[expatinscotland]

DS got the chicken pox vaccine on the NHS because his elder sister was having chemotherapy.

[SpottyTeacakes]

I've decided for a few reasons, it's ok if you don't agree in no particular order:

It would be a pita if dd and ds got it, time off work, what if they got it just before our holiday?!
I've had it twice and remember it well, it was horrendous
I remember a thread on here, op's ds was so ill, I think he had fluid on his brain, all from on tiny chicken pox on his foot
In USA, Germany, Australia it's on the standard immunisation list
I read an article (report?) that basically said the government have decided they need more people having the mmr before they introduce this (it's usually given with the mmr)

Dp is a bit about it due to the cost

[ditsydoll]

completely understand that expatinscotland, is it worth children with uncompromised immune systems having it done?

[ditsydoll]

seem like perfectly legit reasons to have it done to me, it's not something Iv ever thought about to be honest. Off to Google and look into it.

[arethereanyleftatall]

both my girls had the men b vaccine last week. Absolutely weight off my shoulders, as it's an illness I'm petrified of.

[arethereanyleftatall]

If you work ooh, taking time off to look after kids with chicken pox will 'cost' far more than the vaccine costs.
to answer your other question, chicken pox is mostly not dangerous, though not nice, and this is's rare but it can be fatal.

[ditsydoll]

I think it would cost something like £900 where I am to have full course of men b vaccines for my two and it's only about 76% effective or so Iv read so dh is unsure.. I'm debating it but might wait to see if nhs add it to routine vaccinations

[arethereanyleftatall]

Where are you? I had girls done on Beaconsfield last week and it cost 110 pet injection and they both need 2, so 440.
Tbh, we can afford it but if we couldn't, I would be going without something to get it.
It's 76% compared to 0%.

[Edenviolet]

My dcs all had it done last week. Older three need two doses and ds2 needs three.
Hopefully it will soon be on the nhs so we might get some doses free as its hugely expensive.

[arethereanyleftatall]

I wouldn't wait for nhs, they are never fast! And if they do bring it in, they'll start with the then newborns.

[ditsydoll]

Whats the age band fir only needing two doses?

[RosebudTheCat]

We've had our two done for their first Men B doses already.

[chubbymummy]

There is no doubt about it, DS will be having it. Our close friends lost their beautiful little boy to Meningitis at 18 months. Our friendship group have spent the 5 years since then raising funds for the research into this vaccine and I'm delighted that it's finally available. I hope that it will be made available on the NHS soon as it's such a horrific disease.

[arethereanyleftatall]

Me too chubbymummy.
2 doses is for 2 -10 year olds I believe op.

[Edenviolet]

Ds2 is 22 months the nurse said he will need three doses whereas other dcs (4,7 and 12) need two at least 8 weeks apart.

[Wibblypiglikesbananas]

I'd do it. I had DD in London in 2011, DS in the US last year. DS has had the standard US shots, inc chicken pox. He also had rotavirus vaccine, which I think is now standard in the UK but wasn't when DD was born.

DD was ill with loads when tiny, inc hospital, for simple illnesses the extra vaccines would have prevented. DS hasn't had anything at all and is now 5 months - and we've had a hell of a cold winter, with temps as low as -15C. I'm increasingly pro vaccine, and very much in agreement with the US policy that vaccines are needed before starting formal childcare/school. (Obviously not pro vaccine if other medical issues a concern.) I would definitely sacrifice something to find the funds.

[RiojaHaze]

Do you know how long it lasts for? So if they have the vaccine when they're seven, will it protect them as teenagers too or do they need top ups?