MMR - DS had the single jabs, but this isn't an option for DD

[ConfusedDownUnder]

We've recently moved to New Zealand, and DD is due to have her MMR any day now.

DS had the single jabs in the UK a few years ago, and we assumed that we'd do the same thing for any subsequent DCs. There isn't a single jab option in New Zealand though so here it's either the MMR or nothing.

The other option is to have the singles when we return to the UK for visits, but then again we'd only be returning for 2-3 weeks at a time, so the singles would be staggered over the period of several years.

Does anyone know if there are any benefits of leaving the MMR until later, or could they point me to any research? Would it be possible to leave it until she's 2 or even 3?

[oysterpots]

My understanding is that it's important to have the measles single jab as soon as your DC is 15mo or so, as measles is the most potentially damaging of the three. The other two aren't so important at the moment - mumps is fairly innocuous, especially for girls (some wait until their DC are about to start school to vaccinate against mumps), and there is a school of thought that says girls shouldn't be vaccinated against rubella until they hit puberty. But obviously that argument doesn't protect pregnant women who haven't had rubella/the jab coming into contact with it through your DD and putting their unborn child at risk.

We intend to have single measles for DS in the next month or so, and I don't plan to rush into having the others in quick succession.

I don't know about leaving the MMR as all my reading has been looking into the issues around giving three live viruses in one vaccination.

[ConfusedDownUnder]

Ah thanks, that's what I thought. The only problem is that there is no way of getting the single jabs done in New Zealand, so she wouldn't be having the measles jab done this year anyway - she'd be having it in the UK when we were on holiday.

[coochybottom]

All my 3 children have had the combined MMR without any problems. Just the usual feeling "off it" a week or so later. I can understand your apprehension but I thought the links to autism etc have been ruled out now?

[fedupandisolated]

Just remember though that if there is a mumps outbreak that it can be very damaging to both boys and girls. Encephalitis ( swelling around the brain) affects both. Mumps can be severe and it's not something I would put off immunising against.

[Playdough]

Are you worried about the single jab because of the supposed autism link? Medical opinion is firmly of the opinion that there is no link between autism and the MMR jab,. Indeed, the original research which caused all the trouble has been shown to be so deeply flawed that it should never have got past peer-review in any form.

Both my children had the single jab at 18 months, plus the pre-school booster. We had our eldest innoculated at the height of the worries and I won't say that I didn't have my concerns. However, after doing some research online and talking to a number of specialists (we're lucky enough that my husband works in the field) we felt happy to go ahead.

I know that there will always be worries (one can't, scientifically, prove absolute safety of any procedure) but I think this old controversy can and should be firmly put aside.

[PathofLeastResistance]

You probably can't get single jabs in NZ because noone wants them because they hven;t had a ridiculous scare.