Junior infants vaccinations

[vvviola]

(I admit up front to possibly being a bit Precious-Last-Born about this)

Got the letter last night about the junior infant vaccinations. There's no question that she's getting them, she's fully vaccinated up to now. But...

Her last lot of vaccinations were abroad. She has various allergies including egg, which caused a bit of a flap about the MMR (to the extent that the GP considered having it done in hospital but instead just sat beside the nurse with a vial of adrenaline). My reading since then has shown that this may have been a bit of an over reaction.

But. The thoughts of DD getting the vaccinations done without me is stressing me out (partly because her sister was completely hysterical at her vaccinations at the same age). DD2 is tiny, and with her allergies I'm probably a bit protective over her.

Can anyone talk me through how the JI vaccinations usually go and put my mind at ease?

(They have offered to let us be there on the day, but I don't know whether that would make it worse, particularly as I likely wouldn't be able to take her home afterwards)

[KanyesVest]

I was pfb about dd getting hers last year. I asked the teacher about coming in and while I was welcome to be there she said it's much easier without parents. The children went in groups of 3-4 with 2 of the TAs who they really like. They bigged up the "important medicine to make you strong" angle and although a few children were a bit upset, being with their friends seemed to bolster them a lot. They got cool plasters which were a definite badge of honour

I fully understand your concerns but me not being there was definitely better for dd.

[January87]

I'd be speaking to vaccination nurse (number should be on the leaflet you got) about the egg allergy and how they feel about doing it in the school environment. Since she's had it before and didn't have reaction it probably should be ok but it's not PLB to be worried about it.

[CmereTilliTellYa]

DS got his last year. I thought he'd make a big fuss but he was fine. I think all the kids getting them together makes a difference and the medical staff who give them are so used to it they make it quick and easy and comfort any scared or upset little ones. You could ask the teacher to keep an eye out in case your daughter is distressed but if she's a good teacher she'll be doing so anyway and the whole class last year seemed right as rain afterwards (I collected DS from school as was still on maternity leave so so them all at the end of the day).

Don't worry I'm sure she'll be fine.

[CmereTilliTellYa]

I would flag the allergy issue (can you write it on the form and/or tell the teacher) as that's important for them to know.

[Procrastination4]

Junior Infant teacher here. In our area, the children aren't vaccinated unless accompanied by adult-parent/grandparent etc. I'm glad it's done this way. Bad enough for the poor children having to get their vaccinations without being treated like a herd of cattle! The teacher part of me absolutely hates this day though-it is a wasted day of teaching.

[CmereTilliTellYa]

Bad enough for the poor children having to get their vaccinations without being treated like a herd of cattle!

Oh please the vaccinations are not a big deal for the vast majority of the kind DS and any teacher who'd describe the kids as being treated like a herd of cattle should take a look at themselves

[CmereTilliTellYa]

*kind DS should be kids

[mineallmine]

Teacher here too and my dd is in JI in my own school. I won't be going near her on vaccination day because the children are much 'tougher' without a parent there. If I went in with dd, she'd be clinging to me whereas with the other children, while she might be a little bit anxious she'll go with the flow and get over it quicker. They take their cue from the adults around them and if the adult makes it a big deal, then it will be to the child. If I had a very anxious child who would lose sleep about it, I'd go in with her if I thought it would make the situation easier.

That being said, if my child had an allergy of any kind, I think I'd like to be there just in case. That's not being PLB in the slightest.

[anotherdayanothersquabble]

My DS has allergies and therefore does fall into the category of 'unpredictable reactions that shouldn't happen' so no amount of statistical analysis can predict what might happen to him.

In your case, I round have the vaccinations done at the doctor and it would not be an unreasonable request.

[Procrastination4]

It's the wasted day I really hate, "CmereTilliTellYa" (don't know how one does those quote yokes) and I wish they'd take their flipping vaccinations out of the school day and do them some other time. Actually, perhaps if they insisted that parents shouldn't come, rather than making it compulsory that they do, it might drastically reduce the uptake!

[Mrsmorton]

Don't you think more days would be lost if parents all had to take their DC to the GP to get it done? Surely it's a cost effective way of providing a population based health protection measure. Surely a day can't be that important? Maybe you could make the day up instead of making Christmas/Easter cards etc?

[twinjocks]

School secretary here - just to let you know how the vacs go in our school, OP. P.E. mats are laid on the floor in the library, TV with DVDs brought in, lots of colouring pages on the mats. The children are brought up in small groups, vaccinated then observed for a set period while they colour, chat and watch TV. Then they go back down to class and the next batch come up. It's incredibly well managed and, having lined up with the kids a few years back myself for a swine flu injection, those HSE people are the absolute best injection-givers - I suppose they would have to be since that's what they do all day, every day!! The option is there for parents to attend, although it is discouraged, and if they do, those children are done separately in case they kick off and frighten the others. It's possible that, given your DD's allergies, they may suggest you make alternative arrangements through GP etc. They all go past my office on the way up and back, and I almost never hear crying. It's all done in a low-key, matter- of-fact way and it works so well.

6th Class vaccinations are a completely different kettle of fish! They know what's about to happen and wind each other up into a hysterical frenzy of "OMG, I'm going to faint/puke", etc (although I think they secretly love the drama of it all!).

Hope this helps, OP.

[EsmeCordelia]

In my kids school we had to go in with them. My ds would have been upset without me I thought but actually the people were lovely and they had sponge bob on and jellies for the kids so they hardly noticed the injection. I also thought you could take them to the GP instead if you preferred for the injections

[Procrastination4]

Mrs.Morton, No, you'd take them during the summer holidays, as I did with my own, as obviously, being in school myself, I wasn't going to be able to go to my children's school to tape them during the school day!

[Procrastination4]

"take", not tape!

[CmereTilliTellYa]

It's junior infants though procrastination not leaving cert. I don't think one day is going to make that much difference. Before anyone thinks I'm undermining the importance of what teachers do even for the very small kids I really am not but I think one day is fine.

[CmereTilliTellYa]

I'm also not sure re parents attending - it's a chicken and egg scenario in that I'm sure the parents attend because they are worried about their children, perhaps because of a concern like allergies or a previous bad reaction or perhaps because they are a bit pfb or similar. Invariably the children with parents there react more strongly than the other kids. Could be for the reason the parents had concerns, could however be that some are just playing up to them for sympathy which is understandable!

[vvviola]

Thanks everyone, I think a call to the vaccination team will be my first port of call and see what to do from there. I am verging on seeing if I can get them done in the GP. Should have asked at the allergy clinic when I was last in what their thoughts would be.

My previous experience of vaccinations at this stage was for DD1 abroad, where they formed part of a before-school check (essentially the sign off from the public health nurses, although the previous check was at the age of 2). You went to the practice nurse, they did a quick physical check - hearing, eyes, height, weight. listened to chest etc, you filled out a questionnaire on behaviour etc, had a chance to discuss any concerns, and then they did the vaccinations. I find the idea of just sending DD2 to get them herself a little hard to get my head around.

[mineallmine]

twinjocks, the 6th class vaccinations are hilarious! They know how to do high drama, that's for sure!

[vvviola]

Just an update. I spoke to the vaccination team and they got the doctor to call me back. She was incredible, talked me through everything, and their procedures and reassured me that the NZ doctor had been working off outdated information. I've agreed to let her have the vaccinations at school.

I won't be going in as I know she will be 100 times better without me there. But I do have my DM on standby to take her from the childminder after school if she's a bit fragile and needs some tlc. I am sure she will be fine.

I, however, am still a nervous wreck (although at least now just irrationally so).

[vvviola]

And it's done. No bother. They sat on their teacher's knee and she gave them a cuddle afterwards (she is positively the most lovely teacher ever, we all - parents and kids - adore her).

Phew.

[twinjocks]

That's great, OP - glad it went well!