Advice needed on MMR booster....

[calebsmummy]

....I will explain more.

DS3 (17 months) was given his MMR vaccine on Tuesday by the HV (who is also a nurse so able to) Now I already didn't have a lot of faith in the woman, but now I have even less.

She took ages messing around giving him the injection and then pulled the needle out too early and some of the vaccine spilt out. So DS hasn't been fully vaccinated.

She said he should have a booster in 3 months, instead of when he is 4, but here is my worry. Surely there is a good reason for waiting until they are 4 before giving them the MMR booster? I don't like the idea of him being immunised again in such a short space of time.

Does anyone have any experience of this or know the risks involved of either having the booster in 3 months or indeed not?

One thing is for sure, the HV certainly won't be doing it again!!

[Jimjamskeepingoffvaxthreads]

erm, well the booster isn't a boster, it's to catch the children who didn't develop immunity from the first jab.

I guess the theory behind waiting 3 months is that in that time he should develop immunity if he;s going to, so giving a booster will either have no effect (as he already has immunity) or be like having the first one.

You could have a blood test to check for antibodies first if you wanted to (prob not on the NHS though).

[calebsmummy]

Ah right, so they immunise them all again at 4 even if they don't need to be!! My main worry is that he will have the live vaccine in his body again in 3 months, while he is so little.

Also, if they only need to wait 3 months to give the 'booster', why do they give it to them at 4, when it is clearly much more traumatic for them as they know it hurts? They receive 2 injections then as well, seems odd.

[Jimjamskeepingoffvaxthreads]

None of it makes any sense! I suspect they have it at 4 because they can get it to coincide with the pre-school check up.

[calebsmummy]

So that they can cut costs and not see them as often, I suspect.

I think I will book an appointment with my doctor and chat to her about it, as I won't be letting him have another dose until I am completely sure there are no risks involved.

[calebsmummy]

Anyone else know anything about this?

[LaylaandSethsmum]

I can only really comment on the fact shes recommendd 3 months before next dose . THis is because the vaccine is live and antibody formation can be interfered with if another live vaccine is introduced too early. From a risk point of view there is never no risk. Whatever medicine/vaccine you give your child or yourself there will always be a risk and no-one can offer you it totally risk free. There are also risks leaving your child unvaccinated.