MMR - Anyone had the individual jabs ?

[Lolski]

My DS is 13 months old and I am worrying myself silly about his MMR jab. I have decided that I am definitely going to get him immunised but just don't know whether to get the all in one or the individual jabs. Has anyone got any advise.
What worries me about the individual jabs is that I have read that the strains that the private doctors use may not be licensed for use in the uk.
Does anyone know if you can get them done by GP's individually so at least you know what they are getting.
Are there any benefits to this ? I am going to ask my doctor nect week but I know that he is just going to say that the all in one is fine and not to worry.
TFYH.

[aloha]

I've had mine done at Direct Health 2000 in Eltham SE London (though they have branches elsewhere). I'm very happy with them. The stuff about the single vaccines not being licensed is a load of crap - they are used all over the world and are just the same as the stuff used in the MMR. It's gvmt propaganda meant to scare people off single jabs. I wouldn't ever tell anyone not to get the MMR if they want to, but I really object to the gvmt trying to scare people who prefer the idea of singles.

[Yorkiegirl]

Message withdrawn

[Twiglett]

We had sepvax at Direct Health in Eltham too

The singles aren't licensed in the UK because the government doesn't want to allow parents the choice .. BUT they are made in the same factories, from the same strains and USED to be licensed before they bunged all 3 together

Your GP will probably recommend MMR .. s/he may be sympathetic (doubt it) .. but an NHS GP will not be able to give you SepVax you have to go to a private clinic

check out jabs.org.uk which will give you a list

I do believe in the vast proportion of cases MMR is safe but I wouldn't like to think that my child would be one of the tiny percentage who is adversely affected

I personally think if you do decide to go for MMR that you should wait until baby is 18 months old

[bakedpotatohoho]

your gp is very unlikely to give your child separate vaccinations.

DD caught measles around 14 months (at the height of the wakefield brouhaha) which made the decision to opt for the single vaccinations for mumps and rubella much easier. My GP would absolutely not help so DD had the rubella vaccine through the Holborn medical centre. however, i'm one of many people who has had real difficulties finding a mumps vaccine (HMC has huge backlog of children waiting for mumps jabs -- i keep being told to call back in a few months time to see if there's any in). i really hate this feeling that she is being exposed to unneccessary risks. if i'd known how hard it would be to complete the course, i might have gone for the MMR.

[galaxy]

dd is having single vacs thru Direct Health2000 at their Reading outreach clinic. Had measles 6 months ago and is having Rubella this coming Sunday

[shrub]

another vote for direct health 2000 though my ds1 did have a bad reaction to the mumpsvax with upset stomach for a couple of weeks

[shrub]

you can get the rubella vax for free from your doctor, i can't recall why but we got it after we had the single measles and mumps

[Lolski]

Thanks everyone. I have tried to have a look at the website for Direct Health 2000 as it seems to keep coming up but can't get into it for some reason. I have also just searched the archive threads and now feel like my brain is bursting.....what a nightmare decision !!!
At least I feel that I have got a bit longer now because the general opinion seems to be to wait until he is at least 15 months old.

[joanneg]

this website will e-mail you a list of clinics that offer single jabs.

[aloha]

I've just got my mumps appointment! Ds is three and had his first jab (measles) when he was about 16months (before his peers locally had had the MMR, in fact). It's been a long wait but I wasn't very concerned as mumps is not really a serious illness, esp in children of his age. I agree that any risk with MMR is theorectical and, at worst, very, very small. But we could afford the sepvax (though they're getting more expensive all the time) and thought, 'why not?'.

[lapsedrunner]

I'm British but living in Austria. For what it it worth the whole MMR/autism link just isn't an issue here. Multiple jab is 100% accepted as normal. ds was 5 months old when we moved here and has had combined jab, as have all his contempoaries.

[Laylasmum]

lolski in an earlier post it said that rubella single vacc is still available on NHS it isn't anymore. it used to be used for immunising none immune women before they got pregnant but MMR is used for everyone now!

[Twiglett]

we've got our mumps through too .. 27th January (been waiting since Sept 2002)

[Lolski]

Still at it !!!! Got the list of licensed clinics from the 'jabs' link and am trawling through their various web sites. As expected they all say different things. Even the time period inbetween the jabs is wildly different ranging from 4 weeks to one year! I managed to find a brochure on 'Direct Health 2000' that I picked up at the Babyshow. That has a note in the back saying that they have had problems with some parents because they now get their serum from India and not USA/Europe.
Most of them say that they haven't got the munps vaccine as there is a worldwide shortage which of course makes me suspicious of the ones that have. Oh well.....the joys of being a reponsible parent eh. Anyway - off to keep trawling now.
Thanks again for all your help.

[franch]

I'm having trouble finding any up-to-date threads other than this one - I have done a search, honest!!!

I'm also looking for

• recommended clinics
  
• up-to-date info on the mumps vaccine shortage
  
• info on exactly how many extra jabs DD will end up having (incl. boosters) by going down this route (is it 6 in total instead of 2, or what?)
  
• info on whether we can leave the rubella till she's much older - I had mine when I was about 12 or 13, can we do that?
  
  Many thanks, I know this is an old and controversial topic.

[pixel]

Another vote for Direct health 2000 Eltham, although we did have to wait a long time for the mumps vaccine.

Ds had the rubella one first because it was exploiting a 'loophole' at the time (several years ago now)which meant that as the single rubella was still available and licensed, it was easy to get. You could then claim that your child had 'started a course' and the remaining vaccines could be ordered for his use. Of course, the govt. has now put paid to that one!

[franch]

Thanks pixel

[binkie]

franch, don't know where you live but some answers:

• if you're in London, e-med.co.uk has had good reports (inc. here - try an archive search on "e-med")
  
• e-med website has details on mumps vaccine availability, noting that they have stocks
  
• our route: the 3 sepvax; then an immunity bloodtest & do again (also sepvax) whatever hadn't taken. If all OK, nothing more. No general boosters. NB NB the immunity test + no boosters is controversial in itself: one line is that it's not a reliable test as it's developed for confirming an actual infection, & not for how reliable the antibodies are
  
• when you do the rubella sort of depends on why you're vaxing ... I did ds & dd both at usual toddler age because I want them to be part of the herd immunity that helps to protect pregnant women in generally

[franch]

Very useful info binkie, many thanks. Should have said I'm in London (north/central).

[Roobie]

DD had her singles at Desumo in Worcester. There seemed to be no problem getting the mumpsvax - she had rubella in Dec03, measles in Feb04 and mumps in Aug04.
We do live in the SE however (had friends in Worcester so quite nice to visit) and have also heard e-med being recommended - I think we will go here when it comes round to getting ds's jabs.

[ChicPea]

I took DS to e-med in St Johns Wood NW8 whose web site is www.e-med.co.uk. I would recommend.

[ThomCat]

We did the single vaccines with Lottie. Went to the Breaksphere Clinic in Hemel hempstead.

[pipsy1]

We did single jabs through Health Choice UK. No problems with the mumps vaxccine. They always have it in stock. Its expensive to do it this way but for peace of mind its worth every penny