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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want my baby to have the BCG?

204 replies

lill72 · 30/03/2015 12:16

Hi,
I went to give my 21 week old DD the BCG the other day, but then chickened out at the last moment, due to the scar. Hear me out - this is not the only reason. We live in London in what is considered a high risk area, but we are not considered high risk, according to the GP. He said he would feel comfortable not giving it. We are from Australia where it is not given, and we will most likely return within 5-7 years, ie before DD goes to sschool. As you need repeated contact with a person who has it, I just consider our risk so low, that I don't feel out individual circumstances warrant it.
Thoughts?

The GP said many parents with simialr backgrounds or are going to move out of London when their children go to school dont get it either. Thoughts?

OP posts:
popalot · 30/03/2015 14:33

Possible scar vs getting TB? No brainer - a risk is still a risk. They offer it for a reason.

CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 30/03/2015 14:38

If you have the jab as a baby do you still need it as a teen? If so, I'd do it just to avoid them having to have it when they are older when it's a more traumatic experience

Babayaggatheboneylegged · 30/03/2015 14:38

I live in London and my daughter had it at six weeks. I felt a bit wussy about it as it was her first vaccination and she was so tiny, and made my husband hold her while the nurse did it, but it was totally fine.

She's 2.5 now and doesn't have a scar. It was really no different to any other vaccination (except that it was in a different location - not our normal GPs - and we had it done on a Saturday.) I think it only really stands out in my mind because it was the first vaccination I had to take her for.

I remember being a bit shocked that she'd get it so young, as I had mine done at school when I was about 12, and everyone made a big DRAMA about it, so I think in some ways its better to get it as a baby.

Your call obviously, but I would always want to minimise the risk and I don't believe they vaccinate kids in London for nothing.

SunnyBaudelaire · 30/03/2015 14:39

closer, no you only need it the once to be covered. I cannot imagine why anyone would say no to this tbh.

PinkSquash · 30/03/2015 14:40

TB is on the rise in my part of England, it's a horrible illness and I'm prepared to take the scar for protection against the illness. As I would be for my children. I'd take health over looks any day

SunnyBaudelaire · 30/03/2015 14:42

besides it is only a tiny scar like everyone has, hardly disfiguring!

Totality22 · 30/03/2015 14:43

"I think vaccines are the single greatest medical advance of all time and find some of the reasons people turn them down to be bizarre"

People turn down vaccinations for a variety of reasons, however in this situation (the scar being the reason for refusing the jab) I am inclined to agree with above statement!

SmellsLikeSurgicalSpirit · 30/03/2015 14:49

Please vaccinate your DC, OP.

My maternal grandmother had TB twice as a child, and was dead at 58.

My DM and DSis both inherited immunity from her (very strong, clear reaction to the heaf test) - I didn't Confused so had the BCG at 13. It's not routinely offered here any more (rural North) but DH was astonished that even when it was, it was so late.

In his (European) country it's done at birth/very early, or at least it was. I'll ask SIL.

Shedding · 30/03/2015 14:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SunnyBaudelaire · 30/03/2015 14:52

"You really can't catch Tb on the bus"
Really so my HV was laying it on a bit thick then! Mind you I am glad we had it as DH was....central European.. and we might have gone there for a holiday.

Shedding · 30/03/2015 14:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Penfold007 · 30/03/2015 14:53

It's completely up to you and the baby's father. BCG is no longer routinely offered in the UK except in high risk areas or cases. If you and your GP are confident its not an issue then fair enough.
For various reasons both my DC were vaccinated at birth (as was I). Their 'scars' are tiny shallow dents that no one notices. Having the BCG was the right choice for my DC but I appreciate you feel differently.
If you were currently in Australia and planning to move to a high risk area in London your child would be offered the vaccination.

CobbOnn · 30/03/2015 14:55

My son had his about 12 hours after birth. No problems- unlike the fainting teenage girls at secondary school.

You live in a high risk area. Why would you refuse a free immunisation?

derektheladyhamster · 30/03/2015 14:57

I had the bcg as a baby - no scar ( born on NI where it was routinely given) all my friends who had it as teens have a scar. So please don't use this as a reason

VenusRising · 30/03/2015 15:01

Every single baby in Ireland is vaccinated against TB, unless there is a medical reason not to.

Whether you have your babe vaccinated in the hospital when they are newborn, or whether you take them to the clinic before three months is up to you.

If you take them to the clinic after three months they have to have a scratch test to see if they have been exposed to TB and they are treated.

TB is a serious disease. I'm amazed that public health is so lax in the UK and people are unvaccinated, and choose not to vaccinate their children.

Fwiw none of my dcs have visible scars. They got two injections each in their upper deltoids, which rose in to scabs, and you can't see there they were injected.

I feel the opt out attitude to public health regimens grossly irresponsible and ignorant.

Vaccines are indeed the biggest medical advance in healthcare, and to opt out seems incomprehensible to me, like you see yourself as a some kind of consumer with an à la carte menu in your hands, thinking you'll have a small polio on the side, with no meningitis.

Words fail me.

BoobooChild · 30/03/2015 15:08

I had the jab when I was 11, dd got it when she was 2 weeks. I've got a small, barely noticeable scar and from the looks of things dd's will be smaller than mine.

Fair enough don't get it if you don't think it's necessary but to turn it away because of a scar is pretty moronic in my view.

thanksamillion · 30/03/2015 15:11

My DC all had it as tiny babies and none have a particularly noticeable scar. When they were a little older we moved to a country where it's very prevalent.

What happens if your DC want to travel when they're older? Can it be offered then? (I genuinely don't know but guess it would be expensive).

SomethingFunny · 30/03/2015 15:21

Sadly I live in an area where babies aren't given the BCG (although I had it as a teen in the same area ). We are surrounded by high risk areas and most people tend to move house and area these days so it does seem stupid not to vaccinate all children against it.

A scar is no reason not to have the vaccination. Children can get scars at any time and from anything. My son is covered from head to toe with chicken pox scars, a BCG Scar would be the least of my worries.

Get it done!

GrimDamnFanjo · 30/03/2015 15:35

A scar is a laughable reason not to have the BCG.
My eldest had hers at 1 month as we lived in London then.
She did have a reaction which caused a hefty scar - but that's infinitely preferable to catching tb !

Original poster
lill72 · 30/03/2015 15:45

Shedding - what are the high risk countries?

OP posts:
Welshwabbit · 30/03/2015 15:49

My son's have both had the BCG (they are nearly 3 and 3 months). My eldest recently had to go for testing as 2 kids from his former nursery had contracted TB (we were told at the time that the vaccine is 80% effective). We also live in a high risk area of London but have no other risk factors. Obviously your decision OP but I have to say that based purely on my own anecdotal experience I disagree with your GP's risk assessment. Both my son's have scars but they are very small and really not cosmetically significant.

Welshwabbit · 30/03/2015 15:50

Sons not son's, sorry!

Shedding · 30/03/2015 16:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LionessQueen · 30/03/2015 16:45

I just don't understand why you wouldn't vaccinate your child against something so terrible?

Also, as someone above said, the prevalence is surely only low because we vaccinate against it? If people choose not to vaccinate surely the cases will rise again?

Ds had the bcg at 1 wk, DH works in an occupation where he comes into contact with tb. The chances of DS catching it via DH are low, but WHY TAKE THE RISK?!

I just don't understand.

sarkyone · 30/03/2015 16:45

Hello
I live in an area near manchester where the tb injection is not given as standard. My son went to nursery one day a week from 10 months. At 15 months he has to have the BCG injection as one of the staff was ill and he had repeatedly been excused. The test to check if he had any antibodies, the three day wait and then the return trip to the hospital that had agreed to mass inject the nursery was a faff and quite distressing.
A year later (three courses of strong antibiotics later for an infected injection site) he has a small scar but I'm so glad he had it done. Am now in the unusual position of having a little who is covered but a nearly 7 year old who isn't! I wish I could get the older one done now to save any future worry!