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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:
Stratter5 · 31/03/2015 11:39

Well, I completely disagree with the assertion that TB is hard to catch.

I tested positive for TB, was sent for x rays, and found to have an inactive, walled off infection. I'd caught TB from somewhere, but as I grew up in a very low risk part of the country, had no friends or relatives with TB, and basically knew no one who had ever had it, the specialist I saw concluded that I'd either caught in on a flight to/from my father's, or on the Underground.

I would never, ever refuse a vaccination on such ridiculous grounds as a scar. If a vaccine is available take it.

bumbleymummy · 31/03/2015 12:00

Chipped - it was in response to grey lady's post just above mine.

"It makes such sense to give life time protection against a potentially fatal disease now."

Wind your neck in.

Nanny0gg · 31/03/2015 12:21

Ultimately this is the OPs choice and it doesn't really matter what it is that influences her decision.

Yes it does.

You had a bad reaction. I understand why that would make you reluctant.

A small scar? Ridiculous reason. Is the child to be kept covered in cotton wool so they don't get scars from falling over? Or hitting their head? Or any other reason?

bumbleymummy · 31/03/2015 12:34

Why Nanny? Why does it matter to you whether she decides for or against it for whatever reason?

bumbleymummy · 31/03/2015 12:37

Also, if you read the OP the scar wasn't the only reason anyway.

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 31/03/2015 12:40

Both of mine have had it.
A) we live in London and if it's offered its usually with good reason
B) my husband was tested for TB after a business trip to India. It was v worrying and we were v grateful not to have to worry about our young DC being exposed to it
C) you cannot control who your children are in contact with all the time.
D) my kids will travel, take school trips and hopefully have interesting lives.

Capricorn76 · 31/03/2015 12:47

I can't understand why a tiny scar would prevent you from protecting your kids against a deadly disease?! Especially as your kid will accumulate many war wounds. I wear my childhood scars on my knee, finger and a small one on my forehead with pride and can tell you exactly what foolishness I was up to when I got them. DH's face lights up when he tells people how he got a chipped tooth. Battle wounds are part of childhood so a little mark on an arm will mean nothing especially as everyone else has one.

I actually think the government should start a TV campaign reminding people how nasty these diseases are because I genuinely believe many people really don't know. There are people in other the parts of the world that would love to be vaccinated because they know how bad they are.

My cleaner told me she wasn't vaccinating her boy because in Romania they don't give vaccinations and everyone she knows who has had measles and other illnesses are fine and vaccinations can give you cancer and cause mental illness Hmm it's because of these attitudes that diseases which were once eliminated from the UK will be making a big comeback.

madreloco · 31/03/2015 12:49

Ah, bumbley is here! The klaxon went off in anti-vax HQ? Now we'll be treated to an endless stream of posts telling OP why she shouldn't do it, and then some more pretending that she is not anti-vax at all and meant no such thing.
Can't we save some time and cut to the chase?

bumbleymummy · 31/03/2015 12:52

Capricorn - did you read the information from the NHS that hack posted up thread? What would be the point in reminding people how awful TB is when most people aren't offered the vaccine?

bumbleymummy · 31/03/2015 12:54

Mad, I wouldn't know. I'm not anti vax. I wouldn't tell someone not to vaccinate - as you would know if you read what I've posted on the thread so far. You might want to get your facts straight before you come on to a thread and start making false accusations.

madreloco · 31/03/2015 13:00

Oh please. You're well known. You pop up on every single vaccination thread and argue against vaccination, and then pretend to be neutral. Do you think people can't read?

bumbleymummy · 31/03/2015 13:00

Clearly not.

Chippednailvarnish · 31/03/2015 13:59

Madreloco that's the understatement of the year!

CheeseToastie123 · 31/03/2015 14:24

Pretty sure even the worst scar on an arm would be a lot worse in a lung.

My grandmother spent a year in a sanatorium, unable to see her children. My father has had life long lung problems. I'm only 35, this wasn't back in the dark ages.

ouryve · 31/03/2015 14:44

OP: AIBU?
Many (not all) posters: Yes.
Bumbly: "Wind your neck in."

Not exactly coming across as a poster who doesn't have an agenda, Bumbly.

bumbleymummy · 31/03/2015 14:48

CheeseToastie, the BCG isn't as effective against adult pulmonary TB (presumably what your grandmother had).

Before the anti-vax-accusers jump on me - this is a fact.

From the NHS: The vaccine is 70-80% effective against the most severe forms of TB, such as TB meningitis in children. It is less effective in preventing respiratory disease, which is the more common form in adults.

This is the reason why they are putting so much time, effort and money into developing a new vaccine.

From AERAS "There is one vaccine, Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), being used today to prevent TB in infants. But even though BCG is the most widely used vaccine in the world, it has not successfully eliminated the disease due to its limited efficacy."

No doubt some people will also consider this 'arguing against vaccination'. Hmm

bumbleymummy · 31/03/2015 14:51

ouryve - why are you singling out my post to chipped? She came on asking me what the point of my post was when it was a reply to a statement the previous poster had made. What's your agenda because I don't see what your post has to do with the OP.

PoppyAmex · 31/03/2015 15:02

bumble you make your presence known in almost every Vaccination thread and your position appears crystal clear to me.

It just puzzles me why you insist on maintaining the pretence of a "neutral" position on the matter, even when many posters have outright asked you (in countless occasions) whether you're anti-vaccination or not.

Jackieharris · 31/03/2015 15:02

Why are people so dismissive of the lifelong negative impact of a particularly bad BCG scar? I'm finding some of the comments on this thread quite upsetting and cruel.

My scar is an inch wide and over a centimetre long. It is pink & silver so is very obvious next to my skin tone. It is so bulbous/lumpy that you can actually notice it under tight or thin material.

I can't escape it.

I will wear sleeveless tops/dresses now in summer (though I still avoid them most of the time) but I know that people will notice it and say something. It doesn't do much for my confidence in social situations. It's so low, it's nearer my elbow than shoulder so I have to wear quite a long sleeve to cover it.

Imagine your entire life since you were 13 every shopping trip you've ever been on being dominated by trying to find clothes that will hide it. Formal/bridal party wear is totally out of the question. It makes me feel like a freak.

I was about as low risk as possible when it was done to me. They never explained the risks/ pros/cons. They could have done it in my thigh (as they did the next year) but just didn't bother.

I've never trusted doctors/nurses again.

GoodbyeToAllOfThat · 31/03/2015 15:06

Jackie, you have a one-inch scar your elbow and this makes you feel like a freak? And people regularly comment on it?

bumbleymummy · 31/03/2015 15:13

Poppy, and when I tell them I'm not they refuse to believe it. Apparently if you're say anything other than 'yes, go for it' wrt any vaccination and throw a few insults at people who choose not to vaccinate then you are 'anti-vaccine'. It's a bit daft but there you go!

Chippednailvarnish · 31/03/2015 15:14

My scar is an inch wide and over a centimetre long

If a scar that small (and I have many scars) causes you that much of an issue, you need to think about your wider self-esteem. I would rather see an insignificant scar, then have TB.

bumbleymummy · 31/03/2015 15:15

Jackie, sorry you're so self conscious about it. I'm sure you feel it is much worse/more obvious than it actually is. Thanks My scar is pretty big too but it is quite high up on my arm. I don't think about it that much but a few people have asked me what it's from.

TheSingingMonkey · 31/03/2015 15:20

Better than having TB though. And yes I've had it.

You could have worse scars in your lungs. Just a thought.

SmellsLikeSurgicalSpirit · 31/03/2015 15:28

Jackie, my DM has (another) vaccination scar on her arm - pink, shiny and about the size of an old 10p. She has olive toned skin too. I can assure you, no-one has ever mentioned it and I'm sure you "see" yours more than other people seem to do.SmileFlowers

She'd far rather have that scar than losing her own mother when in her 20's, terribly weakened by TB.