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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Reassure me about bacterial meningitis

112 replies

Kiddiewinks2008 · 17/02/2016 19:53

Having read about that poor little girl Sad in the news plus now Matt Dawsons son too, am having a bit of a freak out about it. Should I be considering the vaccinations for my DCs aged 4&8?
Is it very rare? Realised that I don't know enough about it at all. Can i do anything to minimise risk of getting it?
Aibu to be worried but it seems to be in the media a lot

OP posts:
Rosduk · 17/02/2016 19:57

I could have written the post above so YANBU! I also don't know much about it but can't help but think it would be worth paying to get it done privately if it reduces the risk!

Jibberjabberjooo · 17/02/2016 19:59

As a children's nurse and a parent I would say if you can afford it then get your children vaccinated. We have. Be aware of the symptoms. It's not necessarily meningitis but the symptoms of sepsis.

I don't know how common it is, I'm sure another medical person may know.

sugar21 · 17/02/2016 20:01

Please get it done my dd died from MenB

camelfinger · 17/02/2016 20:03

We have had our DS vaccinated privately after baby DS2 had a different strain of bacterial meningitis (he's ok). The trouble is that now there is a shortage of vaccine so I'm not sure that anywhere is doing it now.

specialsubject · 17/02/2016 20:03

UK stats: according to the NHS website, 2350 cases (not all deaths or lifechanging, but any are too many of course) in 2011.

same year: 1900 road deaths and 123000 serious injuries.

so rare; but some strains preventable with a vaccine which unfortunately is expensive.

Original poster
Kiddiewinks2008 · 17/02/2016 20:05

Goodness, am so sorry Sugar Flowers Sad

OP posts:
camelfinger · 17/02/2016 20:05

Just saw your message sugar - so sorry for your loss.

Original poster
Kiddiewinks2008 · 17/02/2016 20:06

Might try and find out about waiting lists for jabs- maybe with the petition, there might be more made available

OP posts:
witsender · 17/02/2016 20:06

Sugar Sad

We got ours done privately the other week at Boots, they have run out at the moment but sure it will come back.

My sister had it at 18 odd, so it was personal to us.

OhShutUpThomas · 17/02/2016 20:10

How much was it wits?

Plateofcrumbs · 17/02/2016 20:10

Whilst a horrendous and frightening illness, it is rare and the risk falls off dramatically as children get older (although are somewhat higher amongst teenagers). Tiny babies are at greater risk than toddlers who are at great risk than school-age children.

Whilst I am 100% in favour of vaccination programmes and reducing the risk of preventable deaths, for any one person the chances of contracting this illness are very small.

sugar21 · 17/02/2016 20:13

Unfortunately my Daisy succumbed at 17 months.

Turquoiseskies · 17/02/2016 20:18

No vaccine available until at least June. There will unfortunately be a family out there keen to pay that loses a child between now and then. I think demand will be high.

Turquoiseskies · 17/02/2016 20:22

And actually even writing that makes me panic about my boys :(

hiddenhome2 · 17/02/2016 20:22

It's £190 from Boots from what I can see. That includes a private consultation.

Not back in until the summer though.

KitKat1985 · 17/02/2016 20:26

YANBU. I've been worrying about this too. But we are having money troubles so don't think we can afford it. :(

Sugar I'm sorry for your loss. Flowers

mypoosmellsofroses · 17/02/2016 20:27

Older teens too. Ds1 had it at uni,thankfully all OK now but was hairy. No-one had heard from him for a few days and we had to get police to break into his house. We were 2 hours away when we got a call from the paramedics, he got seen to in the nick of time,I am so glad I did the overprotective mum thing and got the police to do a welfare check. Ds2 is getting a vaccine before he starts uni next year.

AntiHop · 17/02/2016 20:28

Sugar Flowers

sugar21 · 17/02/2016 20:30

Thank you for the Flowers

milkmilklemonade12 · 17/02/2016 20:32

sugar I'm so sorry.

My DS is 5 and I will get it done I think.

keeprunninguphill · 17/02/2016 20:39

Very sad and very emotive. Looking at the evidence and epidemiology, that's why men B vaccine has been introduced to UK routine schedule for newborns from age 2 months as peak age of incidence is 5 months

2016Bambino · 17/02/2016 20:39

I got my 3 year old son the vaccine towards the end of last year. It was 2 injections, 2 months apart and cost £260 in total

Highsteaks · 17/02/2016 20:41

Is it in the news now.because the vaccine now exists but just isnt avaialble to all, rather than because of an increase in meningitis cases?

How is meningitis contracted?

So sorry about your Daisy sugar Flowers

Jibberjabberjooo · 17/02/2016 20:45

As far as I'm aware the vaccination programme will be available for all ages at some point.

Rainshowers · 17/02/2016 20:54

Lots of people are saying they would get their children vaccinated but at the moment, even if you're willing to pay its seemingly impossible in most areas. Stocks are low and most private clinics are only offering the vaccines to existing patients who have already had their first vaccine.