Mumps and antibodies

[Howcantheybesobloodyselfish]

DD 2 is 8.5 months and so can't be vaccinated against mumps yet - the earliest they will consider giving the mumps vaccine is 9 months. She is still breastfed but obviously part of her food intake is now solid food in addition to milk.

We have been visiting family this week. We have just discovered that their (vaccinated) kids have come down with mumps. They have been hugging and kissing DD2 for days. Apparently the vaccine is only 80 to 90 per cent effective, so it really does need everyone to vaccinate in order to provide herd immunity.

Aibu to be massively hacked off at the parents who could have chosen to vaccinate but didn't, so that the herd immunity effect has been weakened, and my baby has been put in this position? Not those who are prevented for medical reasons, obviously, but those who could have done so. Just for their information, I have just found out that 1 in 7 cases of mumps results in meningitis. Thanks for that. My little girl is so tiny. It is unspeakably selfish.

On a practical note, does anyone medical know whether, if I cut back on her solid food intake and feed her as much breast milk as I can over the next couple of weeks, she could gain enough antibodies from me to fight it off or reduce the severity of the case, such that we might minimise the associated complications? Or is that just not how it works?

A couple of years ago my vaccinated two year old got mumps, and my GP said that it could either be wild mumps or from an inadequately attenuated vaccine received by one of his nursery buddies, so while I understand your frustration re anti-vaxxers and herd immunity being compromised, it might be vaccine related mumps!

The NHS reckons passive mumps immunity from the mother lasts up to one year. Kellymom has some helpful info re breastfeeding and immunity.

So, it looks positive for your DD, just stick with your normal feeding routine, and if she does come down with mumps she’ll probably up her milk intake anyway.

Fingers crossed that she stays mumps free.

Thanks very much. If I were not so annoyed, I would have to laugh at the idea of wild mumps. It sounds as though they're running around the hillsides, causing trouble.

Has anyone else's baby been exposed at this sort of age, but escaped it?

It's the same with measles there is an outbreak here. Obviously some young dc have not been vax yet and others only one dose.
Maybe they need to bring forward the 3yr4m boosters so at least the ones vaxxing will be fully protected rather than 80-90% that are after the one jab.
Hopefully your dd will avoid it by means of the passive immunity.

Unfortunately it looks from Google as though the 80 to 90.per cent is after both jabs. It's a bit lower after only one. So possibly DD1 will get it too, although hopefully more mildly. If their cousins have caught it from sitting in the same classroom as an ill child, we are unlikely to escape - they were all cuddled up together on the sofa watching a film and in bed having stories for hours. I just can't get over how selfish it is. Sorry to rant.

One of mine got mumps at age 11 months, before her MMR, from other irresponsible parents who didn't believe in vaccination for their older children.

She was incredibly poorly herself but bounced back a few weeks later. She almost put others much more vulnerable at risk though before her symptoms developed and that was why I was so incredibly angry.

Whilst you are waiting to see if symptoms develop, do keep away from vulnerable people.

One of mine got mumps at age 11 months, before her MMR, from other irresponsible parents who didn't believe in vaccination for their older children.

She was incredibly poorly herself but bounced back a few weeks later. She almost put others much more vulnerable at risk though before her symptoms developed and that was why I was so incredibly angry.

Whilst you are waiting to see if symptoms develop, do keep away from vulnerable people.

PS I was still breastfeeding.

That's partly why I am frustrated - we are now in quarantine until we know either way! Thank goodness, my parents have already had mumps, so we are off to visit them for the week and hopefully, Grandma will provide some novelty value. But it's going to be a long couple of weeks indoors, possibly followed by a long and ill week indoors. Oh joy.