What fresh hell is this?

[Jazzyjeff44]

Dd had 8 week jabs this morning and was given the rotavirus vaccines as drops on the tongue. The nurse told me to be careful when touching, kissing and changing nappies as it's a live vaccine and could cause sickness and diarrhoea. I'm a serious emetophobe so this has really freaked me out.

My older dc never had this vaccine as it's apparently quite new. Has anyone actually gotten ill from this? Is it passed in the same way as a bug? She was sick after the post vaccine calpol and clearing all that up made me feel anxious.

How old is your other child? Its been around for quite a while now, as my child had it and they're now 8. (Google says it was introduced in 2013). But no, I don't know anyone that actually got sick - we were just extra cautious about washing hands for a few days. Like any other virus like that, you'd have to actually 'consume' the virus, it doesn't go through your skin - so with your example of someone touching the door handle after touching your child's vomit, you'd have to then put your hands in your mouth without washing them for that to be a risk.

My DD has had the vaccine. I doubt you would be able to get it from the sick as your DD has likely digested it quite quickly. The only concern would be the nappies and usual level of hand washing should be enough to prevent you getting it.

I breast fed pretty soon afterwards and did wonder if her mouth could transfer it but none of us were sick so fairly sure it is just the bottom end you would need to worry about.

@GreenFingersWouldBeHandy is there any need to be so rude? Yes I'm aware what older kids sick looks like too. I've dealt with it plenty of times. It's not my favourite pastime but I seem to be able to manage it with less panic than when I'm sick myself. Sorry that you're having trouble understanding this.

Educate myself on what? Bugs can be spread by things such as contact with door handles etc. I wasn't sure if this was a similar sort of thing as I was given very limited information from the nurse. Again, there is really no reason to be quite so unpleasant.

@Giveaschitt they are 10 and 12. A lot has changed since I last had babies 🙈

REally? My daughter had this vaccine three years ago and no one told me this, DH and I didn´t get sick or anything. Being so anxious, it would do you good to close your ears to certain info that is unlikely to happen and only makes you anxious.

My DCs were given live polio vaccines. We were told to employ strict hygiene during nappy changes as the disease would be present in their poo. So live vaccines aren't new.
Just ensure strict hygiene procedures and you'll be fine.

DD had awful shits after this one, but we weren’t warned about hand washing etc. No vomiting and nobody else in the house got ill, so you may get lucky and only have to deal with a couple of poonamis.

Harsh and yes you’re the one who needs to educate yourself. That is exactly how diarrhoea and vomiting bugs are spread. Someone touched sick and then a door handle and then someone else touches it.

@Jazzyjeff44 sorry you’re having some harsh responses. People don’t understand. Do what you normally do with hand washing etc after cleaning up sick and you’ll be fine. Remember soap and water and a good wash works and kills the bugs in sickness bugs, alcohol gel doesn’t

That is exactly how diarrhoea and vomiting bugs are spread. Someone touched sick and then a door handle and then someone else touches it.

But as far as I am aware @RedCardigan you can't catch it just from touching an infected surface - there is another step in that process which is then transferring the bug to your mouth or eyes by rubbing your eyes or eating using your fingers without washing your hands. It wasn't clear from OP's post whether she realised this although she probably did (I may be wrong, I am not a microbiologist, but it is what I understand).

Please ignore any snarky comments, OP.
As a fellow emetophobe I completely understand your fear.
Just keep washing your hands thoroughly and you will be okay, sending 💐

Responses on mumsnet are often so bloody bizarre and rude to me, honestly.

As far as I know emetophobia is usually a fear of the physical sensation of being sick. So while I'm sure emetophobes are put off by other people being sick it's more about the worry and act of being sick yourself.

I had know idea about the live vaccine that's really interesting! Best of luck and I'm sure with stringent hygiene you will be okay :)

She'll have another one at 16 weeks.

My ds had it and we were all fine. Declined it for dd as she had allergies and her stomach wasn’t up to it

My advice, and I say this on the many emetophobia threads that pop up, is to get some help for it ASAP before it affects your child. My childhood was absolutely blighted by my mother's anxieties and phobias.

My DD had hers today, the nurse just said to avoid anyone who is immuno compromised for 14 days because of increased risk of making them sick. They didn't say I couldn't kiss her - too late anyway 😄. She just said to wash hands after nappy changes etc, same as normal. And DD might have a bit of a runny tummy. It didn't sound like it is too threatening to normal, healthy adults. I think you will be ok 🙂

OP I do really feel for you with this debilitating phobia, but please get some help for it. To paint it plainly, once your child(ren) start nursery and school they will be bringing home all sorts and will almost definitely give it to you. Occupational hazard of having kids, and you can't deal with this if you are a hyperventilating mess over being sick. Your fears are real, and many people suffer from this, so please get some therapy while they are still young.

As an aside to the direction of this thread…

I didn’t practice any extra hand hygiene etc and still missed both my babies, no one got sick! 😊

I understand, my daughter suffers with this as well and as my grandson just recently had a tummy bug her anxiety is through the roof, hands bleeding from constant cleaning and hand washing. She has had treatment in the past but is trying to find further treatment now.

Its a very real thing and is quite debilitating, it doesn’t mean that the sufferer won’t take care of their children just that they are overwhelmed with anxiety. It also doesn’t mean they would rather their children were sick over them.

In answer to your original question, I believe they advise not to kiss the babies on the lips following the vaccine as it’s a live vaccine. I don’t fully understand it but my youngest grandson had the vaccine recently and he’s been fine as has his parents.

I wish you well OP, it’s awful I know. Do speak to your GP and get referred, if you have a young baby this should speed things up. X

Bloody hell there are some rude comments on here.

OP I wasn’t told about the kissing thing when mine had it 2 years ago, just the changing nappies thing. All you need to do is wash your hands after each pooey nappy change and you’ll be fine!

Wear gloves if you're concerned but I've never heard of anyone getting ill, wash your hands thoroughly which I'm sure you do already.

My bub had this back in January and I was never told to avoid kissing etc etc afterwards. Nobody got sick or the shits.

Curious op but how did you cope with morning sickness? I have a fear of being sick too and being pregnant worries me.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/rotavirus-vaccine-questions-answers/

You will be absolutely fine. Read the FAQs here - mainly "do I need to take special care...?". Essentially no risk unless immunocompromised. Just handwash for 20 seconds after nappies.

I am very confused by some of the rude comments on this thread.
To answer the question you ACTUALLY asked, I questioned this with our nurse too & she said only a slight risk, just extra hand washing after nappies. I don’t think it’s the same as sickness bugs in the sense that the particles can be airborne. I told myself that anyway! ☺️ (I also have a bit of anxiety about sickness bugs & also don’t prefer it if my child gets it over me!)

I have no phobia about germs or sickness but after suffering with hyperemesis with DS (admittedly 23 years ago) I feel like I have puked enough and can't stand sick bugs doing the rounds.

I am super cautious. DH and DSS had gastro recently. I used facemask and disposable gloves whilst stripping bedding and cleaning down the bathrooms (not sure if mask was really needed but I don't touch my face as much if I have the mask on). I use all in one antibac sprays for soft furnishings and dettol for hard surfaces.

My DGS had rotavirus drops last year and I was not told to not kiss him or be careful at all (clearly should have been by what is said here), may your older two did have it and you just wasn't warned. If you check there books and they did, maybe that will help put your mind at ease that you have been around it before and it was fine?