Son has mumps!

[Mumpshump22]

My son came home yesterday saying his face felt funny, his he looked a little puffy and I thought it looked like mumps, but dismissed it as he’s vaccinated. I gave him some ibuprofen and an ice pack for the swelling and he went to bed. This morning he woke up and came into my room with a face twice the size of his normal face! I rang 111 and they rendered us to a health centre as our GP had no appointments left. We arrived at the health centre and were triaged then seen by the doctor who was shocked at my sons face and hd to refer us to the local health protection team. We were sent home and told any testicular swelling or sore head/eyes to head straight to a&e. I am just shocked that mumps is doing the rounds, am I being unreasonable to blame anti vax parents? I have a medically vulnerable child who’s immune system is shot and I’ve bloody mumps in the house. I feel so passed of that something son preventable has happened and My sons in discomfort and at risk or meningitis, blindness and infertility now! I have no idea where he’s caught it from

I guess my aibu is:
I am not unreasonable to be mad at parents who haven’t vaccinated their children, spreading illnesses that are potentially life changing

i am unreasonable; let the germy fuckers spread their diseases, screw everyone else

I was speaking to my doctor about DSs upcoming jabs, an Indian immigrant (just to show its not racism) who was saying its on the rise because of immigration from places where they're not vaccinated. Not anyi- vaxxers.

Obviously one person's opinion and I'm sorry you're dealing with it.

The two dose MMR vaccine for mumps is only about 80% effective, so yes, maybe people are vaccinated and you would be unreasonable to blame others for the ineffectiveness of the vaccine.

YANBU for expecting a vaccine-precentable disease to be... well, prevented by a vaccine/herd immunity.

However YABvvU for expecting the general public and antivaxxers to care about anyone but themselves - after the last two years of demonstrating that they bloody don't.

I'm sorry you and your son are going through this.

@Itsabitnotcold i hadn't thought of this element, I was thinking of other parents my age who were scared of the vaccine causing autism.
do migrants not have to be up to date with immunisations to move here? (Or if not possible in home country, a time frame to get up to date on jabs here?)

@Aurea yes 80% effective, but if a majority of people have it then the chances of it spreading is hugely reduced. Herd immunity and all that jazz

no you're not unreasonable...they've specifically had to run campaigns in my student hotspot city to allow catch ups for younger people who missed out on jabs as children because of the MMR scandal. At one hospital I worked at, a staff member brought mumps onto a cancer unit (poor girl was struggling into work before the diagnosis because of the hospitals sickness policy!)

Nope not a requirement. Only TB testing if they're from a country with high rates.

But your child is vaccinated and can potentially spread the infection too anyway. Im not saying you’re totally unreasonable, my children are both fully vaccinated. However I don’t think you’re directing your frustration the right way. I wish your son quick recovery, I know how scary that is to have a child who’s unwell.

There is mumps at my child's school too this week. Not heard of any for a very long time (I work in Early years and have for 30yrs).

The number of parents choosing not to have MMR is on the rise. I understand why you are angry that other people’s medical decision (stupid decisions) have negatively impacted on your family’s health. But unfortunately they are free to make silly decisions.

Hopefully by your DS being vaccinated his symptoms will be milder than normal.

Vaccinations rely on enough people being vaccinated to keep a herd immunity. Every person who doesn't vaccinate increases not only their risk but the risk to others too.

I'd be pretty pissed off to OP that preventable illnesses are circulating again and despite doing what you could to protect your children, others haven't done the same.

Hi guys, his symptoms were quite bad but not severe n my opinion, he had a face the size of a planet and complained of jaw hurting and a sore throat, had trouble with food, luckily testicles didn’t swell and other more dangerous symptoms were avoided (thanking the vaccine for this!)

I think I was so pissed off because his big sister is severely disabled and has a weak immune system. She stayed well luckily.

My son was in the first year of MMR vaccination and his year at uni all got mumps and the majority were vaccinated. The mumps part of the vaccine is not long lasting. Anyone who gets it can transmit it.

I had mumps at university when I was 21. Despite being fully vaccinated. I triggered a uni-wide immunization campaign! It was never worked out where I caught it from.