To avoid other kids for next 2 months?

[Moomin88]

Health anxiety and 10 month old baby, living in area with high level of measles outbreak (not north London, the other place). Have 3 year old (fully vaccinated). GP surgery said baby cant have MMR early despite outbreak. Aibu to consider not going to baby groups/olaygroup with older child until he’s had his jab in 2 months time?
he will also be having settling in sessions at nursery before he turns one which is also a worry 😩

Pay for a private MMR? Can be given from 9 months.

@NellyWest do you have any idea what would happen with his nhs jabs at 12 months if I did that? Would he just have them again even though a few weeks after?(they also get meningitis and other ones)

are you getting help for your health anxiety? It’s a terribly debilitating and stressful thing (as you know) so that’s the main thing to manage as this will only be one among many triggers raising young DC. If you get that in control, you can start to have a more balanced perspective on these things. We can tell you not to hide away for months but often these threads can just feed the anxiety and you’ll feel more tense anyway.

Having spent 6 months hoping my son doesn't get chicken pox before his mnrv I understand where you are coming from. Seems like a sensible precaution to me. Not wanting your child to get measles when you live in an outbreak is not health anxiety issue.

Baby might not know any different but it would be really bad for your 3YO’s development to be kept away from other kids. Get it privately, which is from 9 months, take the red book and then tell the GP you’ve done it so it’s on their records. I’m not medical so reconfirm with the private GP you book for the vaccine but pretty sure it won’t change anything with regard to the other vaccines which would be given as normal at 12 months ex the MMR as already had, then preschool boosters as normal. Only consideration is chickenpox if you’re going to do that because it has to be done at the same time as the MMR or a 4 week gap has to be left.

I don't think yabu. I also have a 10 month old and there's a lot of chickenpox where I am atm, I can't wait for the 1yr vaccinations. In the case of measles outbreak I would probably avoid playgroups and soft play, but do plenty of outdoor trips - park etc, and would also still have playdates with friends at home/other people's houses. I had a 3 year old during lockdown and it was surprisingly fine sticking to being outside/smaller get togethers. I agree with pp though that if you are struggling with health anxiety you should also seek help.

Thank you all for your responses. Looked a bit more into getting private jab - the issue is it’s recommended from 12 months because if done any earlier it can interfere with remaining maternal antibodies and make vaccine and overall immunity less effective! So hard to know what to do. so angry at antivaxxers tbh…

Babies have maternal antibodies and get immunity from breast milk.

In the exact same position I can’t believe they won’t let us have it early despite on the website saying if there’s an outbreak they would! In terms of maternal antibodies that’s why they say if you do get it early then you get the one after 1 year as normal anyway as long as there’s 4 weeks inbetween. I’m trying to find a reliable clinic that will do it now!

I would probably “lightly” avoid other children - so maybe avoid playgroups, soft play etc, but don’t worry about being around other children at parks, playgrounds etc.

Sounds like 12 months might be an optimal age to have it rather than 9, from what you’ve said about maternal antibodies.

Can you put back the nursery start and therefore the settling sessions.

I actually don't think you are unreasonable at all, the effects of measles can be absolutely horrific and you live in an area with an outbreak. I'd probably do the same.

While this is true it's only if mum is immune and also not as effective after 6 months and not as effective as a vaccine.

Not medically trained so I don’t know whether or not it makes sense to have the vaccine early privately, but if you do, you need to tell your GP that you already have done it. DON’T say nothing and have it a second time at 12 months on the NHS. You can just do the MenB one at that appointment. If you tell them when you had the first MMR, they can then calculate when the second dose is due (6 months after I think) and make sure that you get invited for that one at the right time.

If the MMR is given before 12 months, like for travel abroad for example then this dose is discounted so the first MMR is the one given at 12 months.

YANBU. I think if you are ok to avoid those sessions then its not a bad idea to do so - it is only 2 months and you can do parks etc. instead.

Does nursery have a policy on vaccinations?

I don't think this is health anxiety op. I think if you have a young child and you live in an area with a measles outbreak it's entirely understandable to be concerned.
I don't have any answers but I sympathise with your worry.

Vaccinations are not miracle workers and don’t stop you getting anything 🤷‍♀️ I had all mine and had everything at least 3 times and I wonder if I’d have got them at all if I don’t have them🤷‍♀️ also I now have a very damaged immune system and been told not to have any more vaccines as they damage your immune system further

I lean towards yabu bcz you know your mental illness is making this decision.

I don't think yabu but I would just avoid indoor stuff, not going to parks and the like

What did I just read???

For the vast majority of people plenty of vaccines DO stop you getting them though. (Not counting highly mutating things like influenza and Covid etc). But measles? Mumps? Rubella? Yes for the vast majority it does stop you catching it. Obviously there will always be people it doesn’t work for. But if it was that pointless why would they bother having vaccines in the first place? Was it the same with the smallpox vaccine? It didn’t stop people getting it? Were people still catching smallpox all the time despite the vaccines and then it just died out by itself naturally?