MMR: Measles outbreak Vs auto-immune risk - WWYD?

[LaTristesse]

We're going on holiday to France in a few weeks with DS, 14mo.

I've delayed his MMR until 18mo because we have history of auto-immune diseases in the family, but I've now found out there's a major measles epidemic in France at the mo and I'm worried he'll contract it before he gets his MMR.

WWYD? Bring the MMR forward and run the risk of him inheriting the auto-immune condition or take your chances with the French measles situation?!

how major is major?
all over France?
how many cases in the area you're visiting or nearby?

get him single measles jab?

Mm... the letter I have states 'over 4000 cases confirmed this year'. If I get the single vaccine can I still go on to get his MMR done later, or am I then stuck with single vaccines?
Thanks for your reply btw!

i would do more research if I were you, see if you can find if it's local to where you are. I mean if you're in the North of the country and the outbreak is only right down the South then I think you'd be safe to risk no vaccine yet at all.

but if it's more widespread obviously it would be sensible to consider vaccinating in advance

you can have a single and then the full MMR yes

how long does the jab take to work? if it's more than a few weeks then there seems little point

The single takes about 10 days for the body to start reacting to it and building up immunity and is no bar to the MMR at a later date. DD had singles at 18 months onwards but will have the MMR before starting school in September.

Ideally you would need to discuss the likelihood of contracting the auto immune disease if he had the measles vaccine. Its really a risk assessment situation weighing one risk against another.
If you have single measles jabs the nhs doesn't recognise them and will ask you to double vaccinate with MMR x 2 in the future. We have said get stuffed re that but thats the official line!

Do talk to your doctor about this to get better advice.

But if the auto-immune difficulties are inherited, how is the MMR going to change that?

BBC News item here.

It is a major Europe-wide outbreak. It has been reported on BBC R4 (at the end of last week) that UK HCPs are already seeing cases of Measles crossing the channel.

"Health protection units across England and Wales are warning parents to make sure their children have received two doses of the MMR vaccine before travelling to mainland Europe in the next few months."

But small children won't have 2 doses anyway, how does that work?

I spoke to GP today who's not heard of the auto-immune risk so now I'm just really confused with the conflicting advice from HCPs...

Have booked him in for single measles tomorrow. Thanks for the replies everyone...

I hope the jab goes smoothly - good luck.

Hi LaTristesse, do you mind me asking where you are? I'm in a similar predicament re: autoimmune problems (a rare but possible side-effect to the rubella vaccination is a disorder I had as a teenager) and was thinking about single jabs instead. I've been told I can't them anymore.

If you've managed to book your DS in for a single jab I'm guessing they're still available in some places but not others - does anyone know what the situation is?

I'm in Kent but travelled to Guildford in Surrey today for DS's measles jab. As far as I know all the singles apart from mumps are still available. I didn't realise you can give a single vaccine and then switch to MMR later so I will give DS the MMR when he's 18 months old. I think mumps is nastiest for boys so I guess it's about weighing up the risk. Good luck!

Thanks for the info - how did you find a doc to give the single one?
Hope your DS is ok after his jab.

I went on a recommendation on one of these boards actually. It was a private clinic - SurreyGP. I called them first and really liked the way they spoke with me; not patronizing, lots of time to ask questions, good responses, all about options and choice really. Made me feel much better about my decision and how I came to it. Hope you find a solution that works for you...