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Children's health

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Original poster

Anyone paid to get a child's BCG done? I need to decide where to take her.

29 replies

Aranea · 27/02/2009 13:45

I have just had my baby's BCG done, but apparently my 4yo is not eligible to have it on the NHS. I feel it would be wrong to vaccinate one but not the other, so I want to get it done privately.

I've found two places offering it - the hospital of St John & St Elizabeth, where it would be done in the paediatric dept and they would do an immunity test beforehand, and a travel clinic in Victoria (medicentre I think it's called), who wouldn't bother with the test as she is under 6.

The travel clinic is a lot cheaper. But do I just go for the cheaper option? Does anyone know whether perhaps a paediatrician would be better at administering it to a young child than a travel clinic doctor? And does anyone know why they have different policies about doing the immunity test and which I should go for?

I am so worried about doing it at all, as I have vivid memories of how painful it was when I had mine done at school.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

thisisyesterday · 27/02/2009 20:07

no experience, but bumping for you

PSCMUM · 27/02/2009 20:19

why isn't this available on the NHS? that sounds very unlikely to me - are you sure you have had correct advice? my GP surgery are always trying to get people to come in andhvae their kids immunised, i think we even have leaflets that encourga epeople to come in even if they missed out when the kids were babies - 'its never too late' kind of messages. sounds really really odd the NHS wouldn't want to do this.

Insanity · 27/02/2009 20:26

My dd had the BCG when she was born, but my ds who was 16 mths at the time was not offered it and when I enquired, I was told that it is only available on the NHS for newborns.

I never got my ds BCG as I assume he will have it done when he is at school, I did think it was wrong to do one dc but not the other, but my ds was not born in the same place as my dd.

I think it depends on the area you are in when you have your baby and if this is a high risk of TB.

Original poster

Aranea · 27/02/2009 20:28

It's offered routinely for babies up to a year old where I live, and then after that you are only entitled to it if you fall into a high-risk category - so if your family is from a country with high TB rates, or if you spend a lot of time in high-risk countries.

Since they think my baby has been born into a high enough risk area of London to be vaccinated, I don't understand the logic whereby my older child is not eligible, but it really does seem to be the case.

OP posts:

Original poster

Aranea · 27/02/2009 20:30

Insanity - the nurse who did my baby's BCG told me that they no longer vaccinate school-age children.

OP posts:

KerryMumbles · 27/02/2009 20:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sidge · 27/02/2009 20:44

It's not offered routinely to all newborns, and it's not given in school any more.

Whether a child is eligible depends on where they live as well as familial risk and exposure.

This site will tell you more about BCG.

The Health Protection Agency also have some info here

Insanity · 27/02/2009 20:50

Well, now it seems I will now be searching to get my son vaccinated - and they wonder why TB is on the increase - NHS madness!

We too lived in a apparantly high risk area of London when my daughter was born - now we live in a very under-populated area (for the next year anyway, then who knows

PSCMUM · 27/02/2009 20:52

o i get it now - we live in east london, lots of TB here, so that is probably why the bcg is available virtually round every corner for every kid

KerryMumbles · 27/02/2009 20:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Aranea · 27/02/2009 20:55

It's daft, isn't it? It's not as if people are segregated by borough. The BCG nurse told me about a school in Scotland where the teacher contracted TB on holiday and infected almost the entire class.

OP posts:

Original poster

Aranea · 27/02/2009 20:57

I know the efficacy of the vaccination is questioned, but I did read that it offers better protection against the meningitis form that can attack young children than against the form which adults tend to contract.

Was a bit disappointed for myself to read that the jab only protects you for about 15 years though!

OP posts:

Insanity · 27/02/2009 20:57

I remember being told something like that too Kerrymumbles. Imsure when my dd had it they said when she is due it at school she would still have the titter test to make sure immunity had lasted - which is now pointless if they dont vaccinate at school!

CaptainKarvol · 27/02/2009 21:02

I think the efficacy of the vaccine is only about 60%. Pretty low. And that TB rates are rising mainly due to immigration, not native transmission of the disease. NHS now only bothers with it in 'high risk' areas, mainly in parts of London. Though I agree that it's an odd idea that you are all segregated by borough!

ABetaDad · 27/02/2009 21:06

The NHS only vaccinate children against TB in high risk areas. London is one of them I believe.

Our DS1 was done as he ws born in London but DS2 was done privately as we moved out of London before he was born.

Sidge · 27/02/2009 21:07

TB is apparently actually quite hard to catch, and the vaccine is not particularly efficient. The consultant who lectured at my TB/BCG study day told us that it's actually better to target the vaccine to higher-risk areas (as they are now doing) and contact trace known cases to offer immunisation.

Apparently because it's a fairly easily treated disease and it's not highly virulent it's better to use funds to treat people that have brought it into the UK and only vaccinate those that are at significant risk.

Original poster

Aranea · 27/02/2009 21:09

ABetaDad - did you take him to a travel clinic then?

OP posts:

Original poster

Aranea · 27/02/2009 21:10

Sidge - it just doesn't make sense to me that my baby lives in a high enough risk area to be targeted, but my 4yo apparently doesn't.

OP posts:

KerryMumbles · 27/02/2009 21:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LynetteScavo · 27/02/2009 21:18

I'm not sure if we are a high risk area - small town in midlands- but DS1 was offered BSG in reception - becuase a grandparent had been born in a certain country. (Which he left at 19 and with which we have hardly any conections)

I decided not to go for it - I don't consider ourselves high risk and my nice had a nasty reaction from hers.

Also DD and DS1 have never been ofered it.

With a DC I would go for the expensive option if I were to have it done.

KerryMumbles · 27/02/2009 21:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sidge · 27/02/2009 21:26

Aranea - babies under 1 are at higher risk than over-ones if I remember, hence why older children are not routinely vaccinated.

Kerry - schools are not allowed to notify you but the Health Protection Agency and Public Health would carry out a risk assessment and notify parents as needed.

KerryMumbles · 27/02/2009 21:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sidge · 27/02/2009 21:30

If his cough was due to confirmed TB then the HPA and PH would be involved and I expect you would know by now.

ABetaDad · 28/02/2009 10:01

Aranea - no we took DS1 and DS2 to a private doctor in Oxfordshire that did 3 single individual jabs for MMR and he also did TB jabs on request.

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