Pre school booster schedule...has it changed? And why?...

[Becaroooo]

Ds2 is 3.5 next month.

Got a letter last week for him to have his pre school booster (MMR, polio, dip etc) tomorrow.

This seemed a bit odd to me as ds1 (albeit 5 years older) didnt have his booster til he was 4.3 - just before he started school. Ds2 doesnt start school til Sept nexy year.

Rang the GP surgery and spoke to the lady who deals with sending the letter out and apparently its 3.4 as a minimum age for the booster now.

I have a few questions;
Why is it now 3.4?
He will only just be 3.4...this week so should I postpone it?
If he isnt starting school til Sept 2013 does he need it yet?

He does start pre school after easter so maybe it would be a good idea to get him immunised before then???

Sorry for all the questions but am very confused...my older sons red book states age 3-5 for teh booster and ds2's states 3.5-4 yet the lady I spoke to said its 3.4 minimum. I pointed out he isnt even 3.4 yet and she said he is in weeks???

wwyd?

it has been like this with my dc (5y) as well.
I think it is to update the vaccine at the start of preschool (=exposure to many many wonderfull bugs)
in some other country 2 (or even 3) jabs are given at 12 + 18 months.

you don't have to take him to get the jab now, but if he is in pre-school or starting soon it might be a good idea.

hmmm...just not sure what to do for the best...thanks for replying!

He was fine with his other jabs.

I would do (actually, I did) the MMR now, just because the past couple of years have been really bad for measles in Europe, and would do the DTaP closer to school entry, because child who has had 4 of them already will be perfectly protected until 4.5 or 5. Also, I am very much a 1 shot per visit person.

Thanks.

my ds had his done at 3y 4m too. He had absolutely no side effects. He didnt start school until he was 4½ years old but was at nursery so was in contact with lots of children each day

Schedulae has been 3yrs 4 mths - 5 yrs for a long time now. When MMR was given nearer 18 mths the pre school was generally given later too. Giving them before a child starts full time school also increases the uptake among parents.