Hidden meningitus vaccine - I'm about to pay for one, advice please...

[Lauraa83]

Hello

After reading about a campaign to introduce this new vaccine in a 2005 issue of prima baby magazine, I contacted a clinic near where I live called the Desumo (sp?) clinic, it's in Ledbury Herefordshire. Anyway sorry for being a bit vague, I have lost web address, emails etc as they were on an old pc, but I was told that there is a vaccine for this pnumococcal (spelling again?) meningitus, one called prevenar, which is the one that I think was on the news the other day as it is for younger babies, but my son is nearly 20months and there is another version of this vaccine for older children. I was told to wait until he was 2 to have this vaccine which costs about £120 as it is most effective then. Sorry but I cannot remember names, spellings but just wondered if anyone has any information on this?

TIA

It's called Pneumovax. Your GP can order it for you even if your child is not 'high risk' and you can buy it for about £40. Or you can go to a private clinic. The one for infants is Prevenar, the one for over 2s is Pneumovax.

That's it! Thanks! Like I said I have no email records etc and couldn't remember details!

Just a consultation at the private clinic is £50 so will try with GP now, thanks for the info.

Does anyone know about the level of protection with this vaccine? Or side effects... or anything else I should know?

I have searched it on google and read pages about both vaccines but just wondered if anyone had had this for their child?

Another question about meningitus - the 2,3 and 4 month injections protect against one type of meningitus don't they? So if this prevenar/pnumovax protects against another, is that it or is there yet another type of it?

Lauraa83

Every child has a vaccination at 2,3 and 4 months for Meningitis C strain and Hib meningitis.

The new Prevenar vaccine against pneumcoccal meningitis will be at 2, 4 and 12 months.

If your child is 20 months then i would check that he doesn't need the prevenar and pneumovax as my niece is 3 years old is having two prevenar and one pneumovax.
Give the meningitis research foundation a call and they will give you all the information you need.

Here is the new immunisation programme starting 2006/2007

New Vaccination Schedule:

2 months:
5-in-one - Hib meningitis, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio
Pneumococcal vaccine

3 months:
5-in-one - Hib meningitis, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio
MenC vaccine

4 months:
5-in-one - Hib meningitis, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio
Pneumococcal vaccine
MenC vaccine

12 months:
Hib/MenC booster

13 months:
MMR - Measles, mumps and rubella
Pneumococcal vaccine

Catch up:
Pneumococcal vaccine will be offered to all children under the age of two years

Hope this helps.