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Original poster

Has anyone had first MMR but not the booster?

15 replies

ediemay · 08/05/2006 12:31

My DS had his MMR but I'm not sure about the booster.
Did anyone opt out at this stage?
I don't want to start an MMR fight, just interested in whether anyone has avoided the booster.

OP posts:

Thomcat · 08/05/2006 12:32

I did the MMR as single vaccines.
We are going to get her blood tested this week to see if she is still immune before giving her the boosters, again as single vaccines.
Apparently if you have them done as single vaccines they are most unlikey to need all 3 again.

brimfull · 08/05/2006 13:00

My ds has had mmr ,at age 2.He is 4 in september and I have decided to opt out of booster.Haven't been approached about it yet.

starlover · 08/05/2006 13:03

no advice i'm afraid, but just curious about why you'd opt out of the booster if you'd already given the MMR?

if you don't have the booster then the chances are that your child will not have immunity to the diseases... thus making the initial jab pointless.

I don't think that the booster is any more dangerous than the actual jab, so if you felt that was safe then why not the booster?

ks · 08/05/2006 13:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

gegs73 · 08/05/2006 13:19

My DS had MMR jab aged about 13 months. He was really ill with it - temp of 104, rash, listless etc etc - basically most of the bad side effects you can get! He was fine after about 3 weeks and no lasting effects, but has really put me off giving him his booster. Think I might try and get his blood tested at some stage to see if he has immunity, which I'm guessing he probably has as his reaction was so bad and if not go for singles.

However, if he had had no or only minor problems after his first I would def not think twice about giving him his booster now.

Original poster

ediemay · 08/05/2006 13:23

Thanks, I appreciate all of the comments.

OP posts:

Jimjamskeepingoffvaxthreads · 08/05/2006 13:27

yep booster is not a booster, as ks has already said. It is to catch the 10%ish of children who have not developed immunity to one bit of it or another, so an anitbody titre will tell you if you need it. HOwever be warned having immunity now does not mean that he will have immunity in 10 years time so you may need to check again (even if you have the "booster" - that isn't a booster)

Uwila · 08/05/2006 14:08

If you have antibodies checked, do they check for all three components? Or do you have to get / pay for 3 separate antibody checks?

Thomcat · 08/05/2006 17:29

Uwilla - Lottie is having her blood checked on Friday, they will check for immunity against all 3 but it'll cost us about 200quid.

Uwila · 08/05/2006 17:36

£200 for an immunity check?!

mousiemousie · 08/05/2006 17:37

Ediemay, I am the same as you! One jab gives you about 95% chance of immunity anyway, and even having 2 jabs doesn't give you 100% chance of immunity. With all the bad publicity I thought having a second jab was too risky for the possible benefit it might bring.

Just heard today that measles incidence is high in our local community though and dd is off colour with a temperature and stomach ache, plus headache...fingers crossed!

Uwila · 08/05/2006 17:41

I read somewhere that if you are in the very early stages of mumps you should get the vaccine because the vaccine protects faster than the disease develops. So, you'll still get measels, but not as severe. Although you might have to catch it at exposure not when the symptoms begin... I'm no expert but it might be worth asking a doctor about it.

sparklemagic · 08/05/2006 17:47

our DS had the jabs seperately too and I will have his immunity tested like others here, before I consider boosters for him.

I have also heard that much of the reason for boosters is sociological rather than clinical, ie to catch people who missed having the jab the first time and so improve herd immunity. Of course herd immunity is not a bad thing, I just think it's worth getting my DS checked before he has a jab or three he might not actually need.

He had his polio/tetanus etc booster on thursday and what I find really interesting is that when he has had these triple vaccines, he has been under the weather, this time has had an extensive and itchy rash all over him...when he has had his single vaccines for measles etc, no effects whatsover.....it's not scientific I know but I feel his system copes better with one thing at a time!

My decision was swung by a man I used to work with who was utterly convinced his daughter's autism was to do with MMR, and seeing his distress and his complete conviction I felt I would be crazy to opt for MMR when singles are available. But again, not based on science as such, just on having someone so devastated in front of me.

singersgirl · 08/05/2006 21:42

When we lived in Singapore, my older son (now 7) didn't get a second MMR because it isn't given there routinely. Neither DS has had a second jab, but only because I never seem to remember when they're both well.

MumtoLaura · 12/05/2006 15:38

Thomcat - How did the immunity test go? I'm taking my DD tomorrow. (Second attempt though, they couldn't get any blood on the first attempt!)

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