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Original poster

BCG for 3 year old - advice needed urgently!

23 replies

Hungrymama · 23/08/2006 13:34

HELP!! A child in my dd's class contracted TB and consequently she's being offered the BCG vaccination. Chances of her getting TB are supposed to be 'very, very small' - so I'm thinking - why on earth should I put her through an unpleasant jab?? Has anyone else been through a similar situation and what do you advise? Have to make a quick decision as jab is due tomorrow.

OP posts:

Uwila · 23/08/2006 14:34

Don't think the jab is that unpleasant. it goes just under the skin rather than jabbing the needle into the muscle.

But, my nephew caught TB in Chicago so that convinced me you can get it anywhere. So DS had it when he was 2 days old, before we left the hospital. DD has never had it as she was born in Epsom and it isn't on offer there.

BUT... I thought you had to do a test first if they are older. Can't remember what it's called.

Uwila · 23/08/2006 14:35

Found it...

Heaf test
A heaf test is done prior to BCG vaccination in all persons over the age of 3 months. A small device with 6 small needles introduces a small amount of Tuberculin protein onto the forearm. After 3-10 days the site is examined.

If the test is 'positive' a red raised reaction is seen at the site and the BCG vaccination is not given.

A 'negative' response with no raised red area indicates that vaccination is necessary.

Original poster

Hungrymama · 23/08/2006 19:02

We've had the test already - we had the mantoux which is not as gentle as the heaf. Results are read officially tomorrow, but as there's no visible signs I can be pretty certain they'll recommend the vaccine. My worry is - how bad will the reaction be?

OP posts:

Original poster

Hungrymama · 23/08/2006 19:04

anyone else had experience of this - wld love to hear from anyone with a toddler who had this jab .. how bad were the side effects??

OP posts:

alex8 · 23/08/2006 19:04

In London most babies haveit at birth of the first few weeks. I didn't notice any reaction except some weeping at the site of the injection.

Californifrau · 23/08/2006 19:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Hungrymama · 23/08/2006 19:12

I think that it's probably a case of 'the earlier the better', I can only remember having it as a teenager and it was a bad jab. I know babies have an easier time of it. The leaflet talks about a 'red lump that may begin to look like an ulcer' - oh great - so don't think I want to inflict that on my little girl ... We're going away this weekend and don't want it all spoiled by a weeping wound!!!!

OP posts:

cece · 23/08/2006 19:16

dd and ds both had it on the day they were born. They have no mark or anything on their arms. I on the other hand had it as a teenager and have a scar.

Personnaly I would have the jab rather than risk catching TB.

cece · 23/08/2006 19:17

Have just remembered the site did become a bit red and inflamed but it soon died down. Didn't seem to bother them but then they were newborns?!

Original poster

Hungrymama · 23/08/2006 19:31

yeah, thanks gals I think basically most people either have it as a baby or a teenager. This has only come about because one unfortunate family got it in our class. I guess I was just thrown by the unexpectedness of it. Another of the joys of motherhood - holding your child down while they are given a painful injection and then having to explain why you made them have it afterwards ...

OP posts:

roisin · 23/08/2006 19:35

DSs recently had TB jabs. Tbh the skin test was worse than the actual jab - so no worries there.

A TB jab does turn into a scab. But it doesn't start to come up for 7-10 days. When they come up you have to try not to knock the scab, but it's best left uncovered (except for swimming). The scabs were most tender 14-21 days, but were never "a weeping wound" or anything.

Original poster

Hungrymama · 23/08/2006 19:44

Thanks Roisin, that's EXACTLY what I needed to hear!!!

I think I'll go ahead and hope nothing too dire comes up over the weekend. In a few days/weeks I can cope!!

OP posts:

VeniVidiVickiQV · 23/08/2006 19:49

There are no side effects whatsoever. Only one thing you have to be mindful of is that if you use emolients or steroid creams for eczma, you have to avoid the scab area with it until it has healed.

Other than that - absolutely nothing to worry about.

Uwila · 23/08/2006 21:24

Another thing is that the scab can take a really long time to heal. DS's scab didn't heal for almost a year. But, it's fine now. This bothers some people, but my view is that a little scab is much better than TB.

suedonim · 24/08/2006 02:27

Probably too late for you but my dd had BCG when she was five - not a toddler but neither a baby nor teenager. The injection was an easy one, over and done with v quickly and much better than the Hep B ones we had (oweeeeee!). She had a red lump for a while which eventually burst and was a bit raw looking but nothing too yukky. It healed over pretty quickly after that. Hth.

BudaBabe · 24/08/2006 02:30

TB is on the increase so prob best to have the jab tbh.

Hope it's OK!

Original poster

Hungrymama · 01/09/2006 20:53

Thanks one and all . We went for it in the end! All a bit of a shambles, with the needle coming out and squirting a drop onto my finger, but (according to the nurse) 'nothing to worry about' ! The best thing is it's all behind us now and dd is beginning to forget about it all. Hoorah .

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harrisey · 01/09/2006 22:16

2 weeks after my 18mo and 3.5 yo (at the time) had their jabs they both developed weeping infected ulcers on their arms, which popped and it was disgusting! Didnt happen to the older girl. It doesnt affect the effectiveness of the jag but it was quite sore, especially for dd2 who was the youngest. Worth watching out for?

turkEgyptlets · 19/12/2006 09:00

hi
sorry but bringing this thread back to life. my dd is having to have a TB jab tomorrow, no heaf test needed apparently. she is 2.5 (we are moving to singapore) and a combined Hep AB jab on thursday. read lower down that the hepb jab is worse than the tb! i remember the TB being terrible when i was 15. they held the needle in my arm for what seemed like 20 secs and asked me to read a sheet of text to distract me. is it still this bad?! q concerned actually .

thanks for any advice and reassurance in advance - (she says hopefully!)

sandcastlesforanaussiexmas · 19/12/2006 13:30

Dd has just had her final Hep jabs (needed 3 to get up to date for Austrlia)

The first she has 2 jabs, 1 in each arm & cried for ages. That was Hep, Hib & Pnuemococcal.

Then she had just a Jep, cried for the duration, but was distracted by the lolly MIL gave her.

Then another Hep, on Monday. Same as above.

She has a small raised bump this time, which she didn't have each of the other times, but she wiggled & I didn't have the best grip & also the nurse covered it with a plaster, instead of cotton wool/microtape, so not sure.

She was fine in her self each time, although to day she did mention her arm ached a bit.

sandcastlesforanaussiexmas · 19/12/2006 13:31

Hep, not Jep!

suedonim · 19/12/2006 21:54

When dd2 got her BCG it was all over very quickly. The Dr said they really just scratch the skin with the needle rather than injecting it deep down, like other jabs. Good luck!

turkEgyptlets · 20/12/2006 17:17

just had it. not nice. think it would have gone better if the nurse didnt make a big deal out of it. bless her, she was lovely, but she went on about what she was going to do to her and if she was a big girl she would get a sticker...then got another nurse in to help me hold her. bless her. she was as still as can be throughout and after then about 10 secs later screamed the place down. think she was so confused as to what had happened and why. whereas our practice nurse who gave her the typhoid on fri just did it and we all had to say 'jack rabbits!' there was no prep talk. dd didnt even notice. this jab did take a lot longer though, and i watched it put in just under the skin. it must really sting.

hepA and B tomorrow!
with our practice nurse....

thanks for your messages

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