Declining 8 week vaccinations for my baby - experiences?

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I don't want this to be about whether you should or shouldn't vaccinate your baby. I have chosen not to and I'm looking for experiences from others who have done the same. What did you say? What did the doctor say? Did you discuss vaccination once the child was older or flat out decline all vaccines?

RubbishRobot - thanks for mentioning MenB, are you certain it's coming on NHS? I was thinking of getting it privately done!

My children had MMR combined vaccine. When I looked into separate jabs I discovered that at that time they were not manufactured or licensed as separates in the UK. The only way to get separates is for them to be imported from other countries. I was unable to find out how rigorous the testing and development/regulation was abroad so chose to safely vaccinate with approved combined vaccine. All those who say 'I will choose separate MMR' have you actually looked into it? Are you satisfied that is a safe option?

HappyGoLuckyGirl that link to cartoon is brilliant and amazing. Thank you.

aattp.org/this-magnificent-comic-strip-lays-waste-to-the-anti-vaxxer-movement-so-completely-it-may-never-recover/

Is there a UK version of it, I wonder? Showing UK rates?

I do find it staggeringly sad that some people can allow ignorance to put their own children at risk of serious illness and even death. Although it is very selfish I can sort of understand that some parents will say forget herd immunity, all I care about is my child but if you really do care about your child why would you ever put them at risk from such terrible illnesses!

Iforgottotellyou I am sorry to here you had chicken pox. I had my son vaccinated against chicken pox. He has had no compilations. It did cost money and was complicated. I did it because I thought, based on science, it was best for him. Chicken pox is vaccinated in some other countries and it can (in some extreme cases) be fatal. Just for the record my son (3 at the time) said 'Ouch, that hurt.' most indignantly, then in seconds was fine!

LadyLoxley sorry to hear about your children, glad they are Ok. I had no idea of chicken pox vaccine when my dd was little so she had chicken pox and has had no ill affects but I do know of a child very scarred by he spots.

Artistic it will be introduced into the schedule in the UK but there is no date yet. It will be offered to children at probable intervals of 2, 4 and 12 months of age.

Camille that's an interesting point that a lot of parents don't seem to realise. There is not always sufficient evidence that single vaccines imported have been stored and transported properly, kept in the cold chain, or that records were accurately kept.

We had some parents some years ago very worried because they thought we (as their GP surgery) had been informed of their children receiving single vaccines along with dates, batch numbers and site of injection. We had received nothing from the private companies so basically their children had been immunised with goodness knows what, when and where. They had no records either and when they tried to call the clinic the number was no longer in existence. Very worrying.

Artistic MenB is going to be introduced, I don't think the date has been decided or at least not publicised. I couldn't believe when the committee refused to approve it the first time.

X-post with sidge

if only the govt would allow single vaccines for mmr, i am convinced a lot of mmr-refusers would have had their kids vaccinated. we could also have just had the measles vax (complicated, ds immunosuppressed, mmr triggered a bit of a crisis. he only needed measles vax, having already caught mumps )

if only the govt would allow single vaccines for mmr

they do allow it. They just don't pay for it.

They dont "allow" paying for it for the Mumps vaccine because they won't grant an import licence for the single mumps vaccine - which is no longer being produced by Merck as not economically viable as a result.

Why pay twice for something when there is a safe and viable alternative?

Does anyone know if there are plans to introduce the CP vaccine into the schedule? Particularly now there is a shingles vaccine?

I had both my DDs vaccinated against CP privately BTW. Just in case that makes a difference

Men B will be introduced to the schedule. If your children were born after this introduction, you have to go private to get it unless you have a sympathetic GP.

I have a child who died of a non-preventable illness, pneumonia following a risky allogenic stem cell transplant needed to treat her cancer, and hope to be able to get the Men B for our surviving children. But if not we'll save up.

There was no way to prevent our child's death. Every day since is hard at best. I cannot imagine how I would feel if there had been some way to prevent the disease which resulted in her untimely demise, but I as a parent opted not to provide it for her when it was freely available.

I wonder how healthcare providers in paed hospitals feel, when they treat children who are in there for diseases their parents chose not to vaccinate them against.

They were all in tears when DD1 died and strove heroically to try to save her. Cancer and its treatment had ravaged her young body too much.

As it was, had she lived, infection would have been as big a risk to her life as a relapse of her cancer, and since she had a cord blood transplant, she would not have been able to have vaccines (yes, she would have to have been completely re-vaccinated) until 18 months post transplant, and then in stages lasting to 24 months post-transplant.

DS had chickenpox vaccine because DD1 was having chemo. But he was 3 and had only one jab and I was not around for it. Might have him topped up in the US. The vaccines are free there through a federal programme.

tethersend I'm not aware of any plans to introduce chickenpox vaccine into the childhood schedule.

The NHS webpage explains why.

Does anyone know if there are plans to introduce the CP vaccine into the schedule? Particularly now there is a shingles vaccine?

I asked our practice nurse this very question yesterday when I took DD for her latest vaccine. She said she couldn't see it happening soon.

Men B is the next priority.

I have done the cpox vaccine privately. Worth every penny. Children at my child's nursery were badly affected by an outbreak before Christmas - some had close to two weeks off and were very poorly. I'm so glad I spared my children that.

Didn't mean that to sound smug - I'm fortunate we could afford to pay for it. Seems a shame it has to be that way though.

I hesitated about vaccination, the mercury preservative that they were still using then bothered me a bit. Then I had a chat with the HV or GP (can't remember which, it was 10 years ago) who gave me the contact number for the vaccination consultant. I had a good discussion with her, diod some reading of my own, came to my senses and went for the whole vaccination schedule for both DCs. I am absolutely convinced that this was the right decision for my children and their community. Hopefully the same will happen to you OP.

Like in some parts of America, non vaxd kids should not be allowed into ANY school setting.

Thanks Sidge- most of that link focuses on the shingles risk to older people. Since a the shingles vaccine could eradicate this risk, I can only assume that the main reason is cost? For that risk to be eradicated, a shingles vaccine would also have to be introduced, the cost of which is also a factor I suppose...

Carla, we could barely afford the CP vaccine, but (besides the fact that we'd known children hospitalised with it), we worked out that it was cheaper than one of us taking two weeks off work to look after a CP afflicted child.

expatinscotland I am so very sorry to hear of your loss of your beloved daughter. I know a small number of people who have lost children and it is beyond devastating. I cannot imagine why parents would feel a vaccination would be so bad in comparison to that.

Does anyone know if my son needs another CP vax? He had one, age 3. He is 6 now. He had it on the NHS due to DD1's chemo. He's been exposed since then, multiple times, but has not contracted it.

Need to make that appointment to see if I can get them the Men B here so we can have it done in the US if not.

Both mine had two jabs, expat- they were given at least six weeks apart, which I think is standard practice now. Sorry can't be more helpful.

Thanks, tether. Need to ring back. He had it in March, 2012. But DD1 died in July, 2012. DD2 was titred for it, even though she had had it, caught it from DD1 quite badly, but CP could have killed DD1 in her state then. DD2 showed immunity to CP. Still, if she wants to go to school in the US she will need to show proof of immunity or get a CP jab.

A friend's child died of complications of CP. The jab was licensed, but she did not know it even existed. Believe me, this causes her so much more pain.

Need to ask about Men B, too.

A lot of people think, 'Well, it won't happen to me. Or if it does, it won't be so bad.'

It isn't. It's worse.

Sidge thank you for the link to the NHS site. I am very surprised the website draws a connection with chicken pox and shingles in that way.

I did read this...

Chickenpox Vaccine Not Responsible for Rise in Shingles

And there is a vaccine against shingles.

This is one area where the 'herd' protection mentality does for me get questioned! Because if/when I feel it is safer for my children to be vaccinated against an illness, which will keep them safe but may inadvertently affect other older people in the community (not that I think it will, if I have read the 'Chickenpox Vaccine Not Responsible for Rise in Shingles' article right). Then I have to say my 'responsibility' is to my children and not to the whole of the community, and I did pay for my son to have the chicken pox vaccine.

Ironically, my understanding is that actually my choice have myself and my children vaccinated against flu (when I could - it is not always possible to get flu vaccine for healthy children even if you are prepared to pay for it) may be helpful to older people in the community! By making it less likely they will get flu. And by having my kids MMR vaccinated etc I am helping those in my community who cannot be vaccinated. Win win!

Luckily, in most cases my choice to have my children vaccinated, or rather not to opt out of the NHS programmes of vaccinations, is helpful in my community.

Also, as what may be called an early adopter of vaccines, by having dd vaccinated against Pneumococcal 10 years ago, and paying for it, maybe I was part of the general move towards making that part of the standard immunisations! Well maybe not! But it is interesting that I had dd vaccinated against flu and paid and now children are vaccinated for free. I just wish they would extend to all kids as getting an under 13 vaccinated in all the places adults can be for a small fee is very hard!

OP you said you did not want a debate but really it is hard to read about people choosing not to use vaccines and not feel the need to share experiences.

expatinscotland speak to your gp opr whoever gave the jab. My ds had two shots a short time apart when aged 3. He is 4 now.