Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Anyone given their baby the BCG (TB) vaccination???

18 replies

Ash80 · 27/02/2007 16:06

Im an unsure weather to give my 6 month old ds the BCG vaccination.As we will be travelling to Asia and Africa quite alot. I would prefer not to give it but my dh doesn't understand why.

OP posts:
TeeCee · 27/02/2007 16:08

I'm really funny about vaccinations and question them all but in some sort of haze having just given birth and being really tired, I have no idea what I was thinking DD2 had hers when she was 1 day old!

With DD1 who is 5 a letter just came home from school asking if we'd like our kids to have the BCG now if not already done.

sleepycat · 27/02/2007 16:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Ash80 · 27/02/2007 16:15

Tee Cee-
Will you give your dd1 the BCG

OP posts:
Original poster
Ash80 · 27/02/2007 16:16

I think if you give it to newborns, there is less complications and bruising

OP posts:
TeeCee · 27/02/2007 16:19

I haven't decided tbh.
I think I probably will but need to think on it some more.

dassie · 27/02/2007 16:19

Where do you live? I am in London and will be giving mine the injection ASAP. TB is a horrible disease and it is all the more prevalent in this country - not helped by the fact that we are 'under immunised'.

I know 3 people who have had TB in the past 2 years (and they had not been living or travelling abroad in that time).

My sister in Bristol wasn't given the choice of giving it to her baby as it is not considered a problem there. So it does depend where you live.

Both dh and I had it at very young ages (both abroad) and no problems.

Cassoulet · 27/02/2007 16:24

I had the BCG when I was 2 because a rather silly aunt had TB and came to stay with us before going to a clinic in Switzerland (she wanted to say goodbye, in case things didn't turn out well). She didn't mention she was ill until she'd been with us for a week. My brothers were 4 and 6m. It was fine for all of us, though I have a small dimple in my right thigh where the vacc was given. And I didn't have to have it when I was a teenager.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 27/02/2007 16:25

AFAIK there are no contraindications with the BCG injection.

You should just get it done, IMVHO.

TeeCee · 27/02/2007 16:29

I think it's good to question injections and bot just accept all the ages and way they are done etc. But have to say can't think of any reason not to go ahead with the majority of them. I did the MMr as seperate vaccines and wish I hadn't have said yes to the BCG for DD2 when she was only a day old , but other than that I've immunised them against everything so far. I just like to look into it all a bit before i do so.

mm22bys · 27/02/2007 16:38

It's standard in some parts of London, my two DSs have had it at their six week checkups.

It does leave a horrible mark for several months (friends in Oz saw it on DS1s arm and wondered what on earth it was) but it does eventually clear up.

summer111 · 27/02/2007 19:11

My health visitor recommended that both my children have the BCG as I'm Irish and there is supposed to be a greater prevelence of TB at home???
Another of my friends who is Indian, was recommended it for the same reason. Anyhow, both had it at around 6 weeks and from what I can remember it was given like a stamp on their upper left arm. I think it was like lots of tiny pin pricks so not like having a needle jabbed into thier skin, like their other vaccinations. I can't remember having any problems with it afterwards and certainly neither have any marks or scars as a result.
Better safe than sorry in my books!
Good luck.

PrincessPeaHead · 27/02/2007 19:21

it is a great jab. there is a lot more tb in this country than there used to be - IIRC there were some cases in a nursery in Wandsworth a few years ago as well.

Give it. 3 out of 4 of mine had it at birth (the last one didn't get it because of a national shortage of vaccine)

iris66 · 27/02/2007 19:29

neither my 13mth or 18yr old have had it due to vaccine shortages. There's a lot of useful info on this site
about vaccines though(i'm not particularly pro or anti - just haven't made up my mind yet)

iris66 · 27/02/2007 19:31

sorry - link didn't work.... \link{http://wddty.co.uk/here}

iris66 · 27/02/2007 19:33

or even this/...

this

iris66 · 27/02/2007 19:34

and I still got it wrong... there's stuff on the site about this..really!!

NotanOtter · 27/02/2007 19:36

i am going to give mine it but they are high risk - i delayed until the plus jeune was 1

VeniVidiVickiQV · 27/02/2007 19:52

TB is on the increase - at quite a rate. I had to have it at a few months old, as did my brothers, and my two also had to have because my mother had TB when she was young and it never goes away. So, should the calcifications in her lungs break open, its very possible that the infection would break out and close family would be at risk.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread