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Original poster

Spacing out vaccines on NHS

73 replies

Muqi · 11/02/2017 09:29

Hi guys, I'm not posting about advice on vaccines. I want to space out vaccines for my DS where he will only receive 1 jab at a time every 3 weeks. I have my own complete informed schedule which I have supplied to the NHS however so far they are refusing to follow my schedule. Has anyone had any experience where they have been able to get an alternative schedule done on the NHS? If so how did you get them to follow?

OP posts:

JonLay · 12/02/2017 17:04

Well unfortunately for you, current UK legislation does not prevent my child following my "batshit" schedule on the NHS. So no, I won't go private. Thanks for your "input".

SideOfFoot · 12/02/2017 21:36

At your first appointment just have the one, then refuse the others, at the next appointment do the same, they will keep inviting you back for the missed ones and that way you will eventually get what you want. We are still being invited back for missed vaccines!

Y0uCann0tBeSer10us · 12/02/2017 23:19

We spread out the 1 year vaccines for our son after he had some strong reactions to his baby ones (and that was after refusing Rotarix and before Bexsero - I hate to think how he would have coped with all that). The HV agreed with me that it was sensible to spread them out, even though officially the NHS wouldn't have considered that a medical reason to do so (I think you have to be pretty much hospitalised before the NHS will even consider that a vaccine reaction was a problem, but I digress).

I pretty much did as SideofFoot suggests and went to the appointment and only consented to one. For the others I phoned up the HV to arrange it, and then went along and waited at the clinic until she had a spare minute, so I wasn't wasting appointments. We could have waited for the recall, but the admin in our area is pretty inefficient, and we didn't want him exposed for that long. There were no issues with paperwork as he was due to receive them anyway - we just chose to do them separately. I don't think its that unusual tbh.

Personally, I think one of the major reasons that the schedule is arranged as it is, is for clinic convenience - as posters above have said extra appointments take time and money. The evidence against giving vaccines all together would have to be really strong to justify putting on extra clinics, and I don't think it's a question that is on many people's radar, so evidence is unlikely to be forthcoming soon. However, I also believe that spreading the vaccines out both minimises side effects and reduces the risk of needing calpol, which therefore increases effectiveness. (My research sources for this are mainly the JCVI, pubmed and vaccine clinical trial data, and I have a PhD in Biomedical Science plus a decade of post-doctoral experience, so I know how to read a paper.) I think the ideal scientific scenario to balance the need for disease coverage with reducing the number given at any one time would be to give a maximum of two at once, with things like Bexsero given at a separate sitting as the Calpol is known to reduce the effectiveness of all the vaccines given with it. Unfortunately, I think economic factors would scupper that though.

randomsabreuse · 12/02/2017 23:23

Don't do it. Could barely hold DD for 3rd vacs and she was stressed when she went into the nurse's office for my smear -was fine after though. Get them out of the way in as few visits as possible.

Hedgehog80 · 12/02/2017 23:23

Yes, we had a different schedule for vaccinations set by ourselves and the GP was very happy to do it how we requested

Deadsouls · 12/02/2017 23:26

Sorry I think you're being selfish demanding a separate specialised schedule just for your child from the NHS. You need to go private if you want to go by your own exact schedule. You're not entitled to it.

coughsandsneezes · 12/02/2017 23:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

kindfriend · 12/02/2017 23:37

I spaced out DCs 12/13 month injections so that the MMR was given on its own and not with the other jabs normally given at the same time. Nurse was happy to do this. DCs eventually had MMR at around 15/16 months.

I don't think that spacing out ALL the baby jabs is practical or reasonable and you're going to have a hard time finding an NHS provider to agree to it I think.

Deadsouls · 12/02/2017 23:50

If you really believe in your research and it's so important to you, you won't mind paying privately surely.

Canofpeas · 13/02/2017 00:40

As a general approach you could try to understand why the surgery is refusing your request and attempt to reach a compromise.
Failing that you would probably want to contact your CCG who commissions your child's care.

HateSummer · 13/02/2017 00:43

Donald trump, is that you?

TimidLividyetagain · 13/02/2017 00:48

My Kids with autism showed signs before their vaccination. Like they were born autistic. Think about it people actually are doing research on the causes and have theories backed up by science. Seriously if it child is going to be autistic it's already written. A vaccination won't cause it

Sixisthemagicnumber · 13/02/2017 06:45

It isn't just concerns about autism timid, my eldest child was born autistic, I have never thought for one second that the vaccines damaged him as he was poorly from birth with a variety of issues. I still spaced out the final round of vaccines for my
Youngest child as 4 multi vaccines in one go is a lot for any immune system. They added the meningitis B vaccines only in the last couple of years so the amount of vaccines in one go is more than ever and I had concerns about my little one getting poorly from Having so much put into his system at once. He was quite poorly after his first round of vaccines. The reason we took out the MMR is because it made sense to take out one which wasn't a booster of something his system had already had some doses of and was therefore familiar with.
I felt a bit unwell after my
Whooping couch jab and I'm an adult so my tiny child having a multitude of things in one go concerns me.

Crumbs1 · 13/02/2017 06:50

It's not going to happen on NHS because the GP would be guilt you of malpractice. The drugs are given to protect baby at time of optimal risk.
Multiple jabs is just cruel and has potential for png term adverse reaction to pain. Single jab carries much lower risks.
why oh why do people think Google is superior to a medical degree and postgraduate medical training?

scaevola · 13/02/2017 07:27

In the NHS the chances of the jabs being done by a doctor are really small.

The recommended schedule isn't so tight - jabs can be done later and it's still totally safe and offers good protection.

If a drop-in clinic is available, it doesn't really 'cost' the NHS anything to do them in the spaced out way because that clinic would be staffed for its opening hours anyhow.

It's up to the parent to make up their own mind as to whether their baby will be more traumatised by the (same number) of needle pricks being administered on each possible pattern.

The only important thing is that the child is immunised.

randomsabreuse · 13/02/2017 10:05

We had to do the MMR separate from the 1 year jabs - as it's a live vaccine which was an issue for a family member at that point.

Frequent vaccines is a nightmare as they start anticipating trouble - they're not stupid!

TimidLividyetagain · 13/02/2017 20:50

Ah I hope someone comes on that can advise you I know nothing of vaccine spacing for immune system issues, as long as they get immunised is the main thing.

Rknjazev · 22/01/2018 13:24

Muqi I just came across this thread, I have to say I am with on this one. It seems people are giving you grief for your efforts to protect your child. The NHS don't always have our best interests in mind, their main priority is budget, if that means pumping new babies full of multiple vaccines at once then they will. There's no long term evidence on the safety of these combined vaccines. It's not about subjecting a child to lots of separate vaccines. It is spacing them out so the aren't so poorly after, it is a lot for the bodies to take at once. Some I believe aren't necessary at all. It amazes me how many people just do what they are told and don't question things and find out for themselves.

www.vaccinesrevealed.com / thetruthaboutvaccines.com is a good place to start. It takes a lot of time to look through and analyse all of the information and decide which are credible resources, this shouldn't be a decision made lightly.

pigshavecurlytails · 14/03/2018 12:20

www.vaccinesrevealed.com / thetruthaboutvaccines.com is a good place to start.

ha ha ha ha ha! unbelievable. I didn't think anyone was so stupid as to still believe Wakefield (well, except Donald Trump)

amazing

Rknjazev · 17/03/2018 10:44

@pigshavecurlytails believe me stupid is the last thing I am but you go ahead and just do what someone else tells you to do. I prefer to find out for myself and the decide.
I also said 'a good place to start' not the only place to research...

QuinionsRainbow · 17/03/2018 11:34

The only "extra" is the GP giving me more appointments

While the rest of us struggle to get even ONE appointment !

My ghast is flabbered.

Upinthemountains · 26/03/2019 20:56

Fyi there is very valid reasons for doing separately in fact information available to healthcare professionals only for these vaccinations actually recommends it where possible. Don't comment if you're not a specialist in the area, compliance is a big factor in the schedule

KissingInTheRain · 30/03/2019 08:44

Fyi there is very valid reasons for doing separately in fact information available to healthcare professionals only for these vaccinations actually recommends it where possible.

Absolute nonsense.

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