Whose babies have had the BCG jab? I have a question.

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My 9-month-old DS is supposed to have the BCG because DH is exposed to cases of TB at work (he's a doctor). Thing is, in France now they only give the v. painful intra-muscular version that can cause blistering and permanent scarring. Complications with are so common that most GPs and paediatricians refuse to give it

My older children, DH and I all had the "ring" jab with several little needles which is a lot less traumatic and leaves no marks. That one is considered by the French health authorities to be less effective, so they have stopped it.

So... can anyone tell me which type is used in the UK now? If it's the ring one we will look into having him vaccinated during our next trip over.

had ds done 7yrs ago with that painful single needle one. Hope someoen more up-to-date can confirm.

He really cried but it was over pretty quick. Good luck.

My daughter had it (we were in West Middlesex hospital under the flight path hence required). She does have a noticeable scar and I can only remember one injection- although I was totally out of it after 30 hour labour. Sorry can't be more help.

x

My two were born at West Middx too and were both given it at birth. One jab each with some blistering which went on for quite a while. No scars now though that I can think of.

Just had a baby 6 weeks ago, his Dad has had tb and is Pakistani so we will be going over there soon...anyway, he had the bcg at one day old, cried for a minute. Then was fine.

my 3 have all had it at birth (also at west mid!) - first has no scarring at all, second came up quite blistery months and months later - is still quite red and 'angry' looking (she is 2)
3rd small scar

As far as i remeber the 7 needle flower prick was to test your immunity for TB, it wasnt the TB jab itself which has always been an intra-muscular injection which scars usually given in upper arm

yes mosschops is right - 11 year olds sometime still have this through school

ds is 10 months and he had his done not long ago. it is the single one and it is getting bigger and looks like it will leave a scar. d had the same one but her one didnt really show up and you cant see it no more.

meant dd

Both my dds had the single one - dd2 had hers in Jan 07 and it's still got a scab on it. dd1 has a scar

The nurse said that it was not as painful as the normal jabs newborns have as it's not done in the muscle. dd2 cried more with the normal jabs

Both mine (west middx again!) had theirs at a few weeks old and neither had any blistering or scarring.

that's what I thought too mosschops, and it can apparently give false neg or positives, not sure how you think of it, but it could say you have natural immunity and it turns out you don't.
mine both had french tb jab and do both have scars but you wouldn't notice them tbh unless looking hard.

One of my mindees had the single jab (South London) last year. It obviously hurt, as any needle would, but by the time we left the surgery she was over it and didn't even need a consolation lolly! It took a long time of the scab to form and drop off, about 4 months I think.

My DS had a single jab at about 3 weeks - I assume it was intra-muscular, it was in his upper arm.

No complications and no ill-effects - didn't require calpol. But it does seem to be permanently scarred. He is 1 now and still has a little red blister. On the plus side, several people have told me that permanent scarring is a possibility when they are given it young but almost a certainty if you receive it as an adolescent. So overall he may have a smaller mark iyswim.

Mosschops - I think you are right, I'm confusing the multi-needle heaf test with the jab.

BUT the jab we all had in the past was an intradermal one (that doesn't hurt much) and the only one used in France since the end of 2005 is an intramuscular one that is apparently - so say all the doctors in France that won't give it - extremely painful as well as leaving scars and ulcers etc.

Margo - sounds like the intradermal one is used in the UK...

Can anyone confirm?

PS I think the intradermal one can also leave a small mark, but nothing comparable to the intramuscular one.

DS had single needle BCG at 24 hours old in January 2006. He slept through the innoculation and it didn't scar at all.

My DD had BCG at the start of the year in the UK. I'm sure it was intradermal as the needle did not go in terribly deep.
Is there any way to pay and get the intradermal one?

No pibble, they have taken it off the market entirely. It's utterly ridiculous, it's almost impossible to find a doctor who will do the new jab, yet the BCG is still compulsory in France and schools and nurseries won't accept children who haven't had it!