MMR confusion

[Happy1984]

Hi everyone
I was planning to have my little boy immunised for MMR with the separate injections but have just read that certain variations have now been discontinued nationally.
My reason for separate injections is that I have a brother who is severely autistic, with his symptoms only happening immediately after his MMR when he was around 18mo. Could be coincidence, we will never know, but I wouldn't be able to sleep at night having given my son combined MMR just in case.
Has anyone else gone for separate injections? Can you share your experience pls?
Thanks so much, there's so much info out there, all a bit confusing and I just want to be informed!

Whatever your thoughts the op has her reasons. We are all entitled to bring our children up in our own way, please be respectful.
I’m sorry I have no advice on the single immunisations. Have you spoken to your health visitor? Or gp?

I don't really like the thread title.

You are not confused. You are choosing to reject the entire evidence base in favour of anecdote.

In UK you have the legal right to do this, and I do think it is better for a child to have the single measles shot than receive no vaccination at all (despite that being rather shit in terms of both protection for that child and also the suppression of communicable disease in a population which is living ever more densely)

Most cities have private doctors who will source a single jab for you, on the basis that some protection is better than none. You do better to travel to London, as the larger clinics are more likely to have adequate logistics (meaning the drug has been transported and stored correctly and is likely to be efficacious)

Mumps vaccine is not currently produced as a single jab anywhere globally.

Please do bear in mind, OP, that with a strong genetic link to ASD, your little boy may well exhibit ASD behaviours anyway. It will happen around the same time - that’s when it usually happens.

There is absolutely no link between MMR and autism. Whatever your feelings towards vaccinations remember that. Any 'link' you are seeing is purely coincidental.

Chocolatecake Whilst that’s true, it’s a very emotive subject because it isn’t just their own children they’re impacting.

Hi OP,

I suspect that no amount of people on this thread telling you that the link between MMR and autism has been completely 100% disproven will put your mind at ease. I can kind of understand why you would be concerned given your brother's autism, even though it's entirely unlikely that MMR was the cause. I think you're getting a rough ride here because there have been a number of shady posts recently re vaccines intended to push an anti-vaccine agenda, and people might suspect yours to be one of those.

In all things medical, first port of call for me would always be the NHS website.

Here, they offer a very clear, reasoned and evidence-based explanation as to why they don't offer single vaccines AND why you should be suspicious of clinics that do.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/mmr-questions-answers/

www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/mmr-how-is-it-given/

If it were me making the decision (I know it's not) I would follow the guidance and go with MMR.

Your son may have autism, due to the genetic element it runs in families.

Effed up the link

Trying again...

www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/mmr-questions-answers/

Practice nurse here. Single vaccines are not subject to the same import regulations, monitoring and checks etc, so for example, the cold chain may not be as stringent which can affect the efficacy of the vaccine. Paying parents are non the wiser. I wouldn't touch them personally.
There is no greater incidence of autism in those children that have had the mmr than those that haven't. Research has shown that. And there are pockets of measles outbreaks again so don't delay.

Also, please be aware that as your son has a genetic disposition towards ASD, he may have some immunodeficiencies that make dealing with these awful diseases even harder should they be unlucky enough to contract them.

Thanks very much everyone. I've just joined Mumsnet and this is my first post so was unaware of any previous posting on the subject.
Thanks to everyone who offered actual feedback and didn't simply make me feel like an idiot or bad mum. It's crazy so many people on here instantly took me down. No wonder mums feel lonely.

It isn't crazy that people are angry at anti vaxxers. Anti vaxxers are the reason why harmful diseases are still in existence. If you want to not vaccinate that is up to you. As separate vaccinations are not available you have 2 choices - to vaccinate or not to. If you are going to not vaccinate then expect to receive the wrath of the many people angry that people who make choices like that correctly receive for putting people at risk.

Mums feel lonely when their children are in hospital with preventable diseases because herd immunity has been compromised.

It’s an emotive subject.

I'm going to vaccinate on schedule with everyone else!!!

Happy- it’s not personal but the level of vaccinations is dropping because of false claims about MMR on the Internet. This raises risks for many vulnerable people and it really is a life and death issue. It’s important that misapprehensions about the MMR are addressed head-on. I don’t think any of the posters here were unkind, instead many are frustrated that these rumours continue to surface.

I'm not an anti vaxxer. Please read my original post if you're going to comment.

OP never said she wasn’t going to vaccinate, she asked for others experience of the single vaccines, and was told accordingly.

@3out

For me, the suggestion that there could be a link between the MMR and autism in the OP’s original post and that “we’ll never know” was troubling.

I think most people have made the leap here that if you can’t get single vaccinations (and it’s difficult) that you might not bother. People are keen to dispel myths about the links with MMR and ASD because they’ve been so very damaging.

I believe it's a supply issue. I have my now 21 yr old son separate vaccines. He only had one mumps one because single mumps vaccine became unavailable (it stopped being produced I understand). A couple of years ago he just decided to have the MMR to ensure he was covered against mumps.

My son has Aspergers despite not having had the MMR when young (although he was showing signs from being a baby) but I do understand why you might be worried given your experience even though it has been proven not to cause autism.

I don't think single vaccines are an option now though.

@TulipsTulipsTulips that’s an understandable emotion though. We’re emotional beings and rationality goes out the window sometimes. But despite that, the OP still didn’t say she wasn’t going to vaccinate.

Hi Happy1984 and welcome to Mumsnet. 🙂💐
Hope you got some useful info here and are not put off by the more...erm, robust replies.

You'll always get support if you need it on here, so do hang around through your parenting journey.
We are a nest of vipers but a pretty awesome one and I've seen much less vitriol poured out over the years than I've seen love and care and kindness and wisdom for Mumsnetters going through a tough time. It's good to have newbies on board.

@Happy1984 check this article out www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/childrens-health/mmr-vaccine

I was looking at single vaccines initially but this stopped me in my tracks and he is now having the combined
'Single vaccines haven't been researched very well' and 'the only single vaccines in the UK are unlicensed products that have been imported into the country'.

If Bupa (who would presumably make a lot of money from private single vaccinations) are advising against that is saying something!

You can't get single mumps or rubella vaccines any more

MostlyBoastly yes but the op isn’t saying she doesn’t want to vaccinate, she’s asking about single vaccinations.