Jimjams.

[Angeliz]

Hello if you've seen this.
My dd has a blood tests set up for 3rd October and they are gonna test her antibodies for EVERYTHING before she gets any boosters.
One of the girls actually told me that it wasn't really worthwhile testing her for DTP as even if she was immune now she may not be in a few years.
I'm not meaning to put pressure on you but i respect your opinion.
Do you think that if she's immune now it's best left OR is it riskier to get a booster at an older age. Obviously i'd rather her not have anything but dn't want to risk later either.

If you've followed this you are indeed a clever woman

BTW, if anyone else knows what i'm on about please reply, just know Jimjams is weel read on all this+

The problem with the booster is with the tetanus bit. AFAIK (and worth checking this) if there are too many tetanus antibodies left floating around then you can have an allerguc type reaction (not sure what it involves). 10 years ago when I was working with wild animals I went for a booster but as I had 18 months left the nurse wouldn't give it to me (even though I was doing something high risk- and yes I did get bitten a lot). She said she would let me have it when there was under a year left. Apparently now they only recommend a certain number of tetanus jabs per lifetime- so it's always best to string them out I think.

But do check that out. Pertussis isn't really a problem in older children (unpleasant- yes but rarely serious) but of course would be serious if passed onto any infant siblings/friends.

Diptheria isn't really in the UK - last recorded case 1992 - picked up in Pakistan. So if you're not travelling don't need to worry about it particularly.

Not sure that helps- but maybe gives some pointers of things to consider.

No idea what I would do in your shoes btw!

Thanks Jimjams

It sounds as though it's safer all round to wait then really whatever the outcome. I didn't know that about tetanus.

Another thing i wondered is, if she's say immune to 2, could she get a single top up??

Thankyou, +

not any more! They've just binned the DT and the T for under 10's. They contained thimerosil anyway- but unnfortunate they're not replacing wth a thimerosil free single. We were planning to give ds2 tetanus when he got to about 5and so would be old enough to take the risk with thimerosil (actually I was hoping they would acepot the link and get rid of the thimerosil but then- diodn't expect them to get ris of the whole vaccination!) Bit of a pain- we're not giving him a 5 in 1 so he'll have to wait until he's 10!

Hello - quick query from me. Just got DS (just 4)appointment for :
Diptheria
Measles, Mumps, Rubella
Polio
Tetanus

All say (1B) - Is this one jab, oral polio or more than one jab ?? Nothing has been explained to us & I'd like to explain somehitng to the poor lad ! Has anyone else had this & are there any side effects ?

Sorry - forgot one - add to that vast list Acellur Pertussis which I've never heard of !!

Whizz - pertussis is whooping cough.

2 jabs plus oral polio. DPTaP, MMR and Polio. DS1 (5) just had these except for the MMR which I'm going to leave til later.

Yep. One jab for the MMR. One jab for the DTP (although ds1 didn't have this) and oral polio - which ds1 promptly spat out.

Poor lad - he definately won't like 2 jabs - may be could get away with 1, but he'll wise up for number 2 ! Whay do they do it all at once - it must be a big shock to the system !?

Jimjams, resurrected this thread to ask, how did you know you had 18 months of the tetanus left??
(I mean, is it supposed to last a certain ammount of time?)
The results for dd's test say she has 0.19 for tetanus but does not say what required ammount is. (Is all so confusing!)
DD needs topping up with tetanus AND Diptheria by her antibodies test, (we are still awaiting the pertussis and polio results).
The only one she's actually immune to is rubella.
Funnily enough she had traces of mumps antibodies!!!??? (I can't get that as she hasn't had a vaccine, i've never had mumps, are they in your body anyway??)

jimjams, i really hope i'm not buggin you with all this, i have all the books and try my hardest to get my head round it all but you always manage to put it so clearly!!!

THANKYOU once again in advance if you reply+

sorry- yes the adult tetanus lasts 10 years. With 18 months left to run it was therefore likely that I still had antibodies left- and its best not to vaccinate with tetanus again if there are still a reasonable number of antibodies (gives a bad reaction apparently).

WRT the mumps. The most likely explantion is that you probably DID have it as child. Many cases in children are completely symptomless- probably a feww passive antibodies left over. I've never had chickenpox but am choc a block full or antibodies to it- must have had a symptomless infection as a child.

Also they are , I think, changing the advive on tetanus. I think (and it is only think so don't take this as advice) if you have had 3 shots in your lifetime you are covered for life.

I think its actually that they've set a limit hmb - as to the number of adult shots you can have- that's why the nurse wasn't keen to give me another shot early. The reactions getworse or something with each shot because of residual antibodies or something. As you can tell I've only half paid attention to this.

Bit worrying though as I think elderly people are most at risk of tetanus.

Thanks you two

I am now at the stage of wondering whether to give her the booster DTaP. I was reading up again today and it appears that whooping cough would be most dangerous if passed to a baby sibling at this point in time, diptheria is HIGHLY unlikel;y and we're not planning any far away travel so it is really the tetanus.

I'd actually be tempted to leave it and get her done WHEN and IF she needed that, (but then it would be all 3 i know as the single isn't around anymore).

In a way i wish i just had blind faith in Doctors as it would be so much easier!
I remember my cousin having mumps as a child so i sis wonder if maybe i had it too un-noticed.
jimjams, hope your pregnancy is going well++

Elderly women, IIRC, as they didn't get shots while they were in the army in WW2. (one of the few advantages of being shot at in your 20s I suppose) They are most at risk because they have issuficient cover as they tend not to have had the three shots. My understanding was that once you have had them your antibody titre stays high enough but I could be wrong.