Immunisation best practice - any nurses around?

[Sixofoneyedmonster]

My dd is 16 months old and is booked in for her MMR next week. In the meantime, measles is doing the rounds at nursery. I made an appointment for her to have it today, but the nurse has rung me back and said she won't give it as it is department of health guidelines that you CANNOT give the MMR less than a month after the pneumococcal (which she had 3 weeks ago today).

I feel a bit like I'm caught between a rock and a hard place - damned if I do and damned if I don't. I have tried calling a private clinic this morning, only to be told that they don't do the MMR, but I can buy them seperately arrgghhh!!

She is well, had no problems with the pneumococcal (I didn't want it combined with the MMR as I have not seen anything to suggest it is actually beneficial to multiple load immunisations...other than to save the nurses time) so I really don't see what the issue is or the potential risk to her health - what will happen if she has the MMR a week early?? Isn't getting measles worse?

I have done a Google search to see if I can find this guideline myself, but no luck so far - is anyone able to confirm this or give a rationale! I feel at the moment as if I am condeming my child to get measles, just because of some 'rule' which doesn't make sense!!

Hang on - I have some Imms stuff here from when I went on a training session on placement.

Not sure but you have my sympathies - am also counting the days till DS gets his MMR (anotehr 3 weeks for us) as measles rampant locally .

Oh yes, that is the other thing - I think she said that you can't give the pneumo/MMR within 4 weeks of each other as if there is a reaction then you can't tell which caused it.

HOwever standard practice at the moment is to give them both at the same time - so how would you tell then?

Thank you for your support ladies, K'smum I work part time so hard to keep her out of nursery. It is possible that she has already been exposed, but I guess that even if she didn't go to nursery I could never guarantee that she hadn't been exposed anyway but would still probably be allowed to have the jab.

I think if you miss the 12 month slot here (in Hackney) they do both at 13 months. So not sure about the logic of waiting 4 weeks.

according to my stuff here - the pneumococcal is an inactivated vaccine and so the MMR can be given at any interval afterwards- MMR cannot be given if you have had a previous live vaccine- then you have to wait 4 weeks.

This was info was given to me last novemeber though- so I dont know if NICE have introduced new guidlines.

the NHS leaflet ' a guide to childhood imms' says that the babys immune system can cope with the MMr and pnemoc vaccines at same time

hth

Oh, thanks em, that would make sense. I will ring back the surgery and ask them about the vaccine and if it is live or 'dead' x

Em - I love you - I have found the Green Book on the DoH website. It says (as you say) clearly that the MMR can be given at any interval after an inactivated vaccine.

But that, as it is a live vaccine, it should not be given within 4 weeks of another LIVE vaccine.

So there's my answer! DD can have her MMR after all

I have rung the nurse who has booked her in for 12.00 today!!

I have my uses.....

I asked to speak to her but she told the receptionist to just book dd in.....

have you got burning ears? bet they are cursing you now!!!

Yeah, I am sure I am now marked down as 'a pain in the ass' mum

dd had her MMR this morning, thanks to the Power of Mumsnet (and tiredemma!) I basically went in armed with print offs of the relevant pages from the Green Book )on DoH website, I will link it here Green Book on Immunisation if anyone's doing future searches...

I pointed out the live/inactive vaccine bit and she airily blustered 'oh well that is what I have been told'.

We then had to have another 'discussion' because she wanted to give the jab in her arm which is matchstick thin instead of leg because there is another guideline about that apparently once they reach 1 year old as babies nowadays are too fat after that point. I pointed out that dd weighs less than your average one year old so is hardly a chubber. I won that one again....(wow, I really am an utter PITA aren't I!! )