Is the third DTP injection REALLY necessary?

[PhDiva]

DS had such a high temp following his second shot (41 degrees) which was difficult to get down even with tepid bathing, Calpol etc... and lasted a full week. He is also just coming off a month's worth of various viruses, so I just can't bear another week of him being poorly if we go for the next vaccination round. Wouldn't he have developed SOME kind of immunity to polio, diphtheria and tentanus just with the two shots? (anyway, he was previously vaccinated against just polio as we were living abroad).

I just know I won't get much alternative information if I ask the practice nurse, so I am hoping a MNer might have some experience in this area.

If it lasted a week it was prob a virus he caught at the same time made worse by the imms reaction rather than just the imms.

Yes he is immune to some degree but no-one can tell you exactly how immune.

You can have his vaccines whenever you want them so why don't you just delay them (for a month?) until he's fighting fit - the weather will be better, fewer viruses around too.

That way he'll get the full course but you'll have time with him being more recovered from the viruses before the 3rd dose.

i agree with gagarin - he prob had a virus at the same time. these vaccines are essential for babies and the illnesses themselves are far worse.

thanks for your replies. So does it matter how much time between vaccinations, obviously the gap couldn't be years, for example. when would be the cut-off point?

There is no cut off point - think of it as one injection divided into 3 smaller doses. He's had 2/3rds already and those 2/3rds won't go away in the meantime.

He is due his last 1/3rd and it is advised for a month after the last dose for uptake (it hardser to forget if they're close together) reasons as much as for immunity reasons.

You can relax for a while and book it in for when you feel he's fully fit again.