Have been told it's necessary to give 9 wk old BCG because of grandparents

[EllieKat]

I should have done some research on this earlier, since I knew it was on the agenda ever since my booking appt, when I told the mw that my unborn son had two grandparents - one either side - who had had TB as children. Apparently this means that they could infect him now or in the future. Anyway, while I was in hospital after the birth, an appt was made for us to come back at 9 weeks to have the vac. We don't live in an area of high risk, but obviously he does see his grandparents a lot!

I'm getting rather cold feet now, having heatd that the vaccine isn't that effective. How much of a risk do his gps really pose? What side effects are likely? Is he going to be very grouchy/screamy for a day or two afterwards, like he was after his 2 month imms last week? And is the BCG an actual injection, or is the vaccine given with one of those prongy things I vaguely remember from school?(But wasn't that the test for TB antibodies? Does he have to have that before a vaccination?) And those whe have young babies who had it, how bad was the scarring and did it bother your LO (as opposed to bothering you!)?

Am not at all opposed to immunisations in general, but have had exactly zero information about this one from NHS. Genuinely safe and good idea, or overkill?

i had bcg at birth due to grandad having TB. Don't know side effects but I have not suffered as a result,

Both mine had bcg, not that nice, but no worse than any other injections ime, no side effects that I noticed. Screaming not that nice, but worse for me I think, dc forgot about it v quickly

Both of mine had this done when they were babies (I think it's become common practice in large towns and cities)

Iirc the were both rather dopey afterwards, other than that there was no big reaction. It's one needle.

But presumably everyone's children could unknowingly come into contact with people who had TB as kids.... TBH does sound a bit like overkill to me. I can understand if a parent had TB and is a potential risk.. but a grandparent?? Sounds a bit unnecessary.

BCG is given as standard within a few days of birth in many parts of London.

Due to midwife disorganisation, my DD did not get it at birth but had it at 6 months old. Unfortunately within a couple of weeks of the jab she was allegedly exposed to TB and we ended up visiting the consultant at the local hospital for blood tests, chest x-rays and other things that were far more traumatic than the jab.

The consultant told me two things - firstly the jab (like all jabs) is not 100%, but if you live in London or are at higher risk it is still worth doing. The other is that London's TB rate is nearly as high as Calcutta which was a bit of a shocker!

My understanding is that there are no particular side effects of BCG (bar the little blister which, in my daughter's case did not shift for over 6 months). It is over very quickly like most jabs.

I think it's because the bacteria can lie dormant for years( and possibly even return), hence the recommendation for Ellikat's ds to be immunised.

My dd had her bcg when she was born. all the hospitals here do it in newborns (singapore). She has a nice neat little scar on her bum, didn't pus or bleed or bother her at all, unlike my daughter who had her's at 2.5. it was horrid. best to get it done as babies.

Hmmmmm my MIL had TB 32 years ago (including when pregnant with DH) I cannot get them to give my dc the TB vacc????

BCG has been around a long time. I was immunised as a baby in a small british commonwealth country with v. low tb rates. i remember getting a booster in primary school too. Here they do it at secondary in yr 9, I believe.

i let my dd have the vaccine as eventhough I know that she is at v. low risk even if we visit home, and that the vaccine does not always take (and this is a downside of all or most vaccines anyway.) I would let her have it anyway. it is a single shot, single vaccine.

she was given it before we were discharged at hospital. we were in for a week due to jaundice. she had no ill effects at all from it.