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Original poster

MMR-pros and cons?

255 replies

hazlinh · 04/02/2005 09:09

Many many apologies if this has been discussed in great detail in the past...but dd is just going to turn one next week and am wondering what pros and cons there are to having her MMR jab.is it really necessary?or is she better off not having it done

OP posts:
sansouci · 08/02/2005 16:46

I'll say nothing more on this thread, promise!

rogan2001 · 08/02/2005 22:34

rubella jab, then 6 weeks later measles jab, then mumps 6 weeks after. I chose to give my son single jabs, because my nephew had the mmr and did seem to regress after, then he was diagnosed with autism, he gets a measles like rash whenever he is ill. Don't know wether the mmr was to blame, but i was'nt taking the risk.

Jimjams · 08/02/2005 22:40

although the vast majority of people who don't give MMR do give singles (at least that's my impression). The only people I know who haven't given singles haven't given any jabs (no dtp etc).

roogan am I right in thinking that some places insist that rubella is given first (the idea being I guess to ensure that parents get all three singles done)

Socci · 08/02/2005 22:58

Message withdrawn

ChicPea · 09/02/2005 00:22

My DS had the single jab and the first one he had is the measles. The next one is rubella.

TracyK · 09/02/2005 08:47

chicpea - which clinic did you use?

rogan2001 · 09/02/2005 08:58

jimjams, the clinic i went to insisted on the rubella jab first, my son did not have the mumps jab, the doctor advised us to wait until he is 8yrs, cus the jab only last about 10 yrs and it would have worn off by the time it was most needed, but now they can't get any single mumps jabs he says if they have had single rubella/measle jabs over a year ago it is safe for them to have the mmr. my doctor says giving 3 live vax is risky because they fight against each other and one could end up not working, hence they give the second booster. and that in some children the measles part of the mmr does not heal properly,and could cause problems, my autistic nephew comes out in a measles type rash when under the weather.

TracyK · 09/02/2005 09:21

presumably they'd be able to have the mmr when they're 8?? and then they'd (children not the jabs) be much more developed and stable (?)

Uwila · 09/02/2005 10:49

the clinic we go to does measels then rubella then mumps. In fact, if as a paying customer, they had suggested otherwise I would have said no. I'm not particularly bothered about whether mumps and rubella come 2nd or 3rd. But, I would insist that measels go first. If they refused, I would take my profits elsewhere.

donnie · 09/02/2005 14:57

she had a fever and aches etc Uwila, same as she got with her earlier jabs, but actually she had been around some sick children anyway so it may have been coincidental - I'll never know.But she was fine after her measles and rubella jabs.

ChicPea · 12/02/2005 23:11

TraceyK, I went to www.e-med.co.uk based in St Johns Wod, NW8. Quick and efficient. Paid £260 up front for all three jabs.

sizeofahouse · 28/02/2005 21:58

Hello, two quick questions. my eighteen month old is still yet to have his mmr, am still
reading and thinking hard. first question, he does have an egg allergy and i have been
told by my consultant this is not concern with the mmr, as it is such a small amount -
does anyone know anything about this? As I am expecting my second in seven weeks
I would like to get him sorted. Also can anyone recommend a single jabs clinic in Yorkshire, West if possible - sorry to repeat but does anyone know what the criteria needs to be
for single jabs to be safe and effective. What strain of measles, refrigeration etc - and
how can this be checked. Thanks, I've read this whole thread and the braxton hicks have
started, lets hope that's all that's started!

donnie · 01/03/2005 14:36

I don't know of any clinics up your way as I'm a Londoner! but I think I'm right in saying even if you have the bog standard NHS MMR then as an egg-allergic child your ds would be advised to have it in a hospital under supervision, at least that is what has happened with at least two people who know.They went for the ordinary MMR but were told to have it at hospital and remain for a period of time afterwards to monitor any allergic reaction.HTH.

Polina · 01/03/2005 19:14

I have a weirdness of the immune system (related to allergy problems) which means that if I'm given live vaccines I get the disease - admittedly in a much weaker form but still pretty nasty, particularly in the case of the polio vaccine! DS is now coming up for his MMR, and as he has inherited some of my allergy problems I am pretty concerned about potentially landing him with three nasties all at once. O

ur practice nurse had originally supported my decision to get him done with singles with rubella first as even if he is like me it won't do him too much harm, but a locum I saw last week told me that single vaccines are now discontinued & that all stocks of the single rubella have now been destroyed, so he has to have MMR or nothing and if he has nothing will get measles with a high chance of complications. As you can imagine I am concerned about this, but as she also told me we couldn't get inactive polio shots and then we had no trouble I am double checking. Does anyone know (a) if anywhere IS still offering singles - private or NHS - and (b) if there is still a single rubella shot? Our HV (v nice & usually helpful) said that new non-immune mums now have to have MMR which sounds horribly like confirmation....

I'm old enough to be pre-vaccine and caught everything the old fashioned way, so this whole thing is a minefield I know very little about!

uwila · 01/03/2005 20:12

What? There are loads of clinics offering the single jabs. try www.e-med.co.uk

If she told you all stocks were destroyed, it's my opinon that she is either lying to you or someone else has lied to her.

Gosh, I think your concern of a little one having all three of those diseases is more than reasonable (not to mention logical).

Good luck on the single jabs. I'm sure they are available.

Jimjams · 01/03/2005 20:13

You c an get single measles and single rubella pretty easily - you just have to pay. The govt is playing silly buggers with the import of mumps vax, but again you can get it - you have to pay and may have to wait a bit.

There isn't much measles around, but quite a bit of mumps. HOw much of a worry would it be if your ds caught mumps whilst waiting for a jab? (In most cases in young children mumps is mild- but not suure if that would be the case with your immune history- how did you do with childhood illnesses).

I can't help you on where to get singles I'm afraid as I haven't given anything!

Single inactive poliuo is being withdrawn and is being givcen combined with DTP now- not sure how ling with single will be available (just thinking of boosters- although I suppose it doesn't matter if its combined)

Polina · 02/03/2005 19:28

Many thanks for the link - I will look into that! I have a suspicion that the nurse is not so much deliberately misleading as not frightfully on the case and likes everyone to have MMR because it makes the forms nice and easy to fill in...

Despite the immune problems I had all the old childhood nasties without any problems, although it took me forever to actually catch chickenpox; in fact my major recollection of having measles was three horrible days followed by a nice fortnight off school, which at the time I rather enjoyed! I'm not too horribly worried about ds getting mumps although of course I would rather he didn't get sick, but then he is a chap and may have rather different problems to me!

Tinker · 02/03/2005 20:05

just heard this on the news, thought it might be of interest

Jimjams · 02/03/2005 20:07

Those problems are rare though and not something to worry about until after puberty.

your recollection of measles is the same as mine. I was 8 and my best friend was off school with whooping cough. My mum went back to work so I went round her house to play every day. We watched children's TV and made lots of things they suggested on there. Her mum took us shopping in the local market town and I got told off fro putting my hands on the deli/butchers??? (some sort of food_ counter "get your hands off there you've got measles" in a loud voice - can you imagine someone saying that today?

Jimjams · 02/03/2005 20:09

Thanks tinker but yawn- wrong hypothesis again! No-one is suggesting that MMR has caused the big rise in autism, only that it has triggered autism in a small sub-group of the population. 7% of autistic cases etc etc

Jimjams · 02/03/2005 20:12

MInd you they did mention that in that report.

Does strike me as strange that the rate could increase that much in such a short space of time and it can be out down to "better diagnosis" without someone actually clinically examining the children to find out whether that's actually true.

Jimjams · 02/03/2005 20:15

oh tinker the yawn was directed at the report not you.

Also find it slightly worrying that the woman at Bristol who is meant to be investigating a link has already decided there isn't one. Good to investigate with an open mind.

Tinker · 02/03/2005 20:16

It's alright Jimjams - I knew that

Polina · 03/03/2005 22:31

A bit worrying that Japan has withdrawn MMR anyway in favour of singles - none of the new reports seem interested in that!

Jimjams · 04/03/2005 08:01

They orignially withdrew it because of problems with the mumps strain in the vaccine (cause meningitis- that strain isn't used here). I did check with my friend in japan a couple of years ago and she said you could have either MMR or singles. I think most now have MMR. I think they're a bit less into vaccines in Japan though. I worked in special schools in Japan in 1992/1993 and funnily enough I don't remember seeing anyone with autism (in hindsight I mean). I do remeber a child with Aspergers in one of my mainstream classes (not dxed- just know what I know now). I wonder how many I would see if I went back to the same schools now.... (just musing).