MMR booster...

[maybebaby23]

Hi all,

DD is having her pre-school vaccinations next week, and apparently there are 2 injections? One is mmr and the other is diptheria, polio etc.

Is anyone else not too sure about having the 2 injections at the same time or am i just being silly...? I don't like the idea of DD having all those vaccinations at once. She has had all of her injections so far but i have been so worried each time because of the amount her little body is getting all at once

I was thinking about letting her have the MMR first so she is ready for nursery in sept, then taking her back 4 weeks later for the other injection. Do you think this will be ok? I know it probably sounds silly but im such a worrier and preg hormones are not helping! Thanks for reading.

Yes it 2 injections and you can get them done with 4 weeks apart but just a couple of things to think about , it means then 2 visits for your now very aware child and having the 2nd part may prove very stressful so may be kinder to do it all at once.Babies at 8 weeks receive 7 vaccines , in the pre school boosters there is also 7 and she is much older now and should, theoretically, cope better with them especially as she has already received all the vaccines before.

Don't know if thats much help or not!!

Your plan of separating them sounds very sensible. I can't see what the harm is at all.

I htink separating them out sounds sensible too.

There's no harm in it, and it will help you relax about it a bit more.

thanks guys. I know what you are saying mrsjames. I would hate for her to feel anxious and have to face another injection 4 weeks later but after all the worry about her having those 7 injections at once when she was tiny i just can't see why it has to be done all at once. I know she is bigger and so should be ok but i just worry so much about it.

Thanks for your replies

Technically the immune system can cope with thousands of pathogens simultaneously so having 2 jabs together isn't a problem. She would have had 2 together as a baby.

Also vaccinating a pre-schooler is no easy task! It's often hard enough doing them both in one appointment - if you are planning to bring her back a month later for the second she will remember what she's there for and you may have a battle on your hands.

You may prefer to get any side effects (eg fever, sore arm etc) all over in one go as well.

"Thousands of pathogens" simultaneously injected into the bloodstream.. not quite the same as having your older brother's snotty hands in your face or being licked by the dog.

If you get your vaccines injected into your bloodstream then someone has done something wrong!

And a vaccine doesn't contain thousands of pathogens.

My DS has been called for the preschool booster of the polio, diptheria etc, but he has NOT been called for the MMR at the same time. They are only planning to give him the polio etc. Personally, I wouldn't have them at the same time even if it had been offered to me.

Are you one of those who thinks a child can deal with ten thousand vaccines at once?

My dd got 2 injections at once. A surprise for us both and she was a mare afterwards and not well for a couple of days.

BUT I think it would have been more stressful for us both to have them a few weeks apart.

Crokky, do you have another appointment for MMR? If so how long have they left inbetween the 2 vaccines? Also does anyone know if they should have the MMR first or the polio etc? I was going to do MMR first..but will take her for whichever is most important first.

I dont really think DD will cause much fuss about going back for a second injection tbh. DD didn't have MMR AND polio together when she was a baby they only called her for MMR. She did have the 2 injections in her legs when she was tiny though and this is what is still worrying me even though thankfully she was fine. My next baby wont be having these vaccinations all at once we have decided we are going to try and space them out a bit.

Thanks for all your replies!

stuffitllama do you mean me?

I have no idea whether a child could theoretically deal with ten thousand vaccinations all at once. But I understand that research has suggested the immune system can cope with thousands of pathogens simultaneously; vaccines don't contain thousands of pathogens so for a well child the immune system can cope just fine.

A parent has the choice whether to give their child vaccines singly, together or not at all - I am just suggesting that there is no reason why they can't be given together.

Sidge excuse me.

I read your response as quoting Paul Offit who said just this.

I didn't let my youngest have MMR booster and 5 in 1 together I separated them because she has bad reactions to vaccinations

Be prepared for nurse to look at you like you're an idiot. It's because you're not being a sheep.

and I certainly wouldn't have gone for the second one a month later - I would leave it a minimum of 3 to 6 months

In my experience of giving child immunisations the parent and child find it far too stressful to come back again in 4 weeks for another vaccination.
The green ook published by the goernment states
'MMR should ideally be given at the same time as other live vaccines.If live vaccines are given simultaneously then each virus will begin to replicate and an appropriate immune response is given to each vaccine.
If live vaccines cannot be given together then a period of 4 wks is reccomended between the two.'

As a parent I understand a parents concern and will happily seperate the 2 vaccines if a parent wishes but I do think the children find that harder emotionally. My dd had her two injections together last wk and has been fine.

No, not quoting anyone in particular! Just what I'd been told at an immunology update training day.

I don't think your being silly. I decided I didn't want my child having so many injected into his little body at the same time. Call it Mothers instinct.

You must feel what you feel comfortable doing with your child and their health as you have to live with the consequences. You will be squished on this site for bringing up your concerns as I was with my Dr. I changed Dr and found a more sympathetic one.

None of us know what genetic problems we may have that may bring about an undesirable side effect. Not even your Dr knows that but it happens.

Yes they all kick in at different times but does that mean its ok!

We don't know what the real results of all these combined vaccines are doing to our children and we may never know.

Do what feels right for you. And don't allow yourself to be bullied.

Take care

We don't know what the real result of all these combined vaccines are doing to our children and we may never know.

Do what feels right for you. And don't allow yourself to be bullied.

Take care.

Don't you think the bodies? immune response is quite well evolved to deal with thousands of naturally transmitted pathogens at once thorough the expected routes.

Being injected with pathogens is quite a different story. How the immune system handles these is quite a different matter altogether

Only my humble opinion of course

thanks for your support, DD had just the MMR today. The nurse was ok about us not having the other vaccine at the same time, and then told me to leave it for 3 weeks at least before she has the other jab to give her chance to get over the side effects from the MMR!!! Seems that they do know its not good for children to have the jabs at the same time but they just do it anyway to save time or money or whatever. I will definately be seperating my next baby's vaccinations and am feeling very guilty about just going with the flow with DD with her first vaccinations, her being my firstborn i wasn't sure what to do for the best.