what are your feelings on the MMR jab??

[doodypud]

My DD has an appt for her jab on the 3rd of April, i am still really concerned about the possible links with Autism, has anyone else had concerns or any bad experiences?

My personal opinion is that it isn't worth the risk, my 4 year old hasn't had it, but it is a choice that only you, as a parent, can make.

OK here we go. There is autism in my dh's family so I was very very sensitive to this and read tonnes. Ultimately though as I had two girls (lower risk with girls) dd1 had hers. My general opinion about jabs are that the government make us give them to our children too early - that's all of the jabs not just the MMR one. DD1 got hers when she was 2.5 and dd2 will get hers when I'm off on maternity leave in the next few weeks (she's 2.5). What I read last time I looked as that 2 was normally the age they could diagnose Autism.

Saying that dd2 has had measles, she got it at 9 months so prior to any possibility of a jab. There was drama, no crisis, just a high temp + rash and boy she's had loads of those. She also managed to catch rubella at 4 months and chicken pox at 6 months. The way I look at it is that she's going about immunisation the old fashioned way. The only reason I'm going ahead with the MMR was that I'm told measles can return when she's older and be worse.

Will be following this one with interest as I am wondering too. ds is 10mo and will be due for MMR soon. He is healthy and has no gut problems that I know of but I have had isolated bouts of psoriasis and IBS (which I believe are classified as auto-immune) in the past. If we could get him singles I think I would but my paed has already told me categorically that over here (Germany) they do NOT do singles, not even privately - which I can't quite believe tbh, but there you are. What to do?

Both of my children have had the MMR vaccination. I waited with dd2 until she was about 16 months old. With dd1 - she had it at 12months. I researched as much as I could and spoke with our paediatrician who told me that for dd1 ( who also has down syndrome) that measles can be worse for her than the general population should she contract it... heart condition. She also had it at 12 months as she was about to start nursery about the time the town she was to attend nursery had a number of measles cases.

I am well aware that a number of people have reservations about the triple and I think you just have to go with what you think is right.

We have no pre existing conditions within the family that would make our two more susceptible to developing autism or the bowel problems that are linked with the jab.

Having said that - we are in Aus and so have no worries about the preservatives within our vacs although dd1 got most of hers whilst we were in the UK.

All 4 of mine have had single jab MMR, thankfully with no problems. I struggled with the decision though but in the end felt I had to have them immunised as I contracted meningitis from mumps when I was young, and have been left with epilepsy, memory loss and tinnitus.

i think it's given too early here.

we have opted to delay dd2s jabs b/c dd1 may be vaccine-damaged.

I researched this as thoroughly as I could until I felt happy. by reading as much as I could and discussing the research with scientifically minded/medical people whose opinion I trust.
At the beginning, I thought I might find it a difficult decision, but in fact it was enitrely straightforward. the evidence is so hugely in favour of having the vaccination that I didn't have any doubts at all.
in particular, the risks of contracting the disease (for dd and for the rest of the population) are considerably greater than any possible vaccination risk. There are people in my family. there are people like eidvold's lo (with down's syndrome/heart conditions/ other disabilities) for whom catching one of the vaccinated illnesses is by no means a trivial matter; it could be (has been) very serious and even fatal. There are some people like that in my family and in my acquaintance, and that did factor quite heavily in my decision making.
hth

My DS has had the jab, and no side effects. All research 'proving' links with autism has been discredited. As far as I am aware, children are at greater risk from the effects of catching either mumps, measles or rubella than any perceived risks with the jab.
As NatalieJane says though, at the end of the day, it's a decision only you can make.

My kids have a scond cousin who is autistic. I'm taking no chances. We have singles. I am, however, toying with whether to give the combined booster, single boosters, none at all, or maybe even just the measels booster for DD, who is now 3.

I gave DS singles because of the potential chrons risk (auto-immune disease in the direct father)

I then came to the conclusion that the culprit was the thimerosal in the primary jabs ..and MMR might just tip susceptible children over the edge

So we chose to give DD the MMR .. but we chose to wait till after she was 18 months old .. because I think any time sooner is too soon

DD ended up with pneumonia .. I think the amount of vaccine in her body lowered her ability to fight another bug and so she ended up hospitalised 10 days later .. but no other side effects and ever doc at pains to say it wasn't connected (I don't believe it)

I would say quite categorically the original research has not been 'discredited' at all and I'm quite surprised to see that naive response tbh

I was considering going privately to have the 3 jabs separately, but having read the factsheet below, I'm not sure - I do realise this is a simplified version of the information available, but have to start somewhere.
\link{http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/mmr.html\BUPA info sheet}

Someone DH works with blames his first child's autism on the triple (or at least, strongly suspects a link) and so went privately for his second child. However, as this is such an emotive issue, I realise single cases do not provide the basis for decision-making.

Have to confess, I'm a bit baffled about what to do for the best. Has anyone found any particularly informative and unbiased sources I can consult? Also, has anyone gone privately, how was it and how much?

Sorry, just thought of another Q. What is the reaction of the GP/surgery when parents say they want to delay giving the MMR?

GPs are typically not very happy when you tell them you don't want their MMR. But, I don't let that bother me. My kids = my choice.

DD had single jabs wit e-med in St John's Wood (at John and Lizzies'). DS will have them at Direct Remedies in Sunbury. Our only reason for changing is that we live in Sunbury so much more convenient to go there.

We went for singles for both ds1 and 2 - I read a lot and did not feel confident enough about MMR.

Luckily, we can afford the single jabs. When ds1 had the first 3, they were £80 each. The cost rocketed to £130 per jab for ds2, when it was his turn to have them. All in all, with boosters, it has/will cost over £1000.

It angers me that many parents do not have choice in the matters because they cannot afford to pay for single jabs.

I have yet to be convinced of a single risk of going single apart from the cost. Okay, there's a few months delay and therefore potential exposure. But, so what? If she picks up say rubella, then she won't need the jab. I'd just have to keep her away from pregnant women.

Those prices sound quie high Puff. Where did you go? I think I paid around £200 for all three singles (not boosters).

Direct Health 2000 Uwila - I thought it was pricey too.

I don't think it is quite as straightforward as that uwila. You don't always know if someone is pregnant until three months. And it isn't that easy to spot someone who might be particularly susceptible to having a serious problem from catching measles, say (e.g. people with heart conditions).

measels isn't an issue because that one is given first. So there is no delay. The delay is for rubella and mumps. And it's only a few months. Can't see this is a big deal.

DS had all his earlier jabs on time but I am delaying his MMR til 18 mths.

If I have another child I will probably delay all the vaccinations.

\link{http://www.directremedies.com/price_list.htm\Direct Remedies Sunbury Price List}

My friend who has given her DD singles, has told me that infact there is no need for the triple booster just the measles one, they provide the triple because it is cheaper than the single!!

well lots of people delay a long time or don't have it at all Uwila, that's the point.
and the fewer people that are immunised, the greater likelihood of vulnerable people contracting these diseases. It isn't as simple as keeping children away from pregnanct women is what I am saying.
The big deal is for people like my cousin born with profound deafness and other disabilities because her mother contracted rubella during her pregnancy. or the other member of my family who died from measles complications.

I agree with Wills. The research has not been discredited. In fact yesterday research was published about thimerosal and its effect on the immune system that fits in very well with Andrew Wakefield's current research which factors in thimerosal and MMR (or other live viruses- also fits in with what we observed happening to ds1)-The research was on mice, the next stage is to repeat similar research on autistic children- the results will be interesting. See the link yesterday in SN for more details (the thread also contains a link to a talk by Wakefield last year).

DS2 and ds3 haven't had any jabs at all- my surgery are absolutely fine about it- they don't send me any reminders and when they call me for check ups they say "don't worry we're not going to jab them".