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Parenting

Does you regret giving your child the pre-school MMR?

42 replies

mamamidwife · 05/08/2013 22:55

My son has his MMR and other booster tomorrow as he is 3 & 1/2. He has had all the other jabs but I was just getting cold feet about the MMR and the doctors letter said I could sign attached declaration to decline that particular jab, but they don't do it for the other vaccinations, so I thought it was a tad strange. He has had no problems with his other vaccinations.
Your thoughts please?

OP posts:

Report

seacloud · 06/08/2013 14:39

Very grateful DS 4 1/2 did have the MMR- its now been 6 weeks since his recovery from measles that lasted nearly 8 weeks, In A and E 3 weekends in a row, on a drip, in intensive care, developed kidney infection and severe eczema ( which is now beginning to clear up) He lost 40% hearing in his left ear. Getting better- Lost a hell of alot of weight.

Obviously stayed in the house for about 2 months both sets of immediate neighbours and friends children not had the mmr so had to be very careful even when we were given the all clear as I was so paranoid of him passing it on.

However doc said had he not had the mmr he certainly would not have pulled through. Very xtreme case I know shocked me to the core as assumed he'd be protected.

Its a very surreal situation however it can happen his immunity must have just been awful to get it. Would not wish what he went through on anyone.

prissyenglisharriviste · 06/08/2013 14:42

No

mummy2benji · 06/08/2013 23:21

Err... No. I'm a GP and have seen many cases of measles, which can be fatal or cause lasting disability, but I have never seen a serious reaction to the MMR or any long-term associations with it. It's a no-brainer in my opinion. Measles prevalence is on the up, I would advise everyone to make sure their children have the MMR, as keeping the uptake of the vaccine in the community as high as possible is the only way to reduce the episodes of it, and to stop it spreading.

oscarwilde · 07/08/2013 14:22

Mummy2benji - bearing in mind Seacloud's experience is it possible to test whether or not the MMR has given immunity as per MaryKatherine's post?? Or is it more likely that (sorry I am hypothesising here Seacloud) that if Seacloud's DS was a bit poorly he would have been more susceptable and it was just one of those horribly unlucky things?

Andro · 07/08/2013 14:50

seacloud - that sounds horrific! Seeing your child seriously ill is horrible, I hope he continues to recover well.

MaryKatharine · 07/08/2013 14:54

My eldest is almost 10yrs. He is coeliac and allergic to egg. Because of these and baring in mind this was 9yrs ago, the paed he was under suggested single MMR jabs. They were all done and dusted by 18mths. In fact he was protected from measles 6wks before his call came through from the GP (who for some reason ignored the consultant's letter)

Anyway, when it came to boosters, we had moved and heard about Breakspear Hospital in Herts. It is a private clinic which does single MMR, travel jabs, allergy desensitising etc. they did some sort of test on the back of his hand, maybe took blood I can't actually remember they told me he was immune to measles and immune to mumps. They must have said rubella too though I can't remember and so we declined his pre-school booster.

My DC2&3 showed no problems and both had the MMR and boosters without complications. DC4 has a massive reaction to his second set of infant jabs and ended up in hospital. We delayed his third set until he was 12mths. He had his MMR at 18mths. Incidentally, the Dr who treated DC4 said he saw far more reactions to the infant jabs than he ever saw to the MMR.

MaryKatharine · 07/08/2013 14:55

That was for oscar, sorry!

Talkinpeace · 07/08/2013 15:02

OP
Of course not.
Measles, Mumps and rubella are REALLY nasty diseases.
Thank goodness my children will not get them.

Same reason they had all their other vaccinations
(I'd rather not return to 1 in 5 kids dying before they are 5 thankyou)
and DD has had her HPV

mamamidwife · 07/08/2013 20:39

Thanks everyone for your advice, I took DS yesterday to have the jabs, seemed to go ok, he's not felt well this eve though, headache and generally lethargic, not eaten his tea, no temp. But it's to be expected I guess, hoping for a settled night!

OP posts:

mamamidwife · 07/08/2013 20:42

Seacloud, so sorry you had such a rough time, I'm glad you have all come through it ok, I didn't realise it was still possible to contract the illnesses once vaccinated!

OP posts:

Talkinpeace · 07/08/2013 20:43

You have done the right thing for you, your DS and the planet
pat yourself on the back

and pass on the word that the vaccinations are so so so much safer than the alternative

my DS was sick as a dog for a week after his second MMR
but as the doctor pointed out, that was because the real diseases (rather than the attenuated viruses) would have killed him

give yours lots of hugs and enjoy him being peaceful - it won't last!

ouryve · 07/08/2013 20:44

No. No reason to regret it.

Beamur · 07/08/2013 20:46

No.
My DD was a bit poorly afterwards - as many children are, as it's a live vaccine. But I think it was the right thing for her and for others who would be more at risk of illness without the 'herd' immunity.

mummy2benji · 07/08/2013 20:51

oscarwilde sorry for late reply - we don't generally test for immunity following the immunisations as the general rule is that the first MMR jab (given at around 13mo) provides the child with 90% immunity against measles, and then the booster given pre-school brings this immunity up to 95%. So even with the childhood immunisation schedule being followed this only provides 95% immunity against developing measles (those figures are for measles, immunity provided is higher for mumps and rubella). There is good evidence to show that if a child who has had the MMR vaccine does then contract measles, that they will likely have a less severe illness than if they hadn't had the vaccine - as seacloud was told by the hospital. Yes, a lot of people are shocked that an immunised child can still get measles - we should perhaps make it clearer to parents that this isn't the case. For eg in the recent Swansea measles outbreak, many of the children were susceptible babies who hadn't yet had their MMR vaccine, some children had had the first MMR, and a few had had both their MMRs. This is why it is so important that parents have the MMR given to their child, as if the uptake of any vaccine by the general population falls below 75%, then the disease starts to increase - so this is even more relevant in a disease where the vaccine only confers 95% immunity. Hope that answered your Q.

mamamidwife · 07/08/2013 21:04

Mummy2benji: that's good info to know, thanks. It's easy to assume that an immunisation protects you almost100%

OP posts:

oscarwilde · 09/08/2013 16:36

Has anyone vaccinated against chickenpox? I understand that it generally results in a mild dose but I keep hearing about children that have been seriously ill with it so I am wondering if I have been too relaxed about it as a relatively non-serious rite of passage childhood illness. DD is 3 and about to start nursery school so it can only be a matter of time....

oscarwilde · 09/08/2013 16:37

Oh - and thank you very much M2B. I'm good with 95% immunity.

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