Vaccinations

shortstuff15

Seeing as I am from Canada, our vaccination schedule is a bit different then the states.  Here the meningococcal and pneumococcal are given at 2, 4, 6 months with another PNEU shot at 12 months and MENI booster at 14 - 16 years.  I am following an alternative schedule set out by Dr. Stephanie Cave in "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You....." but she doesn't have these 2 vaccines in there.  Where would you recommend that I put those series of shots?

The schedule is:

HIB and IPV - 4, 6, 8, 17

Dtap - 5, 7, 9, 15 or 18

Chicken Pox - age 4 or never if they get it

Mumps - 17 months

Measles - 39 months

Rubella - 27 months

MMR Booster - 5 years

And she does have Prevnar in there at 2 years, but it's only one dose and here it's 4 shots, so I don't know whether it's even the same vaccine.....

So where would you put the PNEU and MENI shots?

EcoBaby

I would do the pnumococcal at 5,7,9 with your Dtap. I did 2 vaccines per appt. and I liked that schedule.

Here, I don't think we do the meningococcal until preteen, but I could be wrong about that.

EcoBaby

Read this about meni in Canada: https://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/ccdr-rmtc/01vol27/27sup/acs6.html

I would talk to your doctor about when he/she thinks you should give this. Disease outbreaks vary with each region. My doctor helped me design our vaccination schedule based on threats in our area and what DS would be exposed to (for example, he stayed with a nanny, no siblings, etc. etc.). If you have a cooperative doctor s/he will probably be able to help you fit in the vaccines where you need them.

EcoBaby

Okay, sorry, I keep posting before I finish my thoughts.

I actually don't understand that schedule at all, but your needs in Canada may be much different than those in the US, but I don't see why you would do polio in the first round, but save something more threatening like pertussis until the baby is 5 months old. I can't remember exactly what we did, but I'm pretty sure we did Dtap and Hib at the 2 month appt, and then continued on the schedule with the most life threatening diseases. Since polio is extremely rare here, I think we waited until the 5 or 6 month appt. for that. However, it may be completely different in Canada. But that is why you should probably talk to your doctor. My doctor prioritized the vaccines based on need/thread, but still worked within my desire to do 2 at a time. I went in for one extra visit, and I will probably have to go in for one extra visit before he's 2, but he's otherwise up to date on everything.

Also, it might be different in Canada, but I don't think the separate measles/mumps/ruebella is available anymore. It wasn't here for a while anyways - I'm not up to date on that though because we just went ahead with the MMR at his last appt. But that's something you might look into.  

Lyssapee

Not sure where you live but the separated MMR is not available in the US anymore...

 

MeanMommyLady

Lyssapee:

Not sure where you live but the separated MMR is not available in the US anymore...

 

It's my understanding that the company that makes the MMR shot has ceased making them separately (which would make it hard to find if not impossible everywhere).  There is a lot of pressure out there for the shots to be separated (pressure from concerned parents) so there is hope that with the increased demand the company will resume making the separate vaccines...soon I hope.

ToledoDeux

MeanMommyLady:

Lyssapee:

Not sure where you live but the separated MMR is not available in the US anymore...

 

It's my understanding that the company that makes the MMR shot has ceased making them separately (which would make it hard to find if not impossible everywhere).  There is a lot of pressure out there for the shots to be separated (pressure from concerned parents) so there is hope that with the increased demand the company will resume making the separate vaccines...soon I hope.

I don't understand why there is such renewed demand for the separate shots.  If a parent is concerned about vaccine additives, why would they want to give three shots worth instead of one?

Another Jennifer

ToledoDeux:

I don't understand why there is such renewed demand for the separate shots.  If a parent is concerned about vaccine additives, why would they want to give three shots worth instead of one?

Some strong pro-lifers won't get the MMR because the Rubella vaccine has some connection with aborted fetuses.  They want it separated out so that they can get the measles and mumps separately and forgo the Rubella vaccine.  

 

e_b_r

the concern is not just about preservatives, but also about exposure to multiple live viruses at once. https://www.askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/archives/2009_10_01_archive.asp.

 

ToledoDeux

e_b_r:

the concern is not just about preservatives, but also about exposure to multiple live viruses at once. https://www.askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/archives/2009_10_01_archive.asp.

 

Yes - a concern based on nothing, as Dr. Sears himself acknowledges:

Although there is no medical evidence that this precaution is necessary or even useful....

shortstuff15

From what I understand, MMR, in Canada, can be seperated into Measles/Rubella and Mumps can be done seperately.  That was the last I knew anyway.... if they can't be seperated at all by the time I reach that point, I'll deal with it then.

e_b_r

ToledoDeux:

e_b_r:

the concern is not just about preservatives, but also about exposure to multiple live viruses at once. https://www.askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/archives/2009_10_01_archive.asp.

 

Yes - a concern based on nothing, as Dr. Sears himself acknowledges:

Although there is no medical evidence that this precaution is necessary or even useful....

true enough, but it is part of what people are thinking about. it isn't just the amount of the preservative issue. one of the PPs asked about that.

4Speedy

I did a delayed schedule with my DD.  She got Prevnar when she was 3 yo and she only needed one dose.  It very specifically says that if the first dose is administered after age two, then only one dose is needed in the original series.  A booster is still required in the teen years.  This is stated in the manufacturer's package insert that comes in the box with the vial.  My pedi at first disagreed with me when I told him DD only needed one dose.  He looked it up and said that was absolutely right. 

There are other vaccines, as well, that require fewer doses if your child gets them at an older age.  My child will be fully vax'd with 9 fewer shots than if we had rushed to do everything starting at 2 months old.

ToledoDeux

e_b_r:

ToledoDeux:

e_b_r:

the concern is not just about preservatives, but also about exposure to multiple live viruses at once. https://www.askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/archives/2009_10_01_archive.asp.

 

Yes - a concern based on nothing, as Dr. Sears himself acknowledges:

Although there is no medical evidence that this precaution is necessary or even useful....

true enough, but it is part of what people are thinking about. it isn't just the amount of the preservative issue. one of the PPs asked about that.

Yes, I asked about that.  Because I still haven't heard a good reason for all the clamoring for separate shots.

shortstuff15

4Speedy:

I did a delayed schedule with my DD.  She got Prevnar when she was 3 yo and she only needed one dose.  It very specifically says that if the first dose is administered after age two, then only one dose is needed in the original series.  A booster is still required in the teen years.  This is stated in the manufacturer's package insert that comes in the box with the vial.  My pedi at first disagreed with me when I told him DD only needed one dose.  He looked it up and said that was absolutely right. 

There are other vaccines, as well, that require fewer doses if your child gets them at an older age.  My child will be fully vax'd with 9 fewer shots than if we had rushed to do everything starting at 2 months old.

Good to know about Prevnar.  What are the other shots that require less shots if you get them later?

EcoBaby

dhviel:

4Speedy:

I did a delayed schedule with my DD.  She got Prevnar when she was 3 yo and she only needed one dose.  It very specifically says that if the first dose is administered after age two, then only one dose is needed in the original series.  A booster is still required in the teen years.  This is stated in the manufacturer's package insert that comes in the box with the vial.  My pedi at first disagreed with me when I told him DD only needed one dose.  He looked it up and said that was absolutely right. 

There are other vaccines, as well, that require fewer doses if your child gets them at an older age.  My child will be fully vax'd with 9 fewer shots than if we had rushed to do everything starting at 2 months old.

Good to know about Prevnar.  What are the other shots that require less shots if you get them later?

Have you read Dr. Sears book yet? It is a really good resource for this type of info.

EcoBaby

ToledoDeux:

e_b_r:

ToledoDeux:

e_b_r:

the concern is not just about preservatives, but also about exposure to multiple live viruses at once. https://www.askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/archives/2009_10_01_archive.asp.

 

Yes - a concern based on nothing, as Dr. Sears himself acknowledges:

Although there is no medical evidence that this precaution is necessary or even useful....

true enough, but it is part of what people are thinking about. it isn't just the amount of the preservative issue. one of the PPs asked about that.

Yes, I asked about that.  Because I still haven't heard a good reason for all the clamoring for separate shots.

I thought the concern was that having more live viruses, meant the immune system would be more stressed, and would present the opportunity for more illness. I could be wrong. Or possibly, more live viruses=more work for the immune system=higher chance of side effects like prolonged fever. I don't know.

EcoBaby

Another Jennifer:

ToledoDeux:

I don't understand why there is such renewed demand for the separate shots.  If a parent is concerned about vaccine additives, why would they want to give three shots worth instead of one?

Some strong pro-lifers won't get the MMR because the Rubella vaccine has some connection with aborted fetuses.  They want it separated out so that they can get the measles and mumps separately and forgo the Rubella vaccine.  

 

The irony in this is that if their child does contract rubella and pass it on to a pregnant woman, its the woman's baby who is going to suffer.