To those who delayed/partially vaccinated...

[koru]

Hi there,
I am considering delaying the majority of vaccinations for DD and not even bothering with some at all.
I have a pharmacy background so understand the science and immunology quite well. I've also done a fair bit of reading up on non-vaccination and the diseases themselves but I'm STILL unsure HOW best to delay a vaccination schedule for those vaccinations i do wish her to have. Has anyone delayed vaccinations for their children (eg til 6 months or later) and how did you go about deciding what to do? Would love to hear your experiences.....

[Kailani]

DS is almost 7 months and hasn't had any vaccinations, not even the hep b and vit k at birth. We've ummed and ahhed but in the end decided against them. It was just a personal decision and we didn't feel that vaccinations were justified adequately and fully supported by any studies, nor were any studies conclusive. Also, I don't want any harsh additives to be injected into ds's blood (which has been linked to higher incidence of developing allergies such as eczema) and any chance of a severe (although rare) reactions.

Having said that, we are not 100% certain on anything but as of now, we do not plan on getting the 12 month jabs either.

Good luck! - It's a very difficult and personal choice and there's so much unsubstantiated propaganda out there - for and against!

[Mumma2three]

Holly, I wish I could have done what you have! I have done alot of research and wanted to initially delay until 2 years which is what they do in Japan. Anyway, having 2 older siblings, with one having Whooping cough going around her school, I couldn't risk DS getting sick, so we had to have the wc vax which came with 5 others....really upset about that. He didnt' have Hep B at birth but it is part of the wc vax.
We have decided not to go ahead with the MMR as from what I've read, that is the vax with the highest incidence of autism. And coming from a family with severe allergies (DD2) it is all linked so I dont want to risk it. I will then decide in the future which if any we will have. DD2 is due for her 4 year vax soon, not sure we'll go ahead with them. aLso I will defintely not be getting cervical vax for my girls.
Good luck with your decision xo

[STARRYSKY]

hi, I delayed vaxing J till he was 6 months, he has now had the 2 month injections (at 7m) and the 4 month ones (at 9 m) due for his 6m ones soon.
The Gp I saw at the time was ok with my decision, the Mchn I saw around that time didnt say anything, just looked at me.
But the nurse who actually gave J his vax was a bit of a nutter, she was all set to give him the gastro one when I asked what she was doing, then she was all, oh, he cant have that, he is too old now, duh!
Now he is on what is called a "catch up schedule" from what the nurse said last time we were there they are assuming that once he has his 6 m vax (at 11m) we will then give him the 12 m vax at 12m, well, that wont be happening! she also told me not to worry about waiting the 2 months between vaxing for the first 3 lots! silly woman.
I will be delaying his 12 month vax until 6 months after his 6 month ones, and even then he will not be getting the MMR until he is over 2.
I have spent so many hours trawling the internet and sites like this one, gathering whatever info I could find.
It helps that DP and his father are very much behind me on my decisions with this, as a lot of my family just dont get it, and arent even interested in the whys or why nots, just that im not doing the right thing in their eyes.
Goodluck with your decision, I know how hard it can seem at times.

[koru]

Thanks for sharing your experiences - and keep'em coming anyone else!

Starrsky you highlighted something I hadn't considered - that once I do start vaxing there may be a push to have DD 'catch up' and be in step with the national schedule thus lessening the gaps between vaccinations. I hate to do it but if I get any silly nurses like the one you encountered I'll 'pull rank' and let them know I'm a pharmacist and know what I'm on about!

Actually I used to work for one of the major vaccine companies (though I didn't actually work in that area) which has helped me decide which ones not to bother with (like Hep B at birth - I was astounded to discover that was the norm these days!!!) - unfortunately it's been no help in working out how I will go about getting the ones I will be vaxing her for

[Heaven]

Mumma2three- if you ask your Dr they can order for you the WC vaccine with Tetanus and Diptheria, that's the smallest number of vax you can get with it I've found. HTH.

koru- read this thread, there's a good schedule for delayed vax in there

[koru]

Thanks Heaven - that thread provided lots of info
It did raise another question tho: you can still get the govt vaccination payment if you fill out a 'concientious objection form' but what if you partially vaccinate? ie I don't object to all of them - just when they are given.

[Heaven]

Yep, you still get the conscientious objection form and can still get the payment

[willow5]

Hi Koru we too are leaning towards not vaxing at all and delayed vax. One thing for certain is bub won't be having the hepB at birth I just don't think it is necessary at all for a newborn specially when the baby will not be at risk of hepB and way too soon to be mucking around with a newborns immune system or putting the other chemicals and metals into their bloodstream.
I'd love to hear why you don't think the hep B at birth is necessary specially seeing as you know the science behind it and have worked in or around the vaccine scene, if you don't mind

[surprised]

I'd love to know more about the Hep B as well! And Vitamin K.

[koru]

Hi all,
Still trying to get my head round all this - just when I decided what to do this bloomin whooping cough outbreak cranks up a notch in my area Hoping to get it with as few 'extra' vaccinations as possible. What have others done about this one?
My main objection to HepB is that most kids are at extremely low risk of this disease (need transfer of bodily fluids like blood) to contract and the vaccine needs heaps more doses to 'take hold' in young babies than adults so increasing their exposure to all the additives therein. So if your kid is in daycare playing rough & tumble (not just sharing drink bottles) with children who may have been exposed to HepB in thier families (ie VERY close contact and exchange of fluids not just an auntie who kissed them) then I can see a need. As a healthcare worker I've had to be vaccinated for HepB and rightly so - but a baby at birth....?
For me the 'risks vs benefits' equation doesn't work out. But that's just my view - everyone needs to decide for themselves

[lestyrox]

Hi all, i'm just after some info from those of you who have partially vaccinated or delayed some vaccinations...

DS2 is due for his 12month needles but i am 99% sure i wont be giving him the MMR.
I do however want him to have the Hib, Hep B and Meningococcal C.

Just wondering, can these vaccinations be given without the MMR, what i mean is are they seperate? Also when i take him to get his needles do i just tell them i don't want him to get the MMR and do i have to sign a form?

Any advice would be great thanks!

[Cherie]

Just wondering, can these vaccinations be given without the MMR, what i mean is are they seperate? Also when i take him to get his needles do i just tell them i don't want him to get the MMR and do i have to sign a form?

Yes, they're separate, so you can delay MMR while still getting HiB, Hep B and Meningococcal. We didn't get DS's MMR until he was over 2 years old, but his other 12 month vaccinations were on time. We didn't have to sign any forms, but it did affect our Centrelink immunisation allowance, which they generally calculate, I think, at 18 months old. Just something to be aware of.

[tenar]

Hi all,
Still trying to get my head round all this - just when I decided what to do this bloomin whooping cough outbreak cranks up a notch in my area Hoping to get it with as few 'extra' vaccinations as possible. What have others done about this one?
My main objection to HepB is that most kids are at extremely low risk of this disease (need transfer of bodily fluids like blood) to contract and the vaccine needs heaps more doses to 'take hold' in young babies than adults so increasing their exposure to all the additives therein. So if your kid is in daycare playing rough & tumble (not just sharing drink bottles) with children who may have been exposed to HepB in thier families (ie VERY close contact and exchange of fluids not just an auntie who kissed them) then I can see a need. As a healthcare worker I've had to be vaccinated for HepB and rightly so - but a baby at birth....?
For me the 'risks vs benefits' equation doesn't work out. But that's just my view - everyone needs to decide for themselves

I have read reports (but not read the original research papers, mind you) that say that quite a lot of Hep B infections cannot be traced to a blood or bodily fluid contact. I think it was 30%, don't remember exactly. It was a surprisingly high number of people that don't know how they got the disease.

The reason to vaccinate babies is because if babies get Hep B, they mostly cannot clear the infection ever, and end up as chronic sufferers of the disease and its consequences. Half of those chronic sufferers will die of complications of the disease (again I have forgotten the details - I think it was cirrhosis and something else I don't remember).

If adults get the disease, most of them actually end up clearing it out and don't get it chronically. But apparently it is much more serious for babies and young children. That, plus the fact that they don't know how quite a lot of cases were transmitted, is why it is recommended for babies at birth. As I understand it anyway.

There is more information about this disease, with references, in the wikipedia article about Hepatitis B.