We're scheduled to get DS's first rotavirus vax this week. I'm just not sure about it. The literature says that every child used to get rotavirus by the time they were 5 years old and that it is potentially very nasty.
However, apart from the initial effect of the vax being nasty, there is a small risk of intersussecption. DS is exclusively breastfed and that is supposed to reduce the seriousness of the virus if he gets it.
I need to decide by Thursday. DS is 10 weeks old and the 3 doses need to be given between 12 & 32 weeks.
without starting a debate about vaccinations, I'm interested in others' reasons for either giving the rotavirus vax or not.
Rotavirus vaccination was only introduced to the schedule when my daughter came along. I jumped at it.
Both my boys did not have the vaccination as it was not on the schedule at the time and to be honest, I had not actually heard about Rotavirus before.
I was having a conversation with my SIL in Adelaide and her daughter had come down with Rotavirus. I remember her telling me about it as she ended up taking her to Emergency and on the way her daughter had a convulsion in the car.
I asked her what it was exactly. A few months later, both my boys were struck down with it together. It was horrid, worse than normal Gastro and lasted over 5days with many trips to the GP to get checked out in-between. I felt powerless to help them and it was just a matter of seeing it through with lots of hugs, washing and keeping an eye out for dehydration.
I didn't know you could be vaccinated against it until my SIL told me and wished I knew more about back then as I would have paid for it by myself if I knew how awful it was.
My nephew was hospitalised with rota virus at about 2 yrs old. It was so scary. If I had a baby now I'd get him/her immunised against it after seeing what he went through.
I also jumped at it ith my 2 boys, I had previously watched my two year old nephew go through it, he was hospitalised as well. It is so much worse than gastro.
It can be a very nasty virus, yes.
Exclusively breastfed babies don't tend to get it (it's no guarantee of course).
It's a live virus that poses particular risks, and can really mess with baby's gut. I would avoid if there were any existing gut issues or family history of allergies/intolerances and exclusively breastfed. If I were somewhere without access to good medical care, then I'd probably get it.
Anyway, my DS had it, because we pretty much gave everything to him, but DD didn't for the above reasons.
We gave it to our son at 2 and 4 months. At 2 months he had no reaction. At 4 months he pooped like 7 times the following day (usually it's max 4), was unsettled, clingy and just generally unhappy for about a week.
ETA - Should have mentioned he is exclusively breast fed.
Both my boys were exclusively breastfed and both got the vaccination, with no problems. I would definitely do it again. I don't believe it's worth the risk of them getting such a nasty virus.
Dd1 didn't have it on the schedule but a friend the same had her ds come down with rotavirus at 12m - he was in hospital a week and it was awful! When it was on the schedule for dd2 I got her vaxed. She had no effects at all.
I haven't vaccinated my children with Rotovirus. However, part of my decision was based on where we live. Our town has around 900 people and we don't tend to get the big outbreaks like the cities do.
Both my girls have had the full vacs and had no issues, no diarrhea either which is common as the vax is live. Some of my friends kids got a mild upset tummy (minor case of the runs) but if was far better than the real deal. One of the kids from our mothers group caught it and it was nasty. Much, much worse than normal gastro.
It wasn't on the schedule for DS. He was exclusive breast fed and got rotavirus. It was utterly horrendous. He was SO sick, lost so much weight, and was just so Ill. he was 2.5. We avoided hospital only because DH is in the medical field. So DD was immunised. She was unsettled for a week or so after vax, but honestly that was nothing compared to getting the virus.
DD had it at her actual ages as they were due (she was 6 weeks prem) and didn't have any adverse reactions.
DS has had 2 months and 4 months doses and will have the 6 month dose when it is due. DS also had them at actual ages due and at the 4 months dose (given last week) he is a bit more clingy and is having more difficulty transferring from my arms to our bed/his cot but this is a mild reaction. When DS was hospitalised at 2 months with bronchiolitis a few other kids were admitted with rotovirus and it was horrific. I was always going to vax but that experience cemented the decision.
DD was exclusively breastfed at the times of the vax as is DS currently.
We did two doses for both kids, because I found dd got really sick after the third dose. This was on the advice of a doctor, who said two doses is still offering protection. At the time NSW offered two doses at 2 and 4 months and VIC had the three doses. I now wonder though if Dd got sick because I was a bit late with that third dose? I know they say to give it within a certain time frame, so perhaps it was my bad?
Nsw I was told had a different brand and type and only gives a 2 month and 4 month dose and or the 3 doses ..
Iv down the 2 month for DD2 and have one more dose due .DD1 has both doses
We are delaying vacs but I think I will still get the second dose of this for DD2
Rotavirus vax -did you or didn't you?
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