Prevenar 13 vaccine

I got a letter from the government in regards to a new vaccine for pnumococcal (sp?) saying that i can get my DD2 a free shot of this vaccine that immunises against some extra strains that the other vaccine didnt cover when she had hers when she was younger.

Did anyone else get this? Are you going to do it? I really hate the thought of giving them the vaccinations just becaue of the risks involved but then again i dont want them to get the illnesses either.

I originally thought i wouldnt do it because my older DD didnt get it and i want them to have the same coverage, however my DH wants DD2 to get it. so now i am probably going to have to pay for my older DD to get it as well just so they are the same.

What is everyone elses thoughts?

m in the same situation. I got the letter and DH wants it done but im unsure as my 21month old now has a phobia of needles due to a hospital stay. I am so unsure what to do

it was such a relief when they had finished their immunisations, DD2 not due until she is 4 now. it was one less thing for me to worry about and now i have to think all this through AGAIN! :-/ i wouldnt forgive myself if i didnt get it and she got sick, but then again i would blame myself if something happened from the vaccine also.

We're getting it done. How old are your DDs Hollo? (Got my sigs turned off sorry...) If under 3 it is still free!

I got the letter, I'm getting both mine done. I am taking them in when I go to get DS's 18mth shots as DD will be *just* under 3 and will get it for free.

When I got DS done at 12 months the nurse told me it was coming. I asked about it - she said it is an additional strain, so it will replace the current Prevenar vax, Prevenar 11 I think it is? Anyway it will be part of the new vaccine schedule so I decided we'd get it.

DD1 is 5 and DD2 is 2 1/2. so DD2 can only get it for free. I guess i will just ask the GP about my older DD but i do feel as though if one gets it then they both should.

Oh gosh, I've been umming and ahhing over this too.

10years ago when they were developing the first one (I worked as the Kids Hospital) and lots of the nurses there were not wanting their kids to have the new vax as the side effects were so unknown. Same with the chicken pox vax when it was developed.
I wish they could routinely swab all the kids as many have natural immunity, but they can't....shame I got this the day after DS was at the GP too, or I would have talked to her about it.
After all the issues with guardasil I'm still not sure. Going to talk to the middies next week at my check.

I didn't know about it either until I got a letter about it. We have decided not to get it done for dd2.