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.
I replied in one of your other posts, but DD had 2 doses of the rotavirus vax and was quite sick for over a week each time, fatigue, very unsettled (couldn't put her down at all) and diarrhoea. I didn't give it to DS.
If you believe that vaccines give immunity, then one dose provides some immunity, 2 doses greater immunity, and 3 doses greater immunity again. It is not all or or nothing thing after giving 3 doses. I know the govt scheme does have age limits on when they will give each dose though.
ETA - Both kids exclusively breastfed, and not in childcare. DS also had gut and allergy issues (excema) which also influenced my decision to not give the rotavirus vax.
Last edited by HotI; December 16th, 2013 at 06:59 PM.
I delayed DS Vax's until he was over 6 months (for the first lot) then a year (second lot) and now he is 5 he will have some others...
Rotavirus, no he missed out because they said he was too old. We've never had it, never known anyone who admits to having it.
DS was exclusively BF, I was also very careful about not going out if he showed signs of a cold or illness, or associating with those who were sick.
DD1 hasn't had it, as it wasn't available when she was little. I researched for the same reasons as you when DS was born, but we knew we might be moving remote, and in the end that was my decider. I had looked after lots of kids with it, and it was horrendous.
We don't have any gut issues or intolerances. Mine all were exclusively BF. We do live where there are some spectacular bugs and often dodgy healthcare and so DD2 has had it.
Neither of my kids suffered any ill effects from it at all.
Dd was exclusively fb but I still did it. She was a bit unsettled after but nothing major. I was also worried about the risks with it but I figured the chances were so small I'd rather give her some extra protection from the virus.
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.
Rotavirus vax -did you or didn't you?
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