caramac Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Whooping cough is being spread by adults.All adults should be reimmunised, infact there are many reports of late saying it is not as effective any longer. Measles cases have been in teenagers and young adults, who are often immunised and their vaccine has waned. We have currently said we are holding off until he is 10, then he will be caught up with the DTP and the MMR which he hasnt had yet. I am for others chosing though, vaccine reactions/damage are very real, payouts are real and vaccine failure is also real. The two cases of whooping cough in our school lately were both in sisters, both vaccinated. I agree. Whooping cough (and other) immunity does wane with age, but in times where the uptake of vaccination in children is high, the incidence of disease is low. We can't catch every adult entering the UK to determine their immunisation history. Polio has almost been eradicated in most countries, but there are pockets where it is still rife due to a lack of immunisation and it's most prevalent in children under 5. The effects of it are devastating. It wouldn't take much to eradicate it altogether so that future generations may not need to be immunised, as is the case with smallpox. Because we don't see the effects of some of these diseases anymore we've become complacent about the distress and disability they can cause. We did a huge MMR catch up a few years ago because there were lots of students at university getting mumps. Anyone who hadn't received two full doses as children were offered a booster. It's only since they were little that it was decided that two doses are needed for full protection, so those older teens weren't covered. That could easily be why they're the ones who have been getting measles. Maybe if the case for adults having booster jabs is proven then they will become available. I hope so, I'd definitely have them if it meant more vulnerable people, like your son, would then be protected. I agree too about vaccine failure. I had four rubella jabs (and the illness twice!) before I was immune and have had more hep B jabs than the usual. However, we can only do our best to protect the majority of people most of the time. I agree that it is right that parents have a choice. We (and our children) are the ones who have to live with the consequences of our decisions, but it has to be based on the facts. I hadn't noticed before my daughter was ill, but I remember the media circus about the vaccine causing brain damage. It was in every paper and news for ages. When the theory was debunked the media were strangely quiet. As health professionals we were aware of it, but the general public wasn't. Most people now can access information easily (although that can be a bad thing as well as a positive depending on a person's analytical skills), but then they couldn't, so the information wasn't available. It was very irresponsible (lack of) journalism. No one who saw our daughter at that time had the slightest doubt about vaccinating their own children, except one, whose eldest son had similar issues to yours, I expect. She, like you, waited until he was older which is completely understandable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 The immunisation schedules tend not to cover adults, unless you're talking about tetanus, diphtheria, polio, hep B.. unless there's an outbreak of disease such as the current whooping cough one which means that pregnant women are being offered jabs. Also, most older adults will have been exposed to what were common childhood diseases - measles, mumps, rubella, so will be immune. Women are also screened for rubella immunity when pregnant. If they're not covered they can be immunised after giving birth, but they're at risk while pregnant (another reason for adequate herd immunity). It's better that they're checked before becoming pregnant so they and the baby can be protected if necessary. Every country has a slightly different schedule depending on what might be a problem there, and the money available for vaccines, so not everything will be covered, so, in a world where we all travel more than ever, it's not realistic to expect every adult to be covered for everything. For example, the UK stopped it's bcg programme because it was deemed unnecessary, but it has started again in London because cases of TB are rising due to the number of people coming from countries where it's a problem. Obviously if your son has had a reaction to a vaccine then of course he shouldn't have any more for the time being, but it's important for his protection that the majority of other children are covered. My friend's daughter couldn't have the MMR when she was little due to an allergy to egg. However, as she grew she became tolerant to egg and had the immunisation in hospital, in case of a reaction, when she was 16 with no problem. When I was at the end of pregnancy with my daughter, there was an outbreak of whooping cough. My OB told me that if I want she would give me the vaccine right after delivery because it`s not yet clear whether it would affect the fetus in any way. I was about to be due for my tetanus shot as well so as soon as I delivered my girl, I got the DTP vaccine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 When I was at the end of pregnancy with my daughter, there was an outbreak of whooping cough. My OB told me that if I want she would give me the vaccine right after delivery because it`s not yet clear whether it would affect the fetus in any way. I was about to be due for my tetanus shot as well so as soon as I delivered my girl, I got the DTP vaccine. Yes, that's a tricky one. I'm not entirely sure I would have had if I was pregnant, but then I've not looked at any evidence for or against. In some countries (I can't remember which) they give the first imms on the day of birth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fisheys Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 The medical evidence in favour of vaccination is in fact so overwhelming that do not have your children vaccinated is almost tantamount to neglect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lebourvellec Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Yes, that's a tricky one. I'm not entirely sure I would have had if I was pregnant, but then I've not looked at any evidence for or against. In some countries (I can't remember which) they give the first imms on the day of birth.. Whooping cough vaccination is now offered to pregnant woman once they reach 28wks. I decided to get the vaccination when I was 30wks pregnant last year so could pass on immunity until babies get own vaccinations. I never got it as a child but I did have whooping cough( I never got vaccination due to my dad having epilepsy and doctor worried that the vaccination could trigger it??). 14 babies under 3 months died from whooping cough in 2012. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritChickx Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 I've always been pro vaccine...ones that are necessary and proven to be safe obviously. I've had 2 MMR vaccines, the HPV vaccine, Hep B, a few other things when I was younger. I have no memory of ever having chicken pox but I had a blood test which says i'm immune from it... the worst illness i've had which was last year was the norovirus... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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