So we have a long bad history with shots in our family. Not super bad but enough to make me just want just say NO to any more even though we have started.
Anyhow I do feel that shots are helpful there are certain ones I do not get or allow my kids to get and I do choose a slightly different attack on the giving of doses Anyhow one shot that I do wish my kids to get is the varacella (chickenpox) because I have never had chickenpox and typically live in fear of getting it.
Anyhow my office only had the MMRV shot available and since I refuse to give two coctails at once and my little one was due for MMR, DTAP and Varicella. I opted for the MMRV and now I greatly wish I had waited and just gone somewhere else. She has been suffering dearly with fever and now broke out in a rash everywhere to which my suprise (not really a surprise cause I read into it) can spread chickenpox. Of which I have NOT had. Ugh. I know it is rare and what not but I am just so sick of vaccines and issues with them. My oldest had a severe reaction to the Heb B shot (which is super, super rare to react to badly) and so she never finished and my older kids don't even start until a year to be safe. And now this...is it just our family?
I am really considering stoping all together but feel it would be a waste if I do so...and I really don't cause I do feel that certain vaccines are beneficial.
You are aware that the chicken pox vaccine does NOT prevent you from catching it?? You can still catch it but with the vaccine it does help that it isn't as "severe" just like with the "flu" vaccine you can still get the flu even though you had the shot. It's just not as severe...........
I would strongly be suspecting that your family has an allergy to either horses or eggs.
Most vaxs have either eggs or gelatin in them...so people with mild to severe allergies tend to react badly to them (rashes, long fevers, all the way to seizures and anaphylaxis)
Go to an allergist and get tested. It could be that the allergy is mild enough not to impact your eating habits because ingested the effect is pretty mild, but shot directly into muscle, fat, or veins your histamine response goes through the roof.
It's not uncommon (the paperwork you sign asks specifically about those allergies), and there ARE alternate vaxes without them, but the have to be special ordered and are more expensive. Insurance won't pay for them unless there is a stated or documented allergy.
This is just mom speculation, but if my children repeatedly had bad reactions to vaccines I would wonder if there was a possible problem with their immune system. Maybe a deficiency or some issue that leads to an over-reaction by the body. I would ask my doc about it, and maybe even get a second opinion from an immunologist. Again, just my "mom brain" wheels turning, looking for answers. I do believe vaccines are important and want my children to get them, but would want answers and solutions to make it as easy and safe for them (and me!) as possible.
According to the CDC, "Early findings from an ongoing CDC study show that children who get an MMRV vaccine may be twice as likely to have a febrile seizure 7-10 days after getting the shot than children who get MMR and varicella vaccines (2 shots) at the same health care visit."
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Vaccines/MMRV/MMRV_qa.ht...
Knowing what I know now, I would not consent to the MMRV; luckily my children are too old for it (they had MMR and varicella separately).
For background info I like Dr. Stephanie Cave's book. I have also heard good things about Dr. Sears' book, but haven't read it. You might check your library.
I am not a health care provider of any type; this is just my "mom" opinion.
We have had a hard time with vaccines as well. Our son would get sick and have a fever after every shot. We only did one at a time and delayed them each by 4 months, so he was a bit older when he got them. We gave probiotics 1 month prior to each shot (as advised by our doctor), but he still would get sick. He's 2 1/2 and we still haven't gotten him his 6 month shots. I just don't want him to get sick again, he has enough of a hard time dealing with ear infections and other things.
Is your pediatrician aware of your family history of side effects from shots? Maybe they have a suggestion as to a better way to spread them out.
Have you tried giving the kids a little tylenol or benadryl beforehand? Again, check with the doc, but that helps my kiddos from bad reactions.
Poor thing, hope she feels better soon :)
my first two had all their shots when they were little(except the chicken pox one) the next two had a few of their shots and the last two have had none. The first two were constantly sick with ear infections. The second two had ear infections occasionally and the last two have yet to get any ear infection(at ages 20 months and almost 7 months). My oldest did end up getting the chicken pox shot when he was in 1st grade because someone in his class(who had been vaccinated against it) came down with chicken pox so my son had to be home for 2 weeks. When he had 2 days left to be home, 3 other kids in the class(all were vaccinated against chicken pox) came down with it and my choice was 2 more weeks having him miss school or get the shot- I should have just had him stay home with me(we were doing classwork at home) but I got him the shot. Well, my 3rd child came down with chicken pox almost 2 weeks later- FROM THE SHOT!!! None of the others caught it- this is part of the reason I don't do shots anymore. This and the fact that they use monkey or fetal tissue to grow the virus for the vaccine. The thought of monkey or other human dna being injected into my kids makes me sick.
~C.
I agree with Riley J. and Sarah K. about looking for a reason for your children's negative reactions.
Since your current pediatrician doesn't seem to agree with your wish to delay and separate vaccines, I'd look for one who does agree with you. Such a pediatrician would be more likely to look for causes and help your children have less reactions.
My grandchildren's pediatrician is working with my daughter to have the vaccines spaced more appropriately and to give only those considered medially necessary.
Surely there is a specialist in this field. You would think with everything going on and people for no good reason avoiding shots that someone out there would have a protocol for administering vaccinations for those that have bad reactions to having them all at once.
Meh, maybe then the people who are dead set would come back to getting their kids vaccinated. Yeah yeah I know but just let me live in my happy place for a while.
You made me very glad my kids could take them like a trooper. :)
Your family just might not handle it well. If I were you I'd go with my gut and delay space out vaccines. No one says you have to be right on schedule.
