BCG Vaccination.

[Jamma]

I'm amazed folk seem to genuinely weigh up a cosmetic scar versus chance (albeit very small) of getting a nasty disease. The world's gone nuts

[BanJo]

Thanks Jam for the info. I will be getting all my children done. I have two who will qualify for NHS jabs but am just slightly annoyed that we seem to have slipped through the net with my 5 year old and will have to go private.

[new mother]

Tulip,

Hello there, I generally type summaries of my thoughts, onehandedly, with a squirmer on my knee and expect most people to have ESP and understand! This might jsut be unreasonable - ;-). Let me clarify.

Most diseases have specific groups at risk, for different reasons. Some are inherited (eg sickle cell, cystic fibrosis), some are environment linked - stress, living conditions etc, and some groups have a predisposition (eg malignant melanoma).

When we balance the likelihood of our child (a) being exposed to the disease and (b) developing it, it is clear that the cost/benefit analysis indicates against taking the vaccination. But we'll see - if numbers and medical advice change, we'll re assess it, as any conscientious parent will.

[BellendenBear]

New Mother, what medical advice are you waiting to be changed? The advice is already for all under 1s to be vaccinated in this area isn't it?

And I don't understand your comment about herd immunity being irrelevant if your child is at low risk. Isn't that the whole point of herd immunity? That the majority get vaccinated to protect the most vulnerable minority even if that doesn't include your low risk non-ethnic child.

[EmmaG]

Our baby had the BCG at about 3 or 4 weeks and although she screamed it was only a blob under the skin. No probs since then. I'd say the heel prick thing was way, way worse.

[tulip]

New Mother- I know that your post was probably not quite meant as typed!

However, the recommendation is that babies in this area have th BCG. My twins had it at 8 months and we fine with it. Although they may be lower risk that other children in the area as the family aren't travelling in and out of high-risk TB countries, there is enough risk for there to be a recommended vaccination schedule. Ultimately it's not nice having a needle stuck in a young child and it will most likely cause a descrete scar, but would you forgive yourself if your child was one of the few who contracts TB? It's after all vastly more unpleasant and dangerous than the BCG. You are also adding to the herd immunity- I also feel a responsibility to do this as some children can't be vaccinated for legitimate reasons and the herd will offer them some protection too.

[Aisling]

My daughter had her BCG when she was about two months old.She is six now and I don't remember it being more traumatic than any of the others, just glad that she won't have to go through the punches in the arm that i endured at the age of thirteen. She has a small scar, and was actually asking me about it today, she's pretty proud of it! Looks a lot better than mine.

[amydown]

My little boy had it about 7 weeks ago. It was all fine actually and was just a bit red until couple of days ago - it's now developing into an angry looking thing with yellow stuff oozing out.. Booked an apppointment to see a doctor later this week.

Seems odd that it's getting like this so long after the injection. Does anyone else have similar experiences?

[Belle]

yep - my son's reaction took at least a couple of months to appear - thought we'd got away with it! And even now, (he had it in November I think) it's still red and a bit swollen - doc says all normal, but def worth checking if worried about infection. The oozing etc happened to us too - yeuch!