7th grade Tdap and meningococcal vaccine

[smartyjones]

my kids are fully vaccinated, except ds10 didn't get 2nd chickenpox. I think ds10 had some reaction to first chickenpox b/c when I got his medical records, there was a note that I had called, but my dh nor I remembered that, so it couldn't have been too bad. it was only after PANDAS onset that we thought about it.

 

ds12 did not have reactions to vaccinations. he is my 'milder' PANS child. this year, my state is requiring Tdap and meningococcal vaccs for school. I had always thought I would test blood titers for future vaccines. however, blood test results do not substitute for either of these.

 

one of the things that bugs me about this is. . . ALL of the cases at Princeton and UCSB last year were strain B - the deadliest. The vacc protects against strains A,C, Y, and W-135 but not B. there is no US approved vacc against B.

 

I can get a religious exemption so I know I don't have to do them, but my question is what are opinions of those with older kids on these two vaccs. any opinions? thanks.

Edited June 26, 2014 by smartyjones

[LNN]

Just faced this problem this yr, as DD is headed into 7th. Like yours, he's fully vaccinated so far. And I believe in the value of vaccinations in general (albeit on a much gentler schedule). But given his extreme sensitivity to things, I took the religious exemption. I just think his body needs some time being stable before we throw yet another challenge at him -the required mengicoccal vaccine especially worried me. With puberty on its way, just too much all at once when we're only now returning to stability after soooo long. I'll cross this bridge again before college and at that time, DS will have a vote and maybe I'll feel more confident in his body's ability to react rationally.

 

Like you, I noted that the vaccines don't protect against strain B nor against viral meningitis. Pertussis outbreaks have occurred even in populations that were fully vaccinated. So it's a risk that outweighs the rewards at this moment in time. Just not yet, at least not in our house.

[Rachel]

My son did not recieve either one. Our doctor suggested to wait awhile since he is doing IVIG treatments monthly.

[nicklemama]

We are facing this question in a year. Given how my son reacted to the last vax given him, Flumist that started all this, I will be declining. I will revisit the meningococcal vax when he goes to college. The Tdap is not even on my radar right now. I've had whooping cough as an adult. It was he'll. Vaccination does not last. Will have to address this one at some point, as well. Two at once......NO WAY.

[rowingmom]

I have taken exemptions for both of our children. DD is fully vaccinated to grade 5, DS to grade 7, although for him I declined the meningococcal vax. Thank goodness the HPV vaccine wasn't included in DS's grade 7 shots as it was for DD's grade 7 class this year.

 

Because the B strain is not included in any of the available meningitis vaccinations, I think an optimally functioning immune system would be imperative to avoid complications with that particular strain.

 

Multiple vaccinations are not going to help DD's already compromised situation.

Edited June 26, 2014 by rowingmom

[smartyjones]

rowing -- wait a minute!! HPV was required with your school shots???!!! are you kidding me???

 

I have always been suspect of that vacc -- and that was before I'd ever even heard of pandas. when it came out, the manufacturer was the one lobbying congress to require it. right there, indicates a big problem.

[rowingmom]

We are Canadian.

[Missmom]

I HAD to go get a medical exemption for my son. We live in one of only two states that does not allow for either a religious or philosophical exemption and the ONLY way out of the vaccines was by way of a legal medical exemption. Not only did I have to get a letter from our doctor, I then had to take it to some state official (who was not medically qualified to do the job). He then had to approve it and provide the school the necessary forms to allow my son to start school. This is also a small private school. The state lost the first approved copy then I had to re-file everything all over again... This was pure incompetence. Be thankful you live in a state you can make this choice yourself.