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Hi Pinky
,
I may be able to answer some of your questions. I
have studied immunisation, and was an immunisation provider for about ten years.
I have become concerned about the willingness of our government to introduce new
vaccinations to the schedule, particularly since the introduction of the second
MMR prior to the commencement of primary school.
This Hep B vaccination at birth seems over the top,
and I personally wonder at the relationship between governments and commercial
vaccination manufacturers. I may be paranoid. My children are vaccinated.
However, I have grown to respect people who make a carefully considered decision
not to do so. I think if I had my time over again, I would still vaccinate, but
there would be some vaccines that I would refuse eg Sabin.
I don't believe parents are asked about previous
vaccine reactions in other family members. The health department advice on this
one is I believe that other family members are not at any greater risk.
The idea of putting a foreign substance into a new
baby is also quite a concern to me. I have had someone tell me the birth dose of
Hep B is important, because the Mast cells are permanently altered by giving it,
so immunity is forever. I was floored by this, and wondered whether I was wrong.
But later I thought, why Hep B then, why not measles or some other
vaccine? I have found from experience that these nurses usually just
repeat the party line. Some can be a bit aggressive when questioned! (Of course
I never was!) But it would be a very difficult job to do if you had any doubts
in your mind.
Vaccines are given to well babies, and premmies, I
think just before discharge. I think it is often up to the judgement of the
midwife or nurse looking after the baby.
The vaccination clinic is mainly for babies or
infants with allergic type reactions, or known allergies to egg in the case of
MMR. Localised reactions are seen as normal, unless severe. I have only seen two
serious reactions in my time, which is now reaching twenty years.
Best wishes,
Nicole.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2005 3:39
AM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Hep B vaccine
reaction
Hi Nicole and lisa,
Are any questions asked re family history of
allergies/ vaccine reactions before giving the shots?
My own first baby (now 30)had a similar reaction
to his first triple antigen (the first vaccine in those days), my mother had a
collapse after a tetanus shot requiring an ambulance and adrenalin and my
second child as a teenager who had cut his hand on a rusty piece of iron was
taken by his boss for a tetanus shot - the following
day he collapsed/ stopped breathing and ended up in hospital being
resuscitated -this was recorded as a vaccine reaction.
My younger children are unvaccinated depite much
pressure/ school forms and even a huge dressing down from a GP who called
me negligent and ignorant.
At a talk last year (at a midwifery conference in
SA) by a govt person on the 'logic' of vaccinating, her reasoning was as
you mentioned that some babies of carriers - in the US!! she said - had
slipped through and not been vaccinated at birth. Apparently "some of these
women sued!!"
I find this very flimsy and
fearful reasoning to give vaccinations to a pure little newborn - surely
this is occasion for parents to take personal responsibility - you would know
if you were a carrier and so would your carers as it would be on your records.
Why should women who aren't carriers be pressured to expose their babies
to unnecessary risks? Especially since babies are not going to be engaging in
risky behaviour!
As I researched after my own children's reactions
I became very cynical that much of this pressure is driven by $$$ -if as
you say, if the 2 month vaccination will fully cover a baby (if it is the
parent's choice to vaccinate) surely the shot at birth for all babies is
overkill? Sounds like that could have been literally, Nicole - it
must have been a terrible shock for you and the parents. I really feel
for you about being anxious to inject more babies - how do you deal with this
in your workplace?
So Im wondering - are parents asked about family
history of allergies/ reactions to vaccines?
Are vaccines given to well babies? when are they
given to premmies? Babies who have had any health problems/
respiratory difficulties at birth? Or difficult births?
What is defined as a reaction severe enough /
concerning enough to be referred to the Children's special
clinic?
Many babies have red limbs, irritability, fever -
is this enough to be cautious about subsequent vaccines?
Pinky
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005 5:33
AM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Hep B
vaccine reaction
Thats really interesting
Nicole, thankyou!
Coming from the uk, I know my
case,,and can state it..but being here I have found a high uptake off
vaccinations amongst babies and children..and have already had to sign all
sorts to get my children into school. I do believe in parents making
informed decisions..but often found the info available is biased..(in both
directions!)
As a midwife...if your beliefs
were such....could you refuse to vaccinate babies?
And to clarify for me... if a
mother is not carrying hep B...how would a baby contact
it? Through a blood transfusion?
Do you have to report reactions
like that?
Hope you dont mind me
asking,..
lisax
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005 9:11
PM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Hep B
vaccine reaction
Hi Lisa,
Welcome to Australia!
Hepatitis B vaccine has been given routinely
at birth now for maybe five years. One of the most common causes of
Hepatitis B is contracting it from your mother at birth, if she is a
carrier.I believe the practice of Hep B vaccination at birth came
about because there were cases of babies of known Hep B carriers who
did not receive immunoglobulin and vaccination at birth, also because the
conversion to Hep B carrier status is very high if you contract the
disease in infancy. When universal hep B administration came in, most
midwives were not happy, but it was still introduced. The doctors order it
and the parents are given an information sheet to read, which I
believe does not give the whole picture (including that if the birth dose
is not given, the baby still gets a full course by having Hep B vax at
2,4, and 12 months of age). Parents sign a consent form, and then the
vaccine is given if they wish to proceed. I like to give the parents the
risk factors for contracting Hep B, and the information about the normal
immunisation schedule, and let them decide. All the women have their Hep B
and C status checked antenatally, and are likely to know if they are
a carrier. Many ask what the majority of parents do and are guided by
that. Most parents at this stage are going ahead with it.
While I can't prove that the incident I
experienced tonight was caused by the vaccine, it only occured at the most
10 minutes after the vaccine. I don't know if the baby is contraindicated
for further vaccines, but would be very careful. It probably should be
done at the Royal Childrens Hospital where they have a specialised clinic
for babies who have had vaccine reactions. I am not sure how I will
be able to give the vaccine to another baby after that
experience.
Kind regards,
Nicole.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005
11:27 PM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Hep B
vaccine reaction
Hello
everyone.
I'm fairly new to
Australia, (from the Uk) but have been an avid follower of this
site for some time now.
And, by way of an
introduction..and as a first post I feel compelled to ask about this
vaccine....by my nature, I havnt vaccinated my kids...but as far as this
particular vaccine is concerned....why is it given
routinely??
I ask, because I thought
that hep B was passed on by blood and sex..(to be crude)...what infant
is genuinely at risk of this??
If a baby has a reaction
like this...(hope she is ok!!) does that mean she is contraindicated for
future vaccines??
Many thanks,
lisa
Perth
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005
7:48 PM
Subject: [ozmidwifery] Hep B
vaccine reaction
Hi All,
Have just had a scary experience when a
baby became floppy and stopped breathing three times after the
Hep B vaccine. She is ok, but being observed for 24 hours in special
care. It just reinforces my belief that giving all babies Hep B prior
to discharge from hospital is unnecessary, and where there are no risk
factors present, more dangerous than not giving it.
Nicole
Carver.
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