----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005 10:25
PM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Hep B vaccine
reaction
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.
