Sorry, another Hib question (Gitti!, anyone!)

[stacey05]

I just read that there have been more cases of hib in Pa. I don't know the details yet, but it looks like they were in partially vaccinated/unvaccinated kids.

My son is still bf (not exclusively), is 19 months old, never been sick except a few runny noses (healthiest of all my 5 kids by FAR...they were fully or partially vaxed), is not in daycare and we homeschool, so the older siblings aren't bringing things home from school everyday. I am thinking of this vaccine (even though I mostly think he will not get hib...I guess I worry with more cases lately). At his age, he would only need 1 to be fully protected, right? I know about serotype replacement...but is that only in the vaccinated kid or all kids now because of vaccines?

Mostly I want to know the reasons NOT to get this vaccine? What are the side effects (short term/long term) associated with this vaccine? Dr. Sears says it is the one with the least side effects...is this true? Do you think one vaccine could mess up his immune system, which I think is working pretty great right now...no trips to the dr...no ear infections, etc. All my friends kids his age have had ALL kinds of these things...my older kids had all of this before and at his age. I know bf'ing helps, but I have to think it is because we haven't messed up his immune system w/vaccines. Would one hurt that? I was thinking Hib chance goes down after 2, but I read of a 4yo dying of hib that wasn't vaccinated...hate to have to worry about it that long. Also, we are going to Disneyworld in May and if we were to get this vaccine, I would want to do it way before then. Please share your opinions, knowledge, experiece...thanks so much!

[NKMama]

The cases are linked to partial/non vaxed in SE PA, 3 or 4 cases, I believe. You can always call the local PA DOH and ask if they have any local reported cases if you are elsewhere in the state.

I am a selective/delay vaxer. HiB was on our list based on the schedule I set up but the first HiB for my oldest was his last.

Within 3 hours, he was screaming. Screaming uncontrollably and nothing would get him to stop. His leg swelled, considerably and he had a fever. We ended up back in the peds office that night. He had no reactions with 2 IPV but has had reactions with the DTaP (he's had 3) and each was worse than the last. We have stopped vaxing for the time being.

He struggles with gut issues and milk intolerance thanks to family history. My youngest is 9 mos, never vaxed, but has eczema, milk intolerance, possibly soy and peanut, too. Despite, he is healthier than my oldest ever was at this point.

I believe the aluminum in the DTaP has been a precipitating factor for his reactions to that vax. I am very leery of doing any further DTaPs or anything else with aluminum. What caused the screaming with the HiB, I don't know. The doc chalked it up to a poorly administered injection. We'll never know.

I continue to research the pros/cons, looking at ingredients, trying to understand the vax itself and how it works, etc. I am also planning a heavy metal analysis on both, too.

I struggle with what is best often with vaxing. I'm trying to do the best I can like we all are. Good luck!