non-vaccinated child a danger to newborn vaccinated baby??

[limboland la la]

Hello, I'm not sure what terms to search for this under so if anyone has any quick links on Mothering I could do my reading there. So, sorry if this is redundant!

My daughter is one year, and doesn't have any vaccines yet. We are delaying until at least two years. My brother is about to have a newborn, and he does not want my daughter around his newborn as he worries that her unvaccinated status could expose his baby to disease.

I want to protect my brother's newborn as well. However, I'm wondering if this is a valid concern. Could my unvaccinated baby expose his baby to something (that would have been prevented had I vaccinated her... I'm not talking about a cold ?

[kiara7]

Ask your brother if he and his wife are up to date on all of their vaccines?

[fruitfulmomma]

Only if she is carrying the disease. (And with 5 kids, who range in age from 9yo to 8mo, the only childhood disease they've had is Roseola, which is not a VPD.)

But he should know vaccinated children can be carriers as well...
http://insidevaccines.com/wordpress/...cine-shedding/

[SageR]

Originally Posted by kiara7

Ask your brother if he and his wife are up to date on all of their vaccines?

I would certainly bring this up. Of course your daughter could expose the baby to a vpd..but so could you, your brother, his partner, their neighbor, a stranger in the supermarket, even a child who has been vaccinated. Many people did not have up to date vaccine status and of those who do some do not actually have immunity. Someone will come along and give you some links for this info.

[Emmeline II]

Vaccinated persons can still be carriers and the unvaccinated are not disease time bombs.

Are your brother, his wife, your parents, his parents, and any other adult contacts up to date on the adult CDC vaccine schedule?

[Gitti]

Heck most doctors and nurses are not even up to date on vaccines. That does not make every un- or under- vaccinated person a germ factory. Is he up to date?

[Evergreen]

Yeah, most adults are actually more of a threat. Most of us haven't had the 'recommended' vaccines or boosters. My husband is the one who gave my dd pertussis, his vaccine had worn off. Unless he decides to shield her from every person in the world whose immunity is uncertain which would mean no going in public or family gatherings with adults who haven't had boosters it is extremely unfair to exclude her.

[Gitti]

Originally Posted by Evergreen

My husband is the one who gave my dd pertussis, his vaccine had worn off.

Even a person who is up to date on the pertussis vaccine can still be a carrier and spread the bacteria. This vaccine only makes the infection milder in the person who is vaccinated and that is debatable.

[13Sandals]

Originally Posted by Gitti

Even a person who is up to date on the pertussis vaccine can still be a carrier and spread the bacteria. This vaccine only makes the infection milder in the person who is vaccinated and that is debatable.

Yes - best thing to do regarding pertussis is get a copy of the insert for TdaP and highlight the portion that says, "Vaccination of teens and adults may not prevent transmission of disease to vulnerable populations."

you can also mention that flumist, chicken pox , measles, mumps and rubella vaccines all shed so the vaccinated infant can be a danger to anyone immuno-compromised.

So much for live and let live between siblings! I feel for you.

[Yulia_R]

Originally Posted by kiara7

Ask your brother if he and his wife are up to date on all of their vaccines?

:

If anything, it is the OPPOSITE: a freshly vaccinated child is shedding.

[caned & able]

The answer is no.

[time4another]

IMO they should worry more about the toddler passing a cold virus to the newborn as opposed to a VPD...its like they are only paying attention to one flake in a snowstorm...

[Noelle C.]

If he's worried about your toddler, then he better not be planning to take his baby into public at all, nor to the doctor's office, and I hope he's planning to remove all his clothing and disinfect his body before walking into the house lest he pick up on his sleeve the stray bug from someone in public. Also he needs to check the vaccine records of all teens and adults who may come in contact with his baby. Teens and adults, even in the medical history, are so far more likely to have lapsed on their vaxes.

Your daughter can't pass to his baby anything she doesn't already have. He is a bigger threat, disease-wise, to his newborn, than your daughter is.

[LisaSedai]

I'd say your DD isn't more or less likely to transmit disease to the newborn but if the poor baby should get something, DD would be the first one to be "blamed" : For that reason I wouldn't bring them together if it were me.

I BF and kept my unvaxed newborn at home for 6 months. If a child I knew had wanted to hold him I would've made the kid scrub up with soap and water for 30 seconds and I'd have tested the kid for fever ;-)

Heck most doctors and nurses are not even up to date on vaccines

In my hospital we are. They do varicella and MMR titers on everybody and if we're not immune they make us take a vax or else sign a form that we are endangering our patients They pushed the TDaP and Hep B on us also. We just got a memo that if we don't take the regular flu vax *and* the stupid experimental swine flu vax that we will be required to wear a mask for our entire shift from Oct through March. Oh goodie.

[luminesce]

Originally Posted by Gitti

Even a person who is up to date on the pertussis vaccine can still be a carrier and spread the bacteria. This vaccine only makes the infection milder in the person who is vaccinated and that is debatable.

Yup, I don't have links handy (as usual) but studies have shown that in most cases of infant pertussis, the person having transmitted it was an adult caregiver. It is more insidious and pervasive in adults/teens who generally think that they have 'bronchitis' not pertussis.