What will you do if your DC isn't exposed to the common childhood illnesses?

[StephM76]

Just wondering about it. The likelihood of my children ever catching mumps, measles, or rubella is slim. We all know that these diseases present more complications in adulthood. So what are you going to do if your child reaches puberty, and their titers show no immunity? Vaccinate? Hope they're never exposed?

[abharrington]

i will vaccinate my daughter with MMR as a teen if her titers are very low...just because rubella is so devastating during pregnancy.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I have recently just started thinking about this. My dd is 9y and ds is 5y.

Once they get to their teens I will probably take them for titters. I do know that neither will ever get the CP vax immune or not unless of course that is something they decide to do when they are 18 or older.

[Emmeline II]

TCDs are more likely to be more severe in adulthood than in childhood, not that they will. Just doing a search on this board would bring up posts where the poster or family member had a mild adult case of chicken pox or a severe childhood case; even a couple mild adult measles and mumps cases.

Teens and adults have vaccination reactions as well--and they can make their own decisions.

[coh5108]

I will let them decide for themselves when they are old enough. I had CP as an adult. It was BAD BAD BAD!!! I'm still here, and although there was no vax when I had them, If there had been I would not have chosen to get it.

[Gladiolus]

I'll be actively seeking out CP for my kids so I can cross that one off the list but I figure with the others... how many adults aren't immune now who think they are because they got a MMR vax in their childhood. Vax immunity certainly doesn't last a lifetime but we're not seeing huge outbreaks among under-vaxed adults (maybe more in college setting if anything). It's just not something that concerns me. I guess for me personally it's just one of those "we'll cross that bridge when we get there" things. Although, also not hoping to catch these as adults either!

[just_lily]

When she is a teenager we will discuss the issue together and she can make her own choices. Maybe we will know more about vaccines effects on the body by then. (A girl can dream, no?)

Personally I have never had CP, my titres show no immunity, and I am not getting the vax.

[AFWife]

We're planning on titers around age 10 and then we'll decide from there.

[Arduinna]

Haven't done a thing and my kid is an adult. She can make the decision herself now.

[ammiga]

Vaccines don't become more safe or effective just because children grow up. They are still filled with all sorts of nasty things that do not belong being injected into the human body. When dd turns 18, she will be able to make the decision for herself whether or not to vaccinate. Hopefully, we will have taught her well and she won't do it, but it will be out of our control at that point. I won't vaccinate her for anything that might be more troubling as an adult... they will be close enough to the age to make that choice for themselves.

[SeekingSerenity]

I'm with those who feel that waiting until they're teens and then getting titers is a good plan. Unfortunately, my oldest 4 are fully vaxed, and #5 is partially vaxed. DD has not had CP and I don't plan on getting it for her. #6 has never had a single shot.

For the most part, I will seek out exposure if possible, and make the decision as to the need for vaxes when they are older, and able to give me their own opinions. If they do not want the vax, I will not make them get it. So far it's been my agenda to respect their bodies, to care for them until they can care for themselves without inflicting interventions upon them over which they have no control. (No circ, for instance.) When they are old enough to decide what is to be done with their own bodies, we will take it from there.

[claddaghmom]

I've been watching this play out in my parent's family b/c several of my siblings have not had chickenpox. It's nearing a desperation. I think my mom had a general feeling that they'd still get it like normal in childhood, but that hasn't happened and time is running out.

I'm going to try to be a bit more proactive. As soon as DD hits childhood, I'm just going to actively search for it and be done with it.


The MMR seems useless to me, as does catching the diseases. The Rubella portion seems completely useless. All I hear in mainstream areas is how people who absolutely love vaccines and were vaccinated to the hilt, had to get the MMR while pregnant b/c they weren't immune. I got the MMR, and I got Rubella, and I was still not immune while pregnant.

I'm also concerned about the implications of the MMR during pregnancy and autism/other issues. It seems to me that a very tiny minority of women would be so proactive and informed as to get titres drawn pre-conception, but not too early, so they could then get the MMR before conceiving. And IMO I wouldn't want that vaccine, or any vaccines, during the pre-conception period.

[Mirzam]

I plan to do nothing, my children have had chicken pox. If they want to vaccinate themselves as adults that's up to them, I some how doubt they will though.

[eastkygal]

My sister works in healthcare. They recently did a blood titer on her. She had to repeat most of her vaccines because the immunity she did obtain from childhood vaccines had worn off. So, yes they are worse, but even childhood vaccines don't guarantee immunity as an adult. It's interesting to think about.

[dannic]

I wasn't vaxed and have three children. No rubella titers and so far, we're good. I'm pregnant with my4th and am not getting a vax.

I had CP and am seeking it out for my kids, but it seems every time someone has it, I've got a newborn or I'm pregnant, so we'll see. I still think a healthy immune system is better insurance than a vax--even as an adult.

[MyLilPwny]

Not vaccinate. I don't believe that measuring titers is measuring immunity. People can have zero titer levels and still be immune and vice versa---they can have sufficient titers and not be immune. So in other words, vaccines are worthless and don't work since they are called "effective" when they produce an antibody response, whereas I think antibodies are only one tiny part of immunity. Thus, vaccines aren't proven to be effective, based on my research and understanding. The best defense is strengthening the immune system, primarily through proper nutrition.

[ema-adama]

I would prefer my DC to get measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox as children, optimally between the ages of 5 - 9, with the exception of chickenpox, which is more likely under the age of 5. If we don't find it, I would want to do titres. Based on those results, we would have to reconsider.

I proabably would not vaccinate an adolscent, and by the time they are adults, they choose for themselves.

However, this is very theoretical now, I'll see what happens in the next 10-15 years.

[bbrandonsmom]

Well wait and see. Maybe in 10-15yrs they'll know a bit more about vaccines. I had MMR as a child and, am not immune now-they wear off. Ideally, it would be better for the kids to get Measles and Mumps as children, but that prob won't happen, so we wait.
None of us would be playing this waiting game if it there had been no MMR.

[TanyaS]

When my children are 18, they will be responsible for their own healthcare. I will let them know their health history and they can make a risk/benefit decision for themselves.

[rabrog]

What will I do? Not a darn thing. Even rubella (someone mentioned pregnancy) doesn't concern me because the vax is "good" for such a short time. What will be, will be.

Jenn