Hib Booster- question

[PCARN]

Hi- I'm looking for some advice as I'm torn as to what to do. My baby has had a vaccine adverse reaction at 2 months. Since then I have delayed most of the vaccines with the exception of HIB. Currently three doses have been given and the booster is due. We are planning to travel by plane (very long flight) and am not sure if it's best to get the booster before or after our trip. My concerns about getting it before is I read somewhere that a vaccine reaction can still occur days, weeks or even months after a vaccine? My concerns about not getting it is due to the outbreak just last year. I've been trying to find information as to how much immunity there is after three doses but haven't been able to find any information.

I'd really appreciate your thoughts. Also for those that have traveled by plane, did you adjust your vaccination plan/schedule due to traveling?

Thanks in advance.

[Delicateflower]

Has your baby had any reactions to the HiB vaccines she'd had previously? I thought all HiB reactions happened within a day or two, your baby is more likely to get a cold and a stuffed up nose when you fly than a vaccine reaction.

[Marnica]

I would wait until after your trip. There is an increased chance of HIB after the vaccine (for up tp a week I think) and vaccines mess with the immune system in general. Traveling is stressful enough on the immune system, why tax it even further with a shot right before you go.

[PCARN]

DelicateFlower- My little one reacted to Pentacel (received Pentacel and Rotavirus that day which I regret both). The pediatricians felt it was probably due to Dtap but of course since it's a combo shot they couldn't say for sure. She had the other two doses seperately.

Marnica- Our trip isn't planned for approx. another 6 weeks. That's why I'm contemplating whether to do it now or wait till after we get back. I have read about increased susceptability to HIB after getting the vaccine so that also makes me weary. Do you know if this is even with the newer vaccine? I heard it was with the original? Still makes me weary. Thanks for your advice.

Thank you both for your replies.

[Marnica]

I would still wait until after your trip.

Remember when there was an HIB vax shortage last year or the year before. All of a sudden, parents of toddlers were being told to hold off on the booster shot, that it was more important for those children who had not received the initial series to get them....when the shortage ended, then all of a sudden it was important to get the booster.

Honestly I think waiting until after your trip just in case of any reaction or illness from a suspressed immusne system happens is the way to go.

This study may ease your mind a bit.
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/284/18/2334.pdf
basically it says that protection wanes over time, but only a tiny bit. efficacy was 99.4% after initiall series, but only dropped to 97.3% for kids ages 1-5 years. They concluded that the booster effect was minial and probably not needed.

As to increased susceptibility, I believe yes, it can occur with the conjugate vaccines, but for a different reason. The old vaccine actually caused the hib because of the infectious material in it. But the conjugate vaccines contain purified capsular polysaccahrides only so this is not possible. As for early onset disease with the conjugates I think it's more anecdotal evidence. I found this link which is interesting. there is a section that adresses this.
http://books.google.com/books?id=Cuf...accine&f=false

[PCARN]

Marnica- Thank you again so much for your reply and for the links. You gave me a lot to think about. I'm concerned about the outbreak last year (occured in a state I live in) but I want to do what is best. I read about the recall, do you know why it was recalled initially? The links gave me a lot of great information. Thanks for researching. Someone had suggested getting a titer done? Doesn't make sense that they push the booster if it only increases protection by a few percent! Was there always a booster with the HIB vaccine or was the three doses (as it is in England) standard first?

Thanks again.

[alegna]

My kids are unvaxed and I've never worried about flying with them.

-Angela

[hollytheteacher]

Have you read the Dr. Sears book? There is a page in there that breaks down all the vaxes by "most reactivity" so like the one that is least likely to cause a reaction to the one that is most likely to cause a reaction.

HIB is the LEAST likely to cause a reaction. That actually helped me feel more comfortable vaxing my ds with it because I had already decided that I kinda-sorta wanted to vax him for it (since even though it's rare it can be VERY serious and i would not feel comfortable with my decision to not-vax for it if my ds had become ill with meningitis) and knowing it was considered one of the most "safe" vaxes made me feel more comfortable. DS had 3 doses of it and then we stopped because he sort of "aged" out.

Anyway, if you ARE definitly interested in giving it, i'd probably do it before the flight because i see know reason to wait. IF, however, you were still in the researcing phase and not 100% sure you want to give it, then wait.

That is my biggest advice because when ds was 2 months old I got pushed into vaxing for everything at once and it felt soooo wrong in my gut and I still am upset by it. We swtiched dr.'s and she is willing to work with us so that we only vax when it feels right. MY ds just turned 3 and i just now felt comfortable giving him MMR (the most likely to cause a reaction vax in dr. sears list) and he did great and i was able to feel okay about it in my gut feelings...know what I mean?

Sorry this was so long lol.

[PCARN]

Alegna- Thanks for your post. Have you traveled often by plane with your children? Do you do anything in particular before flying? Such as giving certain vitamins, etc. Any info. would be appreciated!

Holly- I have read Dr. Sears' book. I like him a lot but don't agree with certain things such as still feeling it's fine to continue vaxing with the rotavirus vaccine even though they found the bovine (pig) virus in it. He also recommends Prevnar 13 which is new vaccine. Both surprised me. My baby has gotten three doses so far. One was with Pentacel (combination shot which I regret to no end) and the other two were single doses. My concern is the reaction that happened at two months. I, like you, do feel like it's an important vaccine (one of the few that I mostly agree with) but the question is whether to give it before or after the trip. We're going on a long, non stop flight which makes me nervous. Granted, there will be about a month in between but still. I wish I researched it sooner (am hating myself for not doing so), I didn't realize until recently that the booster could be given between 12-15 months and not just at 15 months. How old was your DS when you started the series? Just wondering because my baby has already had three doses and I truly wonder if the booster is necessary or can wait.

Thanks again ladies for your replies.

[alegna]

We travel once or twice a year by plane (sometimes that takes multiple flights to get where we're going...) My kids are 6 and 2, so it adds up. We don't do anything special at all. Never had a plane-related illness <knock wood> lol

-Angela

[ammiga]

Originally Posted by alegna

We travel once or twice a year by plane (sometimes that takes multiple flights to get where we're going...) My kids are 6 and 2, so it adds up. We don't do anything special at all. Never had a plane-related illness <knock wood> lol

-Angela

Same here. My almost 3yo has been on 6 flights, no special prepping and no plane-related illnesses.