My 6yo has not had the MMR. I have a 1yo--too young to get the MMR, but also too young to get measles. The 6yo hasn't reacted well to any vaccine containing aluminum. I realize the MMR is much different, but it's made us much more concerned overall.
Now, we realize we have a 6yo who is school-aged, and thus at the appropriate age to do ok if he were to get measles. On the other hand, the 1yo is at an age where he'd be at a much greater risk for complications (like SSPE).
Even our pediatrician is not overly concerned about measles. She has not brought up the 6yo's lack of MMR (and focused only on convincing us to do the then-PCV7). Anyway, from what I've read, and what I've heard from older relatives, measles, itself, while a misery, generally leaves kids ok. The problem is with those who have it too young.
Measles is, of course, floating around a bit more than usual this year. Locally, a vaccinated 2yo recently came down with measles (no one knows where the child picked it up).
--How concerned do we need to be that our 6yo picks measles up somewhere and gives it to the 1yo?
--Is there really that much measles floating around? And, if it's just floating around, couldn't the 1yo just get it himself (without the 6yo's involvement) by touching things outside and putting his hands in his mouth?
--How likely is SSPE? And, is it true that it's much more likely in a child who had measles under 2? Or, is it really much more likely in a child under 1?
--If we chose to vaccinate the 6yo, does he need to be kept away from the 1yo for a month? I suppose we could do them both at the 1yo's 15 month appointment, but obviously anything can happen between now and then. (I didn't want to vaccinate the 1yo now--it's my understanding that the vaccine works better in children who receive it at 15 months. Is this correct?)
Thank you! I appreciate your thoughts on this.
Follow Mothering