alternative vaccination schedule for a preemie?

[Star9Mama]

Hi fellow NICU moms,

I have a 30 weeker, born at 25 weeks gestation in a wonderful NICU on the east coast. Before his early birth happened we were starting to explore alternative vaccination schedules. My husband has changed his opinion given the higher risk of infection in babies who are born prematurely. However, I still wonder about which ones we give him, and when.

I'm too exhausted and distracted to start researching info on vaccinations and preemies. Perhaps you can help direct me to some easy to access information?

-Star9Mama

[MJ13]

My 28 wkr still hasn't had any vaxs. at almost 5 months. And everytime we go to the specialty care clinic they are nasty and pushy and make me feel terrible... : anyways

The neonatologist and his regular Ped. are really pushing the DTaP and the Hib first. I'm still doing my research as well so I'm interested to see other replies.

It just makes me so nervous because he's already been pumped full of so much and I'm trying to give him time to grow a bit (just hit 9 lbs) but I sure don't want him to get whooping cough since he already has breathing problems... ugh.

not trying to hijack... I'll be keeping my eye on this thread too.

[sparklett]

Hiya mamas!

We tried doing a normal vax. schedule, but DS started doing this weird seizure thing two days after his second DTaP, so the ped. said no more vax for a long, long time, maybe never. If we do decide to vax, we're probably only selectiely vax and/or follow the Sears reccommendations.

You might want to see what they say over in the vax. forum.

[kriswrite]

With my 25 weeker, we did a typical vax schedule, using her actual (not corrected) age. Our neonatologists told us preemies are actually LESS LIKELY to have adverse effects from vaccinations.

Kristina

[irangel]

We went off of adjusted age and started with the most beneficial vaccines for her current situation (hib, DTaP and pneumococcal). We didn't add in Hep B until close to a year and Polio around 18mos. She's 27mos and we wont do MMR until she turns 3yrs old and we will only do varicella if she hasn't had chicken pox by the time she enters school. I've been very pleased with how we chose to vaccinate. I saw several preemies, one in particular, have horribly adverse, reactions to the vaccines given at actual age and with their already fragile medical conditions what may just be a slight fever in a normal baby ended with the preemies being re-intubated for several days.

[homewithtwinsmama]

My 31 week preemie will be three this month. We have not vaccinated her at all. I don't buy the preemies have less problems with them meme. How do they know that a lot of the residual problems that all VLBW preemies normally have nothing to do with vaccines. Answer, they don't know. I am not opposed to all vax if you want it, but I want the blood brain barrier closed first and that takes two years.

[Star9Mama]

thank you for your replies. My husband and I have an appointment with Dr. Moskowitz next week. We were originally seeking him out as a homeopathic doctor to help our DS when he gets home (in August) but i noticed he has written several books about Vaccinations so this will be our first topic of conversation.

[homewithtwinsmama]

Originally Posted by Star9Mama

thank you for your replies. My husband and I have an appointment with Dr. Moskowitz next week. We were originally seeking him out as a homeopathic doctor to help our DS when he gets home (in August) but i noticed he has written several books about Vaccinations so this will be our first topic of conversation.

I used homeopathy with great success on my preemie. Our doc got us off all allopathic drugs we were giving for her reflux and also helped with growth issues.

[angie7]

My twins are former 30 weekers and are completely vax free. No complications, only 4 runny noses since birth...

[beth144]

i just started vac'ing my 28 weeker last month at her real age of 7mo. i only did the Hib and pneumococcal. i don't feel that the DaTp would be necessary for her at this point b/c of the high incidence of reactions to it. as a side note she has been receiving the rsv vac due to the high incidence in our area this year. she seemed to do fine with it.

[ReikiMommy07]

I wouldn't vax a preemie at all until age 2. Maybe even later if preemie-related things are/were severe.

[ReikiMommy07]

Originally Posted by kriswrite

With my 25 weeker, we did a typical vax schedule, using her actual (not corrected) age. Our neonatologists told us preemies are actually LESS LIKELY to have adverse effects from vaccinations.

Kristina

I don't believe that's true. If anything, preemies would *seem* to be more likely to have bad reactions... Where did he/she get this info? very interested to know!

[ReikiMommy07]

Originally Posted by homewithtwinsmama

My 31 week preemie will be three this month. We have not vaccinated her at all. I don't buy the preemies have less problems with them meme. How do they know that a lot of the residual problems that all VLBW preemies normally have nothing to do with vaccines. Answer, they don't know. I am not opposed to all vax if you want it, but I want the blood brain barrier closed first and that takes two years.

:! Exactly what I'm getting at here! FTR we don't vax and never will.

[felix23]

We went with her adjusted age. She has had no problems and is very rarely sick.

[JustBlaze]

We still haven't vaxed our 33 weeker with no plans of doing so any time soon.

[Amys1st]

We do vax but select and delayed out. We had planned to do this with MAggie and then she came 16 weeks early. Before they wisked her off to another hospital they had us sign this huge list of waivers and of course one of them was for vaxes. We didnt sign off on that and they asked why. I said, when its time, we will talk.

Well a month came and we said, lets wait a few weeks. We kept this up and then finally said we would follow up w the ped (who was also a neo at that nicu for 20 years) and the ped agreed with us on our delayed schedule. We had to bring her in weekly, then monthly for several months so we figured and did a vax here and there. DD1 was also needing a few before she started kindergarden that following year so my ped also suggested doing those as well over that time we had to be there anyhow.

So dd1 at age 6 has had them all. Maggie is 2 1/2 and has had them delayed and we pick and choose what to do. She is also healthy but we did do the RSV shots her first year which are not vaxes.