The Imperfect Community

[DietCokeHead]

I have been reading up on the hep-B and have not been convinced that it is a necessary vaccine for infants who are not in daycare or other social settings (risk of being bit) or exposed to adults who are Hep-B positive.

Everything I have read says that Hepatitis B is an adult disease for the most part, transmitted sexually, through needles, or blood. Why on earth would a newborn baby need this shot?

I have always followed the vaccine schedules (I think I delayed this shot with Molly by one month but am not 100% sure) but this time I am trying to be more informed as to WHY each shot is needed.

Did anyone skip this shot or feel strongly that they should get it? I have Kate's one week appt tomorrow and I need to have my mind made up and some info to back up whatever decision I come to! I am leaning towards delaying this shot until she is in daycare or preschool though.

[Jessica]

I know you're looking for mostly anti-vac info., especially in regards to the Hep-B, but here are some of my thoughts.

IMO, it's highly improbable that a newborn in this country can contract Hep-B. I think the reason they give it so early is two-fold, the vaccine lasts for 10 years and as a child grows the risk factor goes up and because *if* a newborn or infant somehow contacts Hep-B, it is almost always fatal.

In some countries, up to 20% of people are infected with Hep-B and although transmittable through bodily fluids, it is not incomprehensible that a baby A put something in his/her mouth, baby B then puts it in his/her mouth and hence the spread of the disease. While true, that an infant that isn't going to be exposed to many kids is at very little risk, it is possible, although unlikely. Over a million people in this country have Hep-B, so it is real and does exist, and keep in mind that there are thousands of "healthy" carriers that will never know they have it, but can pass it on to someone with much more dire consequences.

Since Graham has been in the EI program since he was an infant -- I certainly have no regrets. I don't entirely trust those anti-bacterial wipes that they use on toys between home visits, IYKWIM?

In the end, it's your decision. Out of all the vaccinations early on, I think this is probably one of the most overly caustious vs. risk. IOW, the calculated risk is minimal and the odds are definitely on your side, but I am also of the camp that immunizations are a community effort and each break in the chain is a hole in the barrier. It is entirely your decision though and I wish you luck in whatever decision you make. A parent should not do what is uncomfortable to them either and if putting off makes you feel more comfortable then I see nothing wrong with that.

Again, good luck!

[DietCokeHead]

It's just hard to know which way to lean when you read a bunch of info from varying sources! The horror stories of reactions are so scary but then so are the stats about the diseases. Sigh. Being a grown-up is hard!!

[Scout]

Do they want her to get it at one week?? Here they get no shots until 2 months. I just keep remembering reading in Parents or somewhere this dad whose 5 month old died from the Hep B shot, and him saying "He never would have gotten Hep B. Why did he get a shot that was a greater risk than him actually getting the disease?"

[DietCokeHead]

They like to give the first Hep B shot in the hospital, like right out of the womb, and the second one at 1 month mo. I told the dr today that we would delay it because I wasnt comfortable giving it right now and she said, "OK, you can get it at the 2 month checkup?" but then there are all those other shots they get at 2 mos! Why give so many at the same time?

Side note: Scout- I am going to try out my sling as soon as my poor boobs recover from their serious engorgement! I can't wait to use it!

[Scout]

Annie, if you can get some sage extract, it should help quite a bit with the engorgement. LMK if you need any help with the sling!

When I had Somerset, they told me "Your doctor has your chart with her, so we can't get it faxed over. If she doesn't show up (she had given me a note to have her called in even if she was not on call), we will have to give the baby a Hep B shot right after birth because we can't know you don't have it." I said "That is not going to happen. Under NO circumstances will this baby get a Hep B shot right now!" That is insane to me. NEVER would I agree to that.

[DietCokeHead]

OK, follow-up to this thread: I got her the first shot last week at her checkup. The dr was receptive to my concerns about too many shots too early, etc. but told me some things about Hepatitis B that I was not aware of and I decided I wanted to go ahead and get it. It was good to find that the dr didnt just blow me off though, for questioning the vaccines and took the time to actually talk about it with me.

[new053105]

What did your dr say? I know Lauren's first shot was the Hep-B. so there must be a good reason why they vaccinate so young for it.

[DietCokeHead]

She told me that 30% of people who have Hep-B in this country have no idea where they got it and had no high risk factors-- (they werent drug users, having sex, etc). Also said that it is so easily transmittable and compared it to AIDS in the way that if there was a drop of blood on a surface and it contained AIDS and you touched it, you probably wouldn't get AIDS from it. But a drop of blood or saliva or whatever containing Hepatitis B more than likely would transmit if touched and there are millions of people in this country who have it or carry it.

That skeeved me out enough to get the shot.

[Rebecca_R]

That is true, because Hep lives outside of the body for a number of days but Aids doesn't.

I think what she said is true, but still a little alarmist. Those people could have kissed someone, shared a toothbrush/razor (gross i know, but it happens) cigarette, soda etc and got it that way. But you still have to have blood to blood transmission for hep b, I'm not completely sure on this but about 98% sure. SO if you were kissing someone, they'd have to have blood in their saliva and you'd have to have an open cut. Hep b can't be transmitted into the digestive system though (same with hep c) so say you were to eat something and you didn't have any cuts in your mouth, having the virus go into your stomach (which is still considered the outside of your body) would not insure transmission. Hep A does get transmitted into the digestive system though, in feces I think.

Anyway, yes it is way easily spread compared to Aids, but I still think babies are a completely low risk group, especially if they are not in daycare. However, it is a benefit to the public health to get all babies/kids vaccinated as soon as possible, so whatever you choose there are pros and cons to each.

[DietCokeHead]

I agree that babies are low risk. She did use the old "baby sucking on the handle of the shopping cart that someone else has germed up" thought and that made me say "eeew".

[MedeaNJ]

I am not totally anti-vax, more of a delayed schedule and forego certain ones altogether (varicella for one, that is another debate for later).

DH and I will not be giving the Hep-B vax until they are 7 (if they go to public school) or 12 (should they go private school). Our belief is that unless very small children were sexually molested or badly bitten by an infected person (very low risk in my belief) we see no reason to give the kids the shot this early on.