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Old 10-17-2010, 11:24 PM
 
4,267 posts, read 6,166,813 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Katiana View Post
Have to happen? No. I'm now going to say something that some will find very controversial, but after nearly 40 years of working in pediatrics, including 11 years in an immunization clinic, it's something I firmly believe.

It is simply easier to immunize your child for Hep B at the same time s/he is being immunized for all the other diseases. Hep B is a series of 3 doses of vaccine; properly spaced it takes 6 months. The regular immunization schedule has kids finished with their immunizations by age two, usually earlier. Then they don't need any more immunizations (other than annual flu vaccine) until age 5. When parents delay Hep B, it often doesn't happen at all. It's harder than you think to make those three appointments for nothing more than shots; the time it takes to schedule them, drive to them, wait in the waiting room, and drive home is far more than the time it takes to get the shot. There is no medical reason a child should not get Hep B at the same time as all their other immunizations. Toddler are notoriously difficult to give immunizations to, and most kids don't do very well with shots from about ages 2-10. You will be doing your child a big favor to get the shots when they are infants.
Why do they have to give the first does in the hospital? They could wait until the baby is one and then do the three doses during the second year. It would be just as easy. At least by that point they'd know if the baby had an egg allergy (How on earth would a mother of a 2 day old infant know if their baby was allergic to eggs?)

I'm sorry that I don't agree that convenience is the best reason to vaccinate for so many diseases in such a short period of time in such small children.
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Old 10-17-2010, 11:46 PM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,364,617 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dorthy View Post
Why do they have to give the first does in the hospital? They could wait until the baby is one and then do the three doses during the second year. It would be just as easy. At least by that point they'd know if the baby had an egg allergy (How on earth would a mother of a 2 day old infant know if their baby was allergic to eggs?)

I'm sorry that I don't agree that convenience is the best reason to vaccinate for so many diseases in such a short period of time in such small children.
Why is egg allergy a concern? There is no egg protein in Hep B vaccine. I knew when I posted that someone would say that convenience is not the best reason to get these vaccines in infancy, but that is not exactly what I'm saying. I'm saying that when people defer and say they're going to do it "later", later often never comes.
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Old 10-18-2010, 08:00 AM
 
13,513 posts, read 19,218,889 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by formercalifornian View Post
if not at birth, then when would be the appropriate time?
never
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Old 10-18-2010, 08:05 AM
 
3,484 posts, read 2,863,994 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by purehuman View Post
never
Do you really think it's better to get hepatitus than a vaccine? Hep is a dangerous and contagious widespread infectious disease with serious medical consequences. Hep B is also much worse if you get it as infant than if you get it as an adult. Children and babies are far more likely to need a liver transplant.
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Old 10-18-2010, 08:21 AM
 
13,513 posts, read 19,218,889 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Eleanora1 View Post
Do you really think it's better to get hepatitus than a vaccine? Hep is a dangerous and contagious widespread infectious disease with serious medical consequences. Hep B is also much worse if you get it as infant than if you get it as an adult. Children and babies are far more likely to need a liver transplant.
No, I don't think it is better to get hep than a vaccine. Is that our only choice? Chances of a new baby getting hep, unless born to a hepb mother are practically nil. I just think that innoculating a beautiful perfectly healthy baby within hours of birth is appaling, and sometimes there are serious side effects.I've never heard of a baby, or child needing a liver transplant because of hep b
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Old 10-18-2010, 08:35 AM
 
3,484 posts, read 2,863,994 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by purehuman View Post
No, I don't think it is better to get hep than a vaccine. Is that our only choice? Chances of a new baby getting hep, unless born to a hepb mother are practically nil. I just think that innoculating a beautiful perfectly healthy baby within hours of birth is appaling, and sometimes there are serious side effects.
You can think protecting an infant against a contagious and potentially deadly disease is "appaling" all you want. It still doesn't change the fact that vaccination confers protection against hep b. Your belief that there are serious side effects from doing so is just that: a belief. It is not grounded in fact. Hep B infection rates are as high as 25% of the population worldwide. Hep B rates have been on the decline in America because of vaccination. The truth is that up to one third of all people who get Hep B have no known risk factors. Many are completely asymptomless.

The Hep B vaccine is incredibly safe with no serious side effects that have been documented by rational people:

Misconceptions about Immunization

Quote:
The hepatitis B vaccine's effectiveness and safety have been rigorously documented: 95% of children and 90% of adults receiving the full 3-dose series develop protective antibodies [6]. Among the 20 million Americans who have received hepatitis B vaccine so far, the most commonly reported side effects are pain at the injection site and mild-to-moderate fever. Anaphylaxis has been reported, with an estimated incidence of 1 per 600,000 doses and no fatalities [6-8]. Immunologic protection against chronic hepatitis B infection persists for at least 12 years after vaccination and may persist even after the antibody is no longer detectable [9-12]. So far, no data support a need for "booster" doses, but research on this point is still being done.
In other words the vaccine has been tested and found safe. The vaccine was developed not because evil companies wanted a profit. It was developed so that babies and children would be protected from serious illness. The arguments against it do not make sense.

Quote:
I've never heard of a baby, or child needing a liver transplant because of hep b
Then you need to hear more. Please go do some real research.

Hepatitis B Transmission, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention Information by eMedicineHealth.com

Quote:
Approximately 90% to 95% of infected adults are able to fight off the virus so their infection is cured. Only about 5% to 10% of adults infected with HBV go on to develop chronic infection. Children are at much higher risk for chronic infection. Up to 90% of infected young children will fail to clear the virus from their bodies and go on to develop chronic infection.
You know what? On this subject you're simply wrong. Protecting young children from a chronic liver infection not some sort of evil act. Making sure that your baby or child does not need a liver transplant from a preventable illness is surely one of the best possible actions you can take.
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Old 10-18-2010, 08:50 AM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,364,617 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by purehuman View Post
No, I don't think it is better to get hep than a vaccine. Is that our only choice? Chances of a new baby getting hep, unless born to a hepb mother are practically nil. I just think that innoculating a beautiful perfectly healthy baby within hours of birth is appaling, and sometimes there are serious side effects.I've never heard of a baby, or child needing a liver transplant because of hep b
Here is a good Q and A article about Hepatitis B and the vaccine. I have been giving Hep B vaccine for 20+ years now, and I have never seen a serious side effect from it. In fact, I've never seen a side effect from Hep B vaccine, period. It's an extremely safe vaccine.

Ask The Experts: Hepatitis B
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Old 10-18-2010, 08:55 AM
 
4,267 posts, read 6,166,813 times
Reputation: 3579
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katiana View Post
Why is egg allergy a concern? There is no egg protein in Hep B vaccine. I knew when I posted that someone would say that convenience is not the best reason to get these vaccines in infancy, but that is not exactly what I'm saying. I'm saying that when people defer and say they're going to do it "later", later often never comes.
OK, I see it's actually yeast, not egg. I was confused because the nurse in the hospital asked me if my dd had an egg allergy prior to giving her the Hep B Vaccine. I thought it was an odd question to ask a mother of a newborn child. I see now that she should have asked if my dd had a yeast allergy which would have been equally as odd of a question to ask a mother of a newborn.

Why can't they defer for a year? They still go to the ped regularly during that time.
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Old 10-18-2010, 09:01 AM
 
4,267 posts, read 6,166,813 times
Reputation: 3579
Quote:
The Hep B vaccine is incredibly safe with no serious side effects that have been documented by rational people: (from your quote) Anaphylaxis has been reported, with an estimated incidence of 1 per 600,000 doses and no fatalities [6-8]. Immunologic protection against chronic hepatitis B infection persists for at least 12 years after vaccination and may persist even after the antibody is no longer detectable
Two things: First, you don't consider anaphylaxis as a serious side effect? Second, the vaccine only protects for 12 years? That means it wears off just prior to a person entering their teenage years where they are much more likely then a child to engage in unprotected sex or become an IV drug user.
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Old 10-18-2010, 09:19 AM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,364,617 times
Reputation: 35920
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dorthy View Post
Two things: First, you don't consider anaphylaxis as a serious side effect? Second, the vaccine only protects for 12 years? That means it wears off just prior to a person entering their teenage years where they are much more likely then a child to engage in unprotected sex or become an IV drug user.
Interesting quote w/o attribution. It's not mine, BTW, but I will respond. The quote does not say the vaccine only lasts for twelve years; it says at least 12 years. The link I posted says studies have shown it protects for at least 23 years:

For how long is hepatitis B vaccine protective?

Studies indicate that immunologic memory remains intact for at least 23 years and confers protection against clinical illness and chronic HBV infection, even though anti-HBs levels might become low or decline below detectable levels.


If at some point in time, a booster is needed, that is far better than trying to get the whole series after the person becomes high risk for Hep B disease.
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