My 7 month old has had 3 lots of immunisations but some people dont get them done, i was for it but most kids get chicken pocs anyway after theyve had the vacine and its like 40% effective.So wondering if i should keep getting them done.anyones thoughts? if you have'nt why?

Let me first warn that this may start a debate on vaccinations..
I am very pro vaccinations. Vaccinations were developed to prevent life threatening illness that killed thousands of people. These life threatening illness have been pretty much wiped out due to the vaccines. So to answer your question yes I do believe you should get your child fully vaccinated.

I will add that I am also 100% pro vaccinations. Currently, 5% (approx) of the Australian population is not vaccinated, and the 95% that are help protect them from these illnesses. As this number decreases, the chances of those of us vaccinated keeping out diseases we have eradicated from Australia decline.

My opinion is that unless you know your child has an allergy to the vaccination, or one of your other children has had a severe reaction to a vaccination, it should be done. Yes, 40% may still get chicken pox, but what about the 60% that dont? Or how many in that 40% have a less severe outbreak?

Many daycare centres will not accept unvaccinated children without a stat dec citing religious or medical reasons, as those shildren pose a risk to others in the centre, and are also at higher risk of contracting diseases.

Finally, vaccinating children in not only free in Australia, but the government pays families to have it done.

I will add again that I am very very very pro vaccinations, so this is biased.

Good luck with your decisions.

They pay you? i have'nt been paid.Guess i should phone centrelink and ask about it.yeh im for it except im scared about bad reactions and do some babies die from it? she has been fine every time has'nt even be grizzly but still scared.

Just had a look they pay you if you get them done 18 - 24months. And second 4 - 5 years. Only 5%? hmmm proberly will keep getting them done then.My mum didnt have me done but my 3 other siblings did and one of my sisters choose not to get her son done, but think i will keep doing it.

they don't pay you for vaccinating. The money is held back from the baby bonus. If you don't vaccinate you get a conscientious objector form signed and then you get the money. They pay you for telling them what you choose to do. wink

In saying that, they are dropping this payment in july.

Instead, if you do not immunise or you do not submit a c/o form then you will not receive your family tax part a supplement at the end of the financial year.

The actual chicken pox immunisation isnt given until they are 18 months old. Generally they still get chicken pox but a much milder dose eg they may only have half a dozen spots compared to those who havent and are covered in spots.

The actual chicken pox immunisation isnt given until they are 18 months old. Generally they still get chicken pox but a much milder dose eg they may only have half a dozen spots compared to those who havent and are covered in spots.

that's not true
"Post-licensure studies in the USA have estimated the effectiveness of 1 dose of VV in children to be 80 to 85% against any disease and 95 to 98% against severe varicella. Although earlier data suggested persistence of immunity in most healthy vaccinees,1 recent long-term data from the United States has shown that, >5 years after vaccination, rates of vaccine failure increased by 2.6 times in children who received only 1 dose of vaccine, compared with those who had received the vaccine within 5 years.30 Data from a randomised controlled trial in varicella-negative children 12 months to 12 years of age, comparing 1 with 2 doses of VV over a 10 year period, showed significantly higher protection with 2 doses (94.4% vs 98.3%).31 Based on current evidence, 2 doses of a varicella-containing vaccine in children from 12 months of age will minimise the risk of breakthrough varicella (see ‘Recommendations’ below).

Healthy adolescents (?14 years of age ) and adults require 2 doses of varicella vaccine, 1 to 2 months apart, as the response to a single dose of VV decreases progressively as age increases and is insufficient to provide adequate protection."

I'm not sure where the OP got the 40% from?
here's some more info:
http://www.immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/Handbook-varicella

that's not true
"Post-licensure studies in the USA have estimated the effectiveness of 1 dose of VV in children to be 80 to 85% against any disease and 95 to 98% against severe varicella. Although earlier data suggested persistence of immunity in most healthy vaccinees,1 recent long-term data from the United States has shown that, >5 years after vaccination, rates of vaccine failure increased by 2.6 times in children who received only 1 dose of vaccine, compared with those who had received the vaccine within 5 years.30 Data from a randomised controlled trial in varicella-negative children 12 months to 12 years of age, comparing 1 with 2 doses of VV over a 10 year period, showed significantly higher protection with 2 doses (94.4% vs 98.3%).31 Based on current evidence, 2 doses of a varicella-containing vaccine in children from 12 months of age will minimise the risk of breakthrough varicella (see ‘Recommendations’ below).

Healthy adolescents (?14 years of age ) and adults require 2 doses of varicella vaccine, 1 to 2 months apart, as the response to a single dose of VV decreases progressively as age increases and is insufficient to provide adequate protection."

I'm not sure where the OP got the 40% from?
here's some more info:
http://www.immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/Handbook-varicella

Sorry I'm completely confused by your response. I was under the impression from the OP that they thought that the vaccinations their child had received to date included the chicken pox vax and they were unsure whether to continue or not. I was also pointing out to her that although many kids still get chicken pox after being vaccinated that it's generally a much milder case smile

This is a decision only you can make. You can continue to vaccinate, you can delay or you can stop. You could get 100 parents and half might do one thing, the other half something else or they might all do the same thing...either way you do have a choice.

Vaccines are not 100%, though some people will say/think they are, so really it's about a risk vs benefit analysis. Vaccines don't guarantee 'protection' and neither does not being vaccinated mean you aren't 'protected'.

As far as CP goes, I think the vaccine isn't worth it myself; both our boys had it and they both had very different 'doses'. One we never would have even known he had them at all because he had so few spots, the other covered head to foot and everywhere in between. Neither child was unwell, neither child required hospitalisation and obviously they are both still alive. Of course that's anecdotal, and apparently not a valid reason to not vaccinate against CP. wink

They pay you? i have'nt been paid.Guess i should phone centrelink and ask about it.yeh im for it except im scared about bad reactions and do some babies die from it? she has been fine every time has'nt even be grizzly but still scared.

Serious complications and deaths from vaccines are extremely rare. Much more rare then actually dying from the disease you get vaccinated for.

They pay you? i have'nt been paid.

I think that person is talking about the maternity immunisation allowance (which is soon to be abolished). It is around $120 and is paid to everyone who has met the immunisation requirements.

You are paid the money if you have immunised your child or have an appropriate exemption such as an objection form signed by your GP. If you have an exemption form you are seen to have met the requirements, so the government is not "paying you to immunise your kids".

** edited to add I just read that Oc has written almost the same thing as me- sorry I didn't read your post before!

Sorry I'm completely confused by your response. I was under the impression from the OP that they thought that the vaccinations their child had received to date included the chicken pox vax and they were unsure whether to continue or not. I was also pointing out to her that although many kids still get chicken pox after being vaccinated that it's generally a much milder case smile

I was referring to the wording smile "most kids" do not get chicken pox after the vaccine and it's not only 40% effective - that link tells you exactly how effective it is smile - 80 to 85% against any varicella strain and 95 to 98% against severe varicella. That immunity decreases over time if the child has only had a single dose of the vaccine - but If they've had 2 doses they have a significantly higher protection.

They pay you? i have'nt been paid.Guess i should phone centrelink and ask about it.yeh im for it except im scared about bad reactions and do some babies die from it? she has been fine every time has'nt even be grizzly but still scared.

It shouldn't be about the money. Death is extremely rare and the immunisations protect not only your child but those around your child who may be too young to be immunised. The long term health effects of some of the diseases far out way the short term discomfort a child may experience after a vaccination.

It shouldn't be about the money.

No it shouldn't..but sadly with some people it is. But as a couple of other posters have already mentioned, they aren't paying you to vaccinate really, they are paying you to decide one way or the other, and tell them what your decision is.

If I was you, I would have my children immunised. I strongly believe it should be done smile

I am pro vaccination, and I have ALOT to say on the subject!!

My daughters 6 month vax were delayed one month which meant her 12 months were delayed as well (they were delayed becuase of illness) in that 1 month that she turned 1 centerlink cut of my CCR and CCB. Then she was up to day and they back dated me..

Come to when DD was almost 18 month (17 months and two weeks) she was suposed to get the 18 month needle in two months... (this was september last year)
17 months and two weeks I found a spot on her... Needless to say it was chicken pox and confirmed with a swab. The doctor was suposed to tell C/L and medicare but didn't, I only fixed everything up in December and now they are not back dating my CCR/CCB which I told them and brought in things from the doctors to say that she wasn't required to have the immunisations....

I believe that people are aloud to have a choice (this is Australia after all) I am glad the payment is being cut, I don't think it should be based on $$ also I don't think it was fair that my CCB/CCR got cut off and I did to the "right" thing. DD just enrolled in a new daycare this week and they asked for an immunisation record.. they said if it isn't provided then the child can be asked and excuded if there is an out break where we live.

DD just enrolled in a new daycare this week and they asked for an immunisation record.. they said if it isn't provided then the child can be asked and excuded if there is an out break where we live.

I think this is standard practise in Oz. For daycare and school. I have DD in care and I work in a school and we've never had an outbreak of anything "vaccinatable" in a year at daycare and 4 years at my school.

I think this is standard practise in Oz. For daycare and school. I have DD in care and I work in a school and we've never had an outbreak of anything "vaccinatable" in a year at daycare and 4 years at my school.

Chicken Pox usally made the rounds in DD old daycare...
But there wasn't any cases about 3 months before she got the chicken pox and none of the other kids had even seemed to catch them from her either (prob becuase she was the youngest and they were already vax)

But there wasn't any cases about 3 months before she got the chicken pox and none of the other kids had even seemed to catch them from her either (prob becuase she was the youngest and they were already vax)

Not necessarily. The thing is that exposure doesn't mean they are guaranteed to get it; it took DS1 4 known exposures, at daycare, before he finally got them. DS2 got them at 1st exposure.

If I was you, I would have my children immunised. I strongly believe it should be done smile

AGREE!!!!

Not necessarily. The thing is that exposure doesn't mean they are guaranteed to get it; it took DS1 4 known exposures, at daycare, before he finally got them. DS2 got them at 1st exposure.

I think what I was thinking came out wrong LOL...
I know she could of really picked it up anywhere like the shops...

The http://www.ncirs.edu.au/ webiste a pretty good site if you want to do more research– it is pro vax as govt sponsored but good on the basic facts.

Also http://www.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/faq

Some people seem to say ‘Just a little prick’ is one of the better resources for the non-vax side. A critique is at http://www.immune.org.nz/site_resources/Professionals/Topics_Special_Interest/Anti-imms%20rebuttals/Myth-HP-16_Critique_of_Just_a_Little_Prick_IMAC_2007.pdf

Vaccines aren’t 100% effective but most are pretty good as per stats provided and for most of the diseases the illness will generally be less severe. Immunity from vaccines don’t usually last as long as the immunity provided by catching the disease (although this is not the case for all diseases). As such, boosters may be required.

I think whooping cough is one of the less effective vaccines and may start to wane after 6 years. But catching the disease doesn't give life long immunity either. As such, whooping cough will always be in the community which is why those closest to the baby (usually parents and grandparents) are recommended to get updated vaccines and why babies are offered the vax as early as possible.

There was quite a recent thread of the cpox vax. For me, it seems that if they get it when young it is usually mild (although very occasionally can lead to complications). Then they are usually immune for life. If you get immunised then you may require boosters later or risk getting it when you are older. If you avoid getting cpox due to luck or immunisation then you are very unlikely to get shingles. If you catch cpox then you have a much higher chance of getting shingles (from memory around 30%??), esp when older which can be quite serious – often more so than cpox. So advantages and disadvantages.

We had two cases of cpox at my dds school last year (not sure if they were vaxed or not) but it didn’t spread beyond that. When I was at school the whole class had it pretty much at the same time – I think one day there was only four in the class at school. That is my only anecdotal evidence of effectiveness.

We don’t get FTB A so I think that means we will no longer be eligible for the payment come July.

Parents often think about the death rate for diseases but I think taking into account the long term health advantages and disadvantages is also important. I have a relative with life long lung damage from having whooping cough as a bub so I see that vax as a key one having seen what can happen first hand. I also reckon the Pneumococcal one is important. My DS also had mild pneunomia when a bub (unfortunately not a strain covered by the vax) - he was hardly even sick, just had a persistent cough but had to have strong antibiotics for 6 weeks to get rid of it (which had other effects on his little body) and two lung xrays. I would have preferred to have had him vaxed for it if I could than have all those antibiotics and exposure to radiation at such a young age and increased risk of asthma.

Obviously I'm pro vax

I think what I was thinking came out wrong LOL...
I know she could of really picked it up anywhere like the shops...

I understood what you meant. tongue

My response was more in response to that they didn't get it from her because they were vaxed. They might not have gotten it from her even if they weren't vaxed, thus my example....maybe it was me who wasn't particularly clear? laugh

My little one was premmie and hubby was speaking to one of the NICU nurses about vaccines. The nurse said that if bubs don't have vaccines & get ill they get the raw strain of the virus, which is what makes it so dangerous. If your bub is immunised & comes into contact with the virus they are immunised against they will only get a mild dose of the virus.

oops yeh should of proberly checked with the 40% thing someone said it to me but i just ment that its not 100% , but i have decided to keep getting them done.

hi all i have quick question does any one no much about the rotavirus vaccine. i no its for gastro and that the babies can have side effects as my son now has had the runs for nearly 2 weeks and i even took him to the childrens it was so bad and they cant find n e thing wrong. before this vaccine he was cinstipated and now he has the runs all the time any ideas as im sick of taking him to the docs and hosp only to be told that i am doing everything right sad

Haven't had a chance to read all the responses but...

Can I just point out that vaccinations aren't just to protect YOUR child, they're to protect society as a whole from large scale outbreaks of the disease.

Some diseases are now almost non existant in developed countries due to large scale vaccinations.

I am pro vaccination if you couldn't already tell smile

hi all i have quick question does any one no much about the rotavirus vaccine. i no its for gastro and that the babies can have side effects as my son now has had the runs for nearly 2 weeks and i even took him to the childrens it was so bad and they cant find n e thing wrong. before this vaccine he was cinstipated and now he has the runs all the time any ideas as im sick of taking him to the docs and hosp only to be told that i am doing everything right sad

Maybe if it has upset the balance in his tummy probiotics might help - perhaps you could ask the chemist if they think that would be ok for him.

I only know one kid who had the virus from my dd's playgroup (this is the year before the vax was on the schedule). Her bub was in hospital for a few days because of dehydration from the severe gastro. They disinfected everything but everyone in the family, including the grandparents who came to help out, got it as it is very contagious. So like you said, I think it is just severe gastro??

hi all i have quick question does any one no much about the rotavirus vaccine. i no its for gastro and that the babies can have side effects as my son now has had the runs for nearly 2 weeks and i even took him to the childrens it was so bad and they cant find n e thing wrong. before this vaccine he was cinstipated and now he has the runs all the time any ideas as im sick of taking him to the docs and hosp only to be told that i am doing everything right sad

side effects of rotavirus vax from dept. health website Victoria.

Common side effects

fever
diarrhoea (in the week after rotavirus vaccination)
vomiting (in the week after rotavirus vaccination)

http://www.health.vic.gov.au/immunisation/factsheets/rotavirus.htm