Immunisations for a premmie baby

[~Chick79~]

Just wondering.... with premmie babies alot of things (such as medicine) work on their corrected age and not their actual age - does this apply to Immunisations as well??

DS2 was 5 weeks early and by his actual age he is now due for his 8 week needles, but by his corrected age he is only (nearly) 4 weeks old....

What do I do??? :confused:

[SilverStarfish]

I'd check with the doctor, but you could try calling the new QLD Health advice number, perhaps?

13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84)

http://www.health.qld.gov.au/13health/default.asp

[~Chick79~]

I made an appointment a few weeks back for this thursday coming to get them done (thinking he was due since he is 8 weeks old) but I will be definitely confirming this with them on Monday!

He had a temp this afternoon and I went down to the chemist to get more panadol and for the first time ever I was asked if it was going to be given to a premmie bub and wen I said yes they told me he couldn't have it unless his corrected age was over 4 weeks...

This is what started me thinking......

[SilverStarfish]

Oh, something else to throw into the mix, they do immunisations by "calender" age as opposed to "week" age IYKWIM?

ie. My DD was born on the 7th of March this year, so her needles were due on (or after) the 7th of May... which is actually more than 8 weeks (56 days).

I wonder if they take that into account for Premmies?

[onabreak]

My daughter was born 11 weeks early, so when it came to her needles I went with the age she was not the corrected age. Thats what my doctor went with anyway. My daughter was born on the 9th so every time she was due for a needle I booked her in or around the 9th of the month.

[my_lot]

my son was 7 weeks early and he was immunised at 8 weeks ( 1 week after his due date )

i still give him panadol on his weight not age. as he is 4 but weighs only 14kg

[sshellzp]

They go by the ACTUAL age. Emerald is 6 months old and 3 months corrected and is having her 6 month needles tomorrow.

[AM]

If I were you, I would DEFINITELY not have your baby injected until at LEAST his corrected age, there is a lot of stuff in vax's which can knock a full term baby around, and premmies tend to have less developed immune systems simply due to the fact they were not 'cooked' for as long.
In fact, I'd be delaying the vax's for a good fair while! :)
O - do remember, that it is YOUR decision to make, your doctor actually has NO authority over when/ if your child is vaxed - there are HEAPS of people who delay/ decline vax's.
Obviously just my opinion on it, and i'm biased as i am a complete non-vaxer!! :thumbsup:

[sshellzp]

Too late now for me :no:

[the_queen]

The schedule is "suggested", not mandatory. So if you don't think your bubba is ready for the "8 week" needles, then wait a few weeks. :thumbsup:

[sopolicha]

If I were you, I would DEFINITELY not have your baby injected until at LEAST his corrected age, there is a lot of stuff in vax's which can knock a full term baby around, and premmies tend to have less developed immune systems simply due to the fact they were not 'cooked' for as long.


I really, really, really have to disagree with this. My eldest was 6 weeks premmie. She was vaccinated according to her actual age. I think the adjusted age is a waste of time and a furphy.

Out of my three children (she was the only one who wasn't breastfed for an extended period) she is the healthiest of us all, not only as a baby, but even now.

[my_lot]

most people on here with prems have said they immunised based on the babes age from the birth NOT the due date

having had 2 prems this is what i was told to do and what i did.



someone who is a nonvaxer AND (by the sounds of her post) hasnt had premmie herself -shouldnt be saying what age you should vax a prem.

listen to people who have had a prem vaccinated and your doctor.

[AM]

There have been studies done on the effects of vaxing prems specifically, here is a link, which has some thought provoking info...

http://www.freeyurko.bizland.com/albayati2.html#section2C

Look at Section II C

[Melissa1983]

Hey Leisha

Well as you know both of your nieces were early, and i got them immunised on there birth age not there due dates...

I would check with the health nurse or the gp.

[my_lot]

There have been studies done on the effects of vaxing prems specifically, here is a link, which has some thought provoking info...

http://www.freeyurko.bizland.com/albayati2.html#section2C

Look at Section II C



my premmie son was on an apnoea monitor from birth

AS ARE ALOT OF PREMMIES.

(my dd2,now 7yrs,was also prem and also had a monitor)

my son had quite a few life threatening episodes in his first few days and was given caffine stimulants because of this. he came home from hospital on a grasby mr10 monitor.

a few weeks later he had a sleep study done and based on those results we had to continue to monitor him, with this machine at every sleep, for a further 12 months.

he was immunised at 8 weeks after he was born ( 1 week after his due date) with the lot (diptheria tetanus pertussis hepB hib and polio)

and had NO APNOEA problems following the immunisation. he had NO reaction what so ever.

[~Chick79~]

Woah!!!!!!!! I didn't mean for this to turn into a debate on to Vax or not to vax..... :no:

Thank you for all the replies - it has given me something to think about!

Mel - thanks for the post (mum actually told me that the other night when I mentioned it to her - you were busy with the girls!!!) :thumbsup:

Anyway had a check up with the paed yesterday and found out he has a heart murmur so after a lengthy discussion she said that he will be perfectly fine to get his shots on thursday if that is what I want to do. Now it is just time for DH and I to have a chat and see where we want to go....