Anti-vax sibling

[SSecret Squirrel]

Old thread, but I'm curious. To people who are saying they wouldn't let unvaxxed relatives near their baby for 6 - 12 months, do you take your child outside the house at all during that period? Do you take them into enclosed air conditioned areas such as trains, buses, shopping centres, elevators? Do you take them to places where there are guaranteed to be sick people eg doctors waiting room, hospital? Do you take them where there will be lots of small children eg schools, playgroup, mothers group etc?

Surely the risk of a baby contracting an illness at any of the above would be far greater than contracting something from an unvaxxed adult who is otherwise in good health. I can understand anything less than 6 weeks, but restricting contact for 6 - 12 months seems like overkill.

I have a relative whose toddler developed an early childhood cancer. Chemo wiped the child's immunity during treatment. The only caution from the oncologist was to be careful of elevators and to avoid shopping centres at busy times.

[amyd]

Old thread, but I'm curious. To people who are saying they wouldn't let unvaxxed relatives near their baby for 6 - 12 months, do you take your child outside the house at all during that period? Do you take them into enclosed air conditioned areas such as trains, buses, shopping centres, elevators? Do you take them to places where there are guaranteed to be sick people eg doctors waiting room, hospital? Do you take them where there will be lots of small children eg schools, playgroup, mothers group etc?

Surely the risk of a baby contracting an illness at any of the above would be far greater than contracting something from an unvaxxed adult who is otherwise in good health. I can understand anything less than 6 weeks, but restricting contact for 6 - 12 months seems like overkill.

I have a relative whose toddler developed an early childhood cancer. Chemo wiped the child's immunity during treatment. The only caution from the oncologist was to be careful of elevators and to avoid shopping centres at busy times.

Subbing just to hear the answer!

[Lil M]

Old thread, but I'm curious. To people who are saying they wouldn't let unvaxxed relatives near their baby for 6 - 12 months, do you take your child outside the house at all during that period? Do you take them into enclosed air conditioned areas such as trains, buses, shopping centres, elevators? Do you take them to places where there are guaranteed to be sick people eg doctors waiting room, hospital? Do you take them where there will be lots of small children eg schools, playgroup, mothers group etc?

Surely the risk of a baby contracting an illness at any of the above would be far greater than contracting something from an unvaxxed adult who is otherwise in good health. I can understand anything less than 6 weeks, but restricting contact for 6 - 12 months seems like overkill.

I have a relative whose toddler developed an early childhood cancer. Chemo wiped the child's immunity during treatment. The only caution from the oncologist was to be careful of elevators and to avoid shopping centres at busy times.

Yes, I would take them out and about because they would not be in close contact with passers by. However, my main reason for suggesting not letting the anti vaccine relatives near the baby for at least 6 months would be to make a point how against their (stupid) beliefs I was! In the hope that they may re think their stance and do some proper research.

[DT75]

Old thread, but I'm curious. To people who are saying they wouldn't let unvaxxed relatives near their baby for 6 - 12 months, do you take your child outside the house at all during that period? Do you take them into enclosed air conditioned areas such as trains, buses, shopping centres, elevators? Do you take them to places where there are guaranteed to be sick people eg doctors waiting room, hospital? Do you take them where there will be lots of small children eg schools, playgroup, mothers group etc?

Surely the risk of a baby contracting an illness at any of the above would be far greater than contracting something from an unvaxxed adult who is otherwise in good health. I can understand anything less than 6 weeks, but restricting contact for 6 - 12 months seems like overkill.

I have a relative whose toddler developed an early childhood cancer. Chemo wiped the child's immunity during treatment. The only caution from the oncologist was to be careful of elevators and to avoid shopping centres at busy times.

We only went out for hospital appointments, and yes I asked all staff if they were up to date. They said it was mandatory.

For me, it's about respect rather than anything else. If I ask family to respect my wishes in regards to vaccines and they refuse, tough luck.
I don't let strangers come near my kids. And yes, they could catch something while out. That doesn't negate the higher risk regular contact has.

This 'argument' actually really bothers me.

[Hopeful37]

Old thread, but I'm curious. To people who are saying they wouldn't let unvaxxed relatives near their baby for 6 - 12 months, do you take your child outside the house at all during that period? Do you take them into enclosed air conditioned areas such as trains, buses, shopping centres, elevators? Do you take them to places where there are guaranteed to be sick people eg doctors waiting room, hospital? Do you take them where there will be lots of small children eg schools, playgroup, mothers group etc?

Surely the risk of a baby contracting an illness at any of the above would be far greater than contracting something from an unvaxxed adult who is otherwise in good health. I can understand anything less than 6 weeks, but restricting contact for 6 - 12 months seems like overkill.

I have a relative whose toddler developed an early childhood cancer. Chemo wiped the child's immunity during treatment. The only caution from the oncologist was to be careful of elevators and to avoid shopping centres at busy times.

No I don't avoid public places for 6 months, only 6 weeks until first vaccines. But I would be in no rush to be catching up on a social visit with someone that was so selfish so I wouldn't be accepting any offers of a catch up, don't care if they are family or not. It would probably cause a rift if they were that blatantly rude about it

[Meld85]

I waited 6 weeks for both of mine... But I would wait 6 months for someone I know for a fact chose not to immunise...

[BornToBe]

Wow. So you really ask every relative and friend and associate who touches the baby if they are up to date with their vaccines?

People who are vaccinated against WC can still have it, albeit a lessened and more difficult to recognise version, and pass it on. Far more important to simply restrict all contact from people who have a cough or sniffle of any type.

[Hopeful37]

Wow. So you really ask every relative and friend and associate who touches the baby if they are up to date with their vaccines?

People who are vaccinated against WC can still have it, albeit a lessened and more difficult to recognise version, and pass it on. Far more important to simply restrict all contact from people who have a cough or sniffle of any type.

Wow. So you don't?

Definitely do if they are visiting before 6 weeks

[BornToBe]

No I don't, but I also don't pass around my babies before the 6 week mark anyway, I encourage no kissing from relatives to babies when they are young, plus I breastfeed and have a good immunity myself (which I'm sure many will decry as useless against disease, but I disagree).

Would it not just have the same protective effect as being vaccinated, to say no handling or visiting the baby if you are ill? A well person can't transmit an illness they don't have.

[Hopeful37]

No I don't, but I also don't pass around my babies before the 6 week mark anyway, I encourage no kissing from relatives to babies when they are young, plus I breastfeed and have a good immunity myself (which I'm sure many will decry as useless against disease, but I disagree).

Would it not just have the same protective effect as being vaccinated, to say no handling or visiting the baby if you are ill? A well person can't transmit an illness they don't have.

I think the problem is that with a lot of viruses/diseases that often it's at most contagious is when someone doesn't know they have it or are showing no symptoms yet.

Obviously it's not something you can control 100% but by not having unvaccinated people around a newborn it would be a step in the right direction in trying to control the exposure. Even if they are perfectly healthy and the baby doesn't get sick it really wouldn't be worth the worry imo for them to visit in that small timeframe before the 6 week vaccination. Anyway if someone was that vocal against vaccinations I wouldn't be friends with them I doubt. Different belief system completely