Maybe the same parental factors that caused them to be born prematurely also caused the parents not to get their shots.
I’m curious if the journalists actually do research and investigating anymore.
How is it possible for anyone that has read the current schedule, the ingredients in each vaccine in the current schedule and all the listed side effects, and then still believe it’s a good idea to inject these into the bloodstream of premie or ANY baby or child?
4
Seriously do we have to blame others for not giving enough information? How much is enough? I can only imagine the help these people received. Ball's in the parents' court now.
This article conveniently omits the science, and helps to foment anxiety about non-vaccination. Where are the studies showing that pre-mature non-vaccinated children have a higher rate of infections with vaccine-preventable illness? Aren't they germane to this discussion. If they don't exist, why doesn't Bakalar say so? If he doesn't know why doesn't he say so? Shall we have a discussion in the Times about science as it relates to health or shall we just foment anxiety in the population based on the journalist's personal anxiety. This is mass insanity where we are having discussions about health care policy in complete ignorance of science? Where are we going?
6
Health care providers need to be very careful when administering vaccines to premature infants. In this study 38% of the premature infants who were vaccinated with just the DTaP/HiB vaccine developed adverse events, and 20% of those were major events.
Acta Paediatr. 2001 Aug;90(8):916-20.
Adverse events following vaccination in premature infants.
Sen S1, Cloete Y, Hassan K, Buss P.
Author information
1
Department of Paediatrics and Neonatology, Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, UK.
Abstract
The aims of this study were to study the frequency, severity and types of adverse reactions following DPT/Hib (diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis/Haemophilus influenzae type B conjugate) immunization in very preterm infants and to identify possible risk factors. Case notes of 45 preterm babies vaccinated in the neonatal intensive care unit between January 1993 and December 1998 were studied retrospectively. Apparent adverse events were noted in 17 of 45 (37.8%) babies: 9 (20%) had major events, i.e. apnea, bradycardia or desaturations, and 8 (17.8%) had minor events, i.e. increased oxygen requirements, temperature instability, poor handling and feed intolerance. Age at vaccination of 70 days or less was significantly associated with increased risk (p < 0.01). Of 27 babies vaccinated at 70 days or less, 9 (33.3%) developed major events compared with none when vaccinated over 70 d.
4
i'M sorry but to me it seems that we may be giving excessive vaccinations to children. We give twice as many as the average European country and still there are 32 countries healthier than we are.
Please tell me why this is. If the vaccinations are not the cause than what is it. Is it our foods that have caused autism to increase from 1 in 5000 to 1 in 150.
6
@Allan You mean increase in autism diagnosis, not its incidence. Just like 60 years ago my brother was not diagnosed with dyslexia but 20 years ago his daughter was diagnosed when she started school. When he was a child dyslexia was hardly known about. Both demonstrably are dyslexic.
3
My doctor has my preemies on a vaccine schedule based on their adjusted age. They are 9 months but the adjusted age is 7 months.
6
So when do you count from -premature birth date? Original projected birth date? The day it became clear they would live long enough for it to be a concern?
5
My daughter was born premature and her DOCTOR ordered a delay of two months on any shots because she was premature. I’m surprised The NY Times didn’t discover this aspect in medicine.
8
@Cathy Odom me too. My son was born 3 months early and so all shots were delayed by 3 months; I was surprised this aspect was not mentioned either.
7
@Cathy Odo My daughter was born this year at 34 weeks and both her neonatologist and pediatrician strongly recommended that she receive all vaccines on time for her actual age. They advised against delaying the shots, even by 6 weeks, since she was already more vulnerable than a term infant. I think guidance may have shifted in recent years to recommend against delays due to prematurity.
I'm not sure what the guidance is for micro-preemies but I know other women who have recently had preterm babies and they were also strongly advised to vaccinate on time even if it meant that their babies receive some vaccines before their due dates.
With the ongoing measles outbreak in NYC, we also opted to give the MMR (measles) vaccine early, at 6 months, to further protect our preemie.
1
Premature babies already have a hard life, especially at the beginning. Babies in general really need vaccinations to start boosting their immune systems, especially when they are premature. When they don't receive the proper vaccinations that they need, it opens the door to more issues (on top of what they are already dealing with). I also understand that health issues can also stand in the way for vaccinations, but parents should push for their kids to be vaccinated. Some people choose not to vaccinate their children due to religious beliefs ( and there's nothing wrong with that), but some parents now just choose not to for no reason at all. Which is awful because some people can't get vaccinations due to medical reasons. It's very important to get vaccinated because of all the disease there is in the world, and diseases coming back from decades ago.
@Emma Lowry you are wrong that there "is nothing wrong with that". People who choose not to vaccinate due to "religious beliefs" are rejecting science and putting everyone in danger. They are relying on herd immunity and are the most selfish people in the world.
4
Emma
Please provide links to your statement that any babies, especially premies, “really need vaccinations to start boosting their immune systems.” If your pediatrician made a comment like that, ask her/him to provide it.
4
Premature babies often suffer from poor health due to being premature and poor health is often a reason to delay vaccination. This fact alone might account for the lower probability that pre-mature infants were vaccinated according to the schedule recommended for full-term healthy babies. What is the probability that a healthy pre-mature baby has been vaccinated according to schedule?
In addition, there have been no studies on the vaccinating premature babies. In fact, they are typically excluded from studies on vaccine safety. Will the vaccines work as expected? Will they be more likely to suffer from vaccination adverse effects? We don't know. It seem premature to recommended vaccination for a group (premature babies) without first assessing the risks and benefits of vaccination specifically for that group of people.
10