Males should get the HPV vax as well, right?

You do you. I was raised Catholic, took my faith obligation in that sense seriously, so HPV was not a threat to me. I am just pointing out the vaccine isn't necessary if you don't engage in the behavior that might make it important, given HpV is functionally an STD.

I'm also aware something like 95% of the population doesn't do that and has different priorities and obligations so it's definitely a useful vaccine for most people, and given it can reduce cancer risks significantly, it is worth considering.

I'll agree that people are free to choose different moral codes to live by, I was just speaking from my own perspective in that regards. I guess just please disregard it if it doesn't apply.

MouthBQ98 said:

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All the standards modern childhood disease vaccines are now fairly well understood and well tested. The risks are known and minimal and the elevated risk groups can be identified. I see no reason to put individuals or the general population at risk by being a paranoid neurotic and not getting all children but those with known elevated risks those vaccines as recommend.

Exceptions:

The flu vaccine is often of limited use.
The CoVID vaccines seem WORSE than useless.

I'm not sold on the HPV quite yet but so far it seems relatively harmless. If you keep your body parts to yourself as is morally appropriate it is a non-issue, but most people lack the discipline and self control to do so it seems.

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username does not fit

Ghost of Andrew Eaton said:

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That comment wasn't necessary. It just gave you a chance to flex what you believe to be your moral superiority. Stop virtue signaling.

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Not superiority, just relative rarity. It makes me a little weird, actually, but I'm fine with it. Given I live in the real world with everyone else, and am as human as the next guy, I totally understand the matters at hand. I really didn't state it well I suppose, it came off as sanctimonious. That flippant comment wasn't meant to be the focus of my post.

My intent was pointing out that particular disease threat is entirely avoidable behaviorally if one doesn't wish to take that vaccine, and is not socially transmissible except by a very particular close contact behavior, so it is a bit different from the other vaccines, but I completely understand how it is necessary in real world application. For the vaccine hesitant, it would be a matter of how much they weighed the vaccine risk they percieve against their own will to control their sexual behaviors or chose the elevated cancer threat.

That's on you I guess to work out but it would be something to consider. Both partners would have had to be monogamous and not previously sexually active for there to be no risk. HPV is highly prevalent in the population now so odds of infection are high, so for the great majority of persons it is a concern.

Fwiw, just taking the vaccine as a teen would at least eliminate the need for one or more potentially awkward conversations.

Thanks for this thread. My 14 year old is UTD on everything including meningitis, except Hep A and B. He had 1 Hep A in 2012 and then we did not get the 2nd dose. No B at all.

If I start these series this summer, would he need 2 doses of Hep A and three of Hep B, or is there a 2-dose Hep B series these days?

He has had vaccine reaction before so we believe in Vax but spread them out.

Emotional Support Cobra said:

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Thanks for this thread. My 14 year old is UTD on everything including meningitis, except Hep A and B. He had 1 Hep A in 2012 and then we did not get the 2nd dose. No B at all.

If I start these series this summer, would he need 2 doses of Hep A and three of Hep B, or is there a 2-dose Hep B series these days?

He has had vaccine reaction before so we believe in Vax but spread them out.

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He will need to restart the two dose Hep A series since it has been more than 5 years between the doses. Hep B is still a 3 dose series.

Thank you!

Figured this thread would be a good place to ask even though it's not vaccine related.

How common is it for kids to get heat rash in the same spots often? Same 3.5 year old as above, gets rashes and complains of being itchy behind his knees and on his neck. Kid loves playing outside and happens pretty consistently after being out now that it's getting hotter….

Generally goes away after awhile of taking it easy.

Nice thread! I'd add:

Meningitis B- same thought as meningitis. I give it to all my teens before military/college

RSV- for preemie babies with lung issues and anyone else on constant oxygen

Thoughts on the others:

Varicella (chickenpox)- not a biggie for me until my patients get into mid-late teenage years and have never caught the disease. First onset chickenpox in adults can be horrible

Polio/ Hep A- all very rare in the US. Strongly recommended for travel even to places like Disney with lots of international travelers

Hep B- rare in the US. Most people catch it at birth so if mom is clear it's a big shrug for me. Also easily to give to older kids and adults later if necessary

TDaP/DTaP- completely agree with your tetanus/diptheria notes. Pertussis kills newborns who catch it from family, friends, and hospitals. Very important for pregnant moms so they can pass immunity to baby. Also important for everyone around a newborn to get updated with this

PCV/Rota/Pertussis/RSV/Hib- these are worst in lottle babies. As in, potentially fatal. If your kid makes it to age 2 with a normal immune system, then these aren't any big deal. But be glad they were lucky dodged all these bullets

Do you agree with the OP on MMR?

Absolutely! Measles might be the most contagious disease known to man. It causes plenty of hospitalizations, deaths, and permanent disabilities. It also has this nasty trick where it can reset the immune system and wipe out your natural and vaccine induced immunities to pretty much anything. There's no treatment or cure. The mumps and rubella are a nice bonus, since they both cause horrible issues as well.

Thanks for the support and additional info!

Livetosmoke said:

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all I can contribute is that shingles absolutely sucks, and I had a fairly mild case. I can't even begin to fathom what a bad case would feel like. Get the vaccine.

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How old were you when you got shingles? I have a couple friends who came down with it before they turned 50, and they keep saying get the shot the DAY you turn 50! Seems like a crappy way to spend my birthday if the side effects are as bad as they say, but better than shingles I guess!

My sister got shingles less than two months after her 50th birthday. Lingered for a while with some unexpected side effects. Didn't sound fun at all. I guess the vaccine will be high on my to do list in a few years. But that can't be right. Wasn't I in college just the other day?

I was 36 when I had shingles. It was terrible. The pain was worse than childbirth. Get the vaccine as soon as you can.