should I vax my kids for HEP B?

amother

Sun, May 12 2013, 11:07 pm

after reading the literature about Hep B I decided that the chances of getting it were so remote for my kids that it wouldn't be worthwhile to vax them.
I did vax them for hep A and all the other vax's except chicken pox.

my ped nicely told me that I am a fool for not giving them hep B.

what possible reason can I have for vaxing my kids against a STD when they are small??
same goes for gardasil for girls?

I understand in the non-jewish world vaxing before they start being s-xually active. in my world that means before getting married, not at age 10!!!!

seeker

Sun, May 12 2013, 11:31 pm

I also delay the HepB vaccine because I am wary of putting so much stuff into tiny little kids, but here are some other reasons:
1. Can also be transmitted through blood products., e.g. if C"V the kid is in some emergency and needs a transfusion. Don't know how common it is for HepB to be transmitted this way, but it is a possibility.
2. Rape. Again, you hope and pray it doesn't happen, but unfortunately nobody can guarantee that a kid won't be exposed to an STD before marriage Sad

3. In a similar vein, you might THINK your kid would never fool around before marriage, but who knows? Why wait for it to turn into an "issue?"

So I don't give it to my newborns because I think it is kind of crazy to shoot up a kid with all kinds of stuff when they're still just a few pounds light in the hospital. But I do think I'll get around to it before they reach puberty.

granolamom

Mon, May 13 2013, 2:55 pm

I once had a ped tell me the reason to give it was 'incase he is ever molested its one less thing to worry about'
needless to say I switched peds because I'm sorry but that is probably one of the most ridiculous reasons to inject a newborn with all sorts of chemicals.
in my opinion, there is no reason to get the hep b vaccine until (or unless) you are at risk for the disease (I got it when I started working in a hospital). potential rape is a bit far fetched, I think.

as far as 'its required by law', its not. the schools are required to show the dept of health that all students have either been vaxed or have legal exemptions.

smss

Mon, May 13 2013, 3:02 pm

knowing what I now know about it, I wouldn't do it again for a newborn, but I would do it eventually. I think it can be spread by touching fluids as well, not just s-xually, and you never know what kinds of things you can come into contact with in public places....

amother

Mon, May 13 2013, 4:38 pm

Hep B is spread through bodily fluids -that is, through blood other fluids containing blood. Yes its unlikely you will ever get the actual virus; however, if you work in a hospital/clinic setting, or you personally are in a hospital setting, you are exposed to many other people's blood & body fluids.
Hep B is not a disease that's been eradicated in the US. Thousands of people still get the Hep B virus every year.

morah

Mon, May 13 2013, 6:41 pm

Not weighing in on the vaccine itself, just a major pet peeve of mine: please don't assume that these things are irrelevant for forum Jews. Unfortunately, forum Jews can get stds too, and it doesn't have to be from some wildly implausible Scenario either. Some people are jerks and cheat on their spouses. Some people marry "experienced" BTs. And believe it or not, some people slip up and have premarital relations. And WRT to that last one: I plan to teach my kids that it is wrong and big aveira. But if one of them decides not to listen, I want them to face consequences from me, not some life-altering disease.

granolamom

Mon, May 13 2013, 7:25 pm

morah wrote:

That's true, but I'm talking about newborns. If a baby has hep b positive parent(s) that's one thing.

morah

Mon, May 13 2013, 7:30 pm

granolamom wrote:

morah wrote:

That's true, but I'm talking about newborns. If a baby has hep b positive parent(s) that's one thing.

Right, its an issue of vaccines. If you believe its not necessary for a newborn and possibly harmful, so fine. But "I'm frum therefore std concerns don't apply to us" is not a valid reason.

seeker

Mon, May 13 2013, 7:34 pm

granolamom wrote:

morah wrote:

That's true, but I'm talking about newborns. If a baby has hep b positive parent(s) that's one thing.

Op said this:

Quote:

I understand in the non-jewish world vaxing before they start being s-xually active. in my world that means before getting married, not at age 10!!!!

so I guessed she wasn't just talking about newborns. And she didn;t put it in NP either, so I feel very comfortable saying that while it's probably overkill for a typical newborn, it's not nearly that far-fetched at 10 (and no, unfortunately in today's climate I don't think rape is quite as unlikely as we'd want to assume)

saw50st8

Mon, May 13 2013, 7:38 pm

I do because I'm wary of the unforseen. Heb B is a serious disease.

My father contracted Hep C from a transfusion after getting an injury as a child. It was before testing for Hep C.

I think the risk of injection is worth it, but we vax for just about everything (except varicella until 7)

seeker

Mon, May 13 2013, 8:28 pm

amother wrote:

Why are posters here stating that Hep B is usually spread through s-xual contact? Hep B is a BLOOD borne disease; hence normally spread through contact with infected blood.

Haven't researched scientifically but my assumption is that because s*x is a much more popular activity than blood sharing, more cases of HepB are spread that way. But yeah, if you are quite sure that your kid is not having premarital zecks yet suspect they might be sharing drug syringes, better get the shot... either way I think it is best to be covered, except in infancy in cases when the parents are known not to be carriers. At least, I sure hope my newborns aren't sharing needles on street corners or whatever.

Cookies n Cream

Mon, May 13 2013, 8:30 pm

amother wrote:

Why are posters here stating that Hep B is usually spread through s-xual contact? Hep B is a BLOOD borne disease; hence normally spread through contact with infected blood.

The virus is transmitted by exposure to infectious blood or body fluids such as semen and vaginal fluids.

Wikipedia^ Coopstead, Lee-Ellen C. (2010). Pathophysiology. Missouri: Saunders. pp. 886–887. ISBN 978-1-4160-5543-3.

amother

Mon, May 13 2013, 8:34 pm

amother wrote:

Why are posters here stating that Hep B is usually spread through s-xual contact? Hep B is a BLOOD borne disease; hence normally spread through contact with infected blood.

Semen would also contain the virus.
FYI, Hep B is lots and lots of times more contagious than HIV... whats the harm in giving it? You never know what the future might bring.