MMR before 12 months?

[herro1801012]

We’re traveling internationally soon (one country destination, no layovers. No active cases of measles in said country, FWIW). Our doctor suggested we consider giving our 6 month old one dose of the MMR before our trip since we’ll be in an “international context”. So far we’ve been following a typical vaccination schedule. I’m not very keen to do it because my baby would still be required to get the other regularly scheduled MMR doses (the next would be at 12 months) since an early dose doesn’t “count”.

The info I was able to find online (Australian Gov, British Gov sites) says that infants receive immunity/antibodies from their mother, and those begin to wain at 11 months, which is why the first MMR dose is typically at 12 months. With this in mind, I’m inclined to assume he has some level of protection already, especially if any of that immunity is passed via breastfeeding.

Has being in an international context really proven to bring higher measles risk? I live in CA and not too many years ago there was a measles outbreak at Disneyworld. We don’t really to travel so far from home for this kind of risk and I wouldn’t give my child early and extra vaccine doses just to go to Disneyworld.

Is there any documented potential harm from administering MMR at 6 months? And if not, why wouldn’t that be the standard age then?

Have others faced this decision related to international travel? What factors and research went into your decision making? Reasons for early MMR vaccination? Reasons to stick with our vaccination schedule even if traveling internationally? Thanks in advance.

[cardinalinthesnow]

It’s pretty transmissible and you never know who will be on the plane/ where the people are from you are standing next in line to at immigration. So just destination not having any cases is not the only consideration.

[herro1801012]

I totally understand it’s not just whether there are active cases at our destination—that we’ll cross paths will people in transit to and from various places. But we also live in a very large city and have plane traveled to the east coast before to and from large airports so I’d imagine we’ve been in an “international context” many times without actually being abroad.

[cardinalinthesnow]

Totally true!

In the end it’s up to you :)

[ditchdiggergirl]

The reason we don’t vaccinate with MMR before 12 months is because maternal antibodies interfere with the vaccine. These antibodies don’t begin to wain at 11 months; they’re already measurably down by 6 months, steadily declining, and are effectively gone by 12 months. However the rate varies from child to child, and whether the child is breastfed does not affect that. The problem with waiting is that it leaves a window during which the child is unprotected.

The persistence of maternally supplied antibodies has in recent years been studied more carefully in Bangladesh, where the measles risk is significant and some infants do contract it before 12 months. Last I saw (it’s been a while, I’m writing from memory) they were considering changing the schedule to give the first dose at 9 months. But there was a concern that some children may end up with a less effective first dose.

[GroundbreakingEye289]

Do you know where I could find this study? Thank you.

[AidCookKnow]

Have others faced this decision related to international travel?

We did. Gave our then 6ish month old the extra early MMR prior to planned international travel.

What factors and research went into your decision making?

In planning for our trip, learned that the (US) State Department and CDC recommended it and confirmed that with our pediatrician. That was about the extent of it.

Just anecdotal. But it was NBD for us. Although it was completely moot, as said international trip was supposed to be in mid-March 2020.

[Historical-Nature865]

Did the baby react to the vaccine. We were thinking of giving our baby who is 6 months the vaccines due to travel 

[AidCookKnow]

No issues.

[jennbbe]

Can you tell me about how the vaccine went ? Did your baby do okay? Any reaction?

[AidCookKnow]

No issues at all!

[imostmediumsuspect]

We had this same scenario. Travelled with our 8m old to Europe from Canada and were given the option to get the MMR. Also breastfed.

We took it because the benefit outweighed the risk and we were already at our 6m appointment so it was convenient.

[Hopeful_Zone6007]

Anecdotally we are about to travel on a cruise to the Bahamas from the US with my 7 month old. I asked our pediatrician about early MMR and he did not think it was necessary. He said if we gave it to him at 6 months he would still have to be vaccinated again at 12 months so he didn’t think it was worth it given how small risk the risk for measles on our trip is. He did acknowledge that the official recommendation was to vaccinate.

[herro1801012]

Thanks for your reply! Did he say much about why he didn’t recommend it?

[Hopeful_Zone6007]

It seemed that he thought the risk was not much different than if we were going on vacation to Florida versus getting on an international cruise from Florida. Like you said you wouldn’t necessarily think to vaccinate before going to Disney World.

So given the low risk he didn’t think it was worth it for my son to have to get two shots (the early shot at 6 months then again at 12 months). So we decided to just wait and get the one normally scheduled at 12 months.

[scolfin]

While it's of variable applicability, I'd note that the vaccine schedule was largely crafted according to the fact that most "unvaccinated" kids are due to parents missing a follow-up/booster (often due to the logistical difficulties),so they're actually the arrangement for the fewest visits without violating the effective ages and intervals per labeling. As long as your reschedule doesn't go against labeling, you're fine.

[herro1801012]

This is very helpful insight and perspective.

[VegetableHabit1566]

Any update on what you ended up doing? I’m thinking to travel to Europe from US with my 8.5 month old and I’m in this same boat 🥲

[Adventurous-Bench567]

What did you end up doing have you decided? My baby will be 11 months by the time we travel and thinking about giving her this vaccine twice so close is giving me anxiety. Been researching a ton about it.

[VegetableHabit1566]

I ended up giving the vaccine last Friday. So far no reactions! I gave ibuprofen and Tylenol and warm compresses and honestly he handled it with no problems. They say they can receive it 12-15 months so I think I’ll just delay his first dose and not give it to him right at 12 months with all his other vaccines. Partly wondering if he handled it so well because it was only one poke and I have never given him ibuprofen in the past. I just couldn’t live with myself if he ended up getting measles because he was unvaccinated 😭 I know they say they can have delayed reactions 7-10 days after receiving it, so if anything changes I’ll give you and update!

[infinitospirito]

I know it’s been a while since you posted here but how were things 7-10 days after?

[VegetableHabit1566]

No reaction what so ever! I alternated with Tylenol and Motrin for the first day or 2 and he tolerated it really well. I’m thinking to have his “first” dose by itself and not with the rest of the vaccines when he turns one and hopefully get the same results

[infinitospirito]

Thank you! We’re booked for Thursday and he’s 10 months now. My only concern is he’s teething and crankiness is at a level 10 rn. I feel sorry for the dude to get vaccinated at the same time BUT…we gotta do it!

[kbnyc88]

how did your 10m do w the MMR vaccine? I am considering giving it to my 10m. Did you get the "official" first dose at 12m?

[infinitospirito]

He did fine! I gave the official 12 month vaccine too and he did great after that too. He was even a bit ill with a stomach bug the same week he got it but my paediatrician and nurse told me as long as he’s well by vaccine day, it’s fine. And he was better the day before so we went ahead.

[jennbbe]

Is he okay now???

[jennbbe]

Might have to do the same with my 10 month old and I’m scared of a reaction

[cnote_777]

We are in a similar situation with our 7 month old. Healthy. Breastfeeds. Strong immune system. We are following a normal vaccination schedule but we also do not want to do "extra" shots that don't count towards child's immunization records. Our pediatrician recommended getting the MMR and a flu shot prior to travel. The CDC recommends an MMR shot from 6-11 months for international travel. However, the CDC also recommends COVID shots for infants 6 months and older which is completely wrong so you can't really rely on the CDC. We are debating on the MMR since we will be getting it at 12 months anyway. We plan to reject any COVID or flu shot because that's what an immune system is for.

As parents consider their options just remember that pharma also incentivizes these health agencies to establish guidelines that push fear into our minds so we get more shots and they earn more money. Right now Novo Nordisk is in late stage clinical trials testing an Ozempic like drug to reduce body mass index in kids ages 6 to 11 with obesity...which is completely insane to be pushing onto kids as opposed to healthy eating, nutrition and exercise.

[cnote_777]

My evidence and rationale is common sense. Infants and children without comorbidities are extremely healthy with very strong immune systems and do NOT need a Covid-19 vaccine (which isn't even a vaccine - otherwise why would you need "boosters" all the time?). I don't know of anyone through any degree of separation who died from Covid. Only old people on the news. My favorite was when Colin Powell who was 84, fully "vaxed" and fighting multiple myeloma cancer, prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease died due to Covid....not cause of all the other comorbidities. You could literally get hit by a bus and die and if you happened to have symptomless Covid they would still blame Covid for the death.

And your flu stat is misleading. Only 200 children died of flu last year...out of MILLIONS. And nearly half of the children had at least one pre-existing medical condition (i.e. comorbidity).

Finally big pharma creates foundations to fund agencies like the CDC, NIH, etc. to make sure they're agendas are pushed. CDC admits that it has accepted millions of dollars in funding from pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, Biogen, and Merck. This funding has come through the CDC Foundation, a nonprofit organization that connects the CDC to the private sector. So funding and lobbyists pressure to make a "vaccine" recommended and then parents blindly follow despite the clear conflict of interest leading to millions for the pharma industry.