WWYD? Stupid Dr. Office & Vax

[bluestarfish18]

So we just moved across country, and DS is now 7 months. He missed his 6 month appt and vax since we were changing insurance during the move. Now the only appt he can get is late November. He'll be 8 months old by the time he gets his 6 month vax.

This is the only doctor he can see (stupid military insurance) and no matter how many times I call the Dr's office, they won't change his appt.

I'm just worried about giving him a huge amount of vax at 8 months, then turning around and doing the same thing at his 9 month appt.

Is it ok to postpone his 9 month appt and vax till he's 11 months? I'm confused and worried, maybe it's the whole Jenny McCarthy thing that has me paranoid. I would hate to have to restart the entire series again.

[Octobermommy]

I don't know of any 9 month vax. My ds is 11 months and the last time he went to the doc was 6months. The ped says the only reason for the 9 month appt is to educate the parents on choking and other safety concerns.

[DrSally]

I think it's ok to postpone his 11 month vaxes, if he has any...

[bluestarfish18]

phew....ok, thanks! i feel a ton better then

[maestramommy]

If you've fallen behind there's no reason why you have to "catch up" just to be updated, so to speak. If you get his 6 month vax at 8 months, and for some reason there is a vax at 9 months (sometimes there is, it just depends on how your ped spaces things out), you can just ask to postpone to 12 months. At worst you are only a few months behind. It's really not a big deal.

[o_mom]

Just look into the schedule carefully and make sure that he is not getting overdosed in a rush to 'catch up'. Some vaxes require fewer doses the older they get (Hib, for example).

[kaylinsmommy2]

I wouldn't worry about it. The doc won't give him his 9 months shots at 9 months. It just pushes everything back. No worries! Many shots have a set rule for it "must be at least 3 months from last one" or whatever. We fell behind ourselves, too, based just on our moves and stuff.

[s7714]

Due to office staff making scheduling errors and our ped. being really booked, my younger DD got off on her well baby check up schedule by about 4 months. Our ped. just adjusted the vax schedule accordingly and didn't try to make up for lost time. But who knows what your new Ped. will be like! I'd definitely stick to adjusting the schedule vs. trying to play catch up and overload him.

[nfowife]

Do you have Tricare? If so, we had no problem going in every month for shot-only visits. I spaced out my kid's vaxes so they only got 1-2 shots at a time and by going in once a month or so, just for a few minutes-long shot appt. (only saw the nurse for the shot), I was able to keep up with the recommended schedule pretty well. Tricare paid no problem (we are prime so no co-pay). Also you can go to the vax clinic on base even if your pcm is off base to get shots as well, and it's free there if you have tricare standard and want to avoid the extra co-pays.
It got to be very hard to find new pcm's with tricare....I feel your pain!

[brittone2]

ITA. No rush to catch up. If they press you to do more than you are comfortable with, refuse...you are the mama.

[bluestarfish18]

Do you have Tricare? If so, we had no problem going in every month for shot-only visits. I spaced out my kid's vaxes so they only got 1-2 shots at a time and by going in once a month or so, just for a few minutes-long shot appt. (only saw the nurse for the shot), I was able to keep up with the recommended schedule pretty well. Tricare paid no problem (we are prime so no co-pay). Also you can go to the vax clinic on base even if your pcm is off base to get shots as well, and it's free there if you have tricare standard and want to avoid the extra co-pays.
It got to be very hard to find new pcm's with tricare....I feel your pain!

ahhh!! someone else who knows my never ending frustration with tricare...we just signed up for prime, which has its pluses, but i never knew anything about a vax clinic on base...i'll call the clinic and ask around...thanks!

[egfmba]

You don't have to vaccinate on anyone's schedule but your own. Just push everything back a session. The reality is kids have a 'window' of time to get certain vaccines - and these windows can be years long (as in between 2 y.o. and 4 y.o.).

You can find a copy of the schedule at http://www.cispimmunize.org/IZSchedule_Childhood.pdf , and as you can see, for most 6 month vaccines, you can give them up to the baby's 18 month visit and still be "on schedule." No worries!

eva