So our pediatrician just called about the H1N1 vax....

[citymama]

...and they finally have it. They have scheduled DD's shot on Saturday. It's not thimerasol free. Here's the deal: back in October I had a chance to get DD the shot at a public clinic. Knowing our ped's office wasn't getting it for weeks, I went ahead and got her the shot. Now it's actually time for her to get a booster (on Saturday it will be 23 days since her first dose so I think right on schedule).

I believe the ped's office is only giving out one shot per patient. So when the receptionist called, I just took the appointment. Should I tell them when we get there that she already had the first dose? I hope they won't deny her the shot for that reason. I didn't want to tell them on the phone b/c they probably wouldn't even schedule her. They're probably going to fuss at me about this. How would you handle it?

[bubbaray]

Before the shot is administered, I would confirm with the dr (not the nurse) that it is OK to get shots from different places -- that they don't have to be the exact same maker, etc. But, no, I wouldn't say anything when I made the appointment. its a discussion for dr and patient, not patient and staff. JMHO.

[Clarity]

I'd call your health department and ask them. Around here our health department has final say on pretty much everything regarding the H1N1 vax. They even override physician orders when they deem necessary.

[citymama]

Well I'm now scratching my head about whether to delay a week (if that's possible). CDC website says:

What is the recommended interval between the first and second dose for children 9 years of age and under?
CDC recommends that the two doses of 2009 H1N1 vaccine be separated by 4 weeks. However, if the second dose is separated from the first dose by at least 21 days, the second dose can be considered valid.

So is waiting a few days better than giving it 23 days apart? Very confusing!

[MoJo]

Not sure what I'd do, but I know for sure my ped & my county clinic both said it was OK to get the first vax one place and the booster at the other.

Apart from this board, I haven't heard anything about boosters being withheld in our area, so you may be fine.

[wendibird22]

Personally, I'd take it. It's valid from 21 days on, so I wouldn't delay and then risk they run out.

I've also heard it is ok to have it from two different places and/or two different makers but that should should stick with both as shots or both as nasal spray. DD got her 1st dose as a shot from the ped then her booster from the health dept as a shot. I *believe* that the Sanofi Pasteur's brand is the only one approved for under age 4, if so, then DD had both shots from the same maker.

[citymama]

Personally, I'd take it. It's valid from 21 days on, so I wouldn't delay and then risk they run out.

I've also heard it is ok to have it from two different places and/or two different makers but that should should stick with both as shots or both as nasal spray. DD got her 1st dose as a shot from the ped then her booster from the health dept as a shot. I *believe* that the Sanofi Pasteur's brand is the only one approved for under age 4, if so, then DD had both shots from the same maker.

DD got the first at the public clinic. They only had Novartis, which was approved for over 4s and she's 3. So they gave her a half-dose of the adult thimerasol-free vaccine (essentially what they give under-2s). It wasn't ideal, but it's what they had. I believe her ped. has the multi-dose shots which means the thimerasol-containing kind. Don't know if it's Sanofi or Novartis but I will check before they administer it. Thanks!

[DrSally]

DD got the first at the public clinic. They only had Novartis, which was approved for over 4s and she's 3. So they gave her a half-dose of the adult thimerasol-free vaccine (essentially what they give under-2s). It wasn't ideal, but it's what they had. I believe her ped. has the multi-dose shots which means the thimerasol-containing kind. Don't know if it's Sanofi or Novartis but I will check before they administer it. Thanks!

You're lucky the clinic did this. I went to get DD vaxed and they gave the thimerosol free shot for under 2. However, they only had single dose vials for under 2 or over 4, not for 3 yo's. So it must have been Novartis (I didn't ask). She said that particular manufacturer's single dose vial had not been approved for 3 yo's (must not have done the validation work for that age group), and she didn't offer to split the adult dose for us.