When do vaccines start working?

[infocrazy]

I prefer spacing out shots so DS4 is behind. We are going to Disney soon :jammin: and I wanted to get him another round just because of the higher potential of exposure. However, the day of our appointment, he woke up sick. Things got crazy and I didn't take him. I need to figure out if it is worth getting him in to the doctor.

So, how long does it take for vaccines to begin offering protection? If you vaccinate, which ones would you like DC to have before a Disney trip?

Thanks!

[AngB]

They say the flu shot takes 2 wks.

Our pedi considers Hib, DTAP, and pneumonococcal the most important ones.

[lalasmama]

Immunity builds with each shot, so it's not like there's a magic "immunity" step-up date, however, I'd try to get them done about 2 weeks ahead. (I'm a former vaccine coordinator for a 16-doctor office.) For Disney, I'd try to be up-to-date on DTaP (for the whooping cough protection), flu (for the flu protection), and Prevnar 13 (ear infections, blood infections). Basically, anything that can be spread through droplets in the air, because you never know who's going to be coughing in front of you. And of course, just a lot of reminders about good hand hygiene--hand sanitizer before eating and such.

For what it's worth, we've never gotten sick from a trip to Disney... Because DD always catches a cold about 3 days before! So we're the family with a box of tissues and a red-nosed kid. But I'm not going to cancel a $2k trip over a snotty nose!

[JBaxter]

Jack went to Disney with 2 DTaP's ( Dominican Republic completely UNvaccinated)