Rotavirus vaccine

[claire43]

My grandson is due to get the rotavirus vaccine when he is 2 months ( he is 4 wks old). I didn't even know there was such a vaccine. How successful is it? Has anybody had any experience of this with their child?

[Tracap1]

My daughter had it when she was 2mths and OMG it was a lifesaver!! All little ones used to get that nasty virus when they're babies but since that vaccine came out they don't see it much anymore . It's s good thing I promise

[mamabear93]

My daughter just got that vaccine. I've heard good things. Just make sure she has some gripe water or some sort of stuff to relieve the gas on hand. The 2 month one made her soooo gasy.

[ren2005]

yeah my son had all his doses and of course I was terrified AFTER he received the vaccine...in fear of shedding live particles in poop..
But we were all fine and he did very well with all the doses!!!
Just take extra precautions with hand washing after a diaper change (I am sure you already do, anyway!)

[jkl81]

ren2005 it is a live virus vaccine then? You don't hear of too many of those anymore. There have been bumps in the road with Rotavirus vaccines but I think they are major step forward. This virus used to led to hospitalization for all too many little ones.

[Syrup]

The vaccine is amazing. Both of my children were too old to receive it when it came out but it's cut down on hospitalizations for that bug DRASTICALLY! One strain of Rota is now considered extinct - which is HUUUUUUUUGE! My boys both had Rota, it was miserable. Knowing that future generations are going to be spared that misery is awesome to know!

Come on Norovirus vaccine!

[SilentFrog]

It is technically a live vaccine and of course there is a small chance that you could get a very mild form of illness from it, but even if you did get an illness from it, the illness would be very mild and you would then be protected from contracting the nasty full blown rotavirus which you might otherwise get if you didn't take it. The virus particles that are in the vaccine aren't actually 'real' rotavirus particles, they are simply proteins which combine to form different parts of the virus which can be detected by the immune system (this is how it gives you immunity).

So imagine you want to teach someone to recognise what a teddy bear looks like without actually showing them a teddy bear, you might give them a sample of the fur, some black beady eyes, a sample of stuffing etc. The vaccine is kind of like that, there is a small chance that you might have a small reaction to the stuffing (maybe you're allergic and you develop a small rash), but it would be nothing like the reaction you would get if you had the whole teddy bear (or caught the rotavirus for real)...

I'm not a parent but know my fair share of moms and dads who have vaccinated their children against rotavirus and none of the children I know who have had it have actually been ill from it, and I'm not aware of anybody on here who's children have reacted to it either. It's one of those things that they have to put on the label because there is the 'possibility' of a reaction, but the risk is very, very small, incredibly minor and the benefits very great