Bcg vaccine for 6 months old baby

Sunshinebeauty · Nov 10, 2013

Hi,

My Dd is 6 months 10 days old we came to India for vacation. Is it necessary to put BCG vaccination?

Anyone who came from US to India for vacation has put this vaccination for your baby.

please guide me.

Dinny · Nov 10, 2013

Sunshine

Regarding the vaccinations its always better to consult the doctors.But as far as i know BCG is given at birth and then the booster doses can be given upto 5 yrs of age.But if you are planning a prolonged stay in India then please do give your baby the bcg booster dose as India is located in TB prone area.

ramyaramani · Nov 10, 2013

@sunshinebeauty I went for a vacation to India when DD was 6 months old. I came back to US when she was 8.5 months old. I did not put any vaccines in
india.

BCG is for TB. It is not recommended in US. This link should be useful to you: CDC | TB | Fact Sheets - BCG Vaccine

I have been to India several times after that. My DD has not got the BCG vaccine.

Sunshinebeauty · Nov 10, 2013

Thanks Dinny and Ramya for your replies.

In future if I settle in India will there be a problem if I didn't put BCG now for my DD?

Dinny · Nov 11, 2013

Sunshinebeauty said: ↑

In future if I settle in India will there be a problem if I didn't put BCG now for my DD?
Click to expand...

Sunshine
If you are planning to settle in India then i would suggest you to take it.
There's no harm in taking the vaccination. It will boost your child's immunity and you would not have to bother thinking about it at a later stage or while travelling to many of the south Asian and African countries.

Laks09 · Nov 13, 2013

Sunshine,
I got my daughter the BCG vaccine when I visited India with her for the first time when she was 9 months old. A friend didn't do it and her son ended up getting infected with skin TB. Better safe than sorry!
TB is still prevalent in India and when I told my pediatrician here about frequent long trips to India he suggested the vaccine himself.
Laks!

ramyaramani · Nov 14, 2013

BCG vaccine in India does not prevent TB completely. It significantly reduces the effects of TB to your body.

My neighbors recently shifted from India to US. They have a 5 year old and 2 year old. They had their BCG vaccine in India. Here in US at the paeds office TB test was done for both the kids and they both came positive for TB. So just by having the vaccine it does not mean one will not get TB or vice versa.

When the skin test comes positive for TB, then further tests are done. Only if the chest xray test is also positive, then it is confirmed as TB. Else it is known as being exposed to TB environment. Here in US, medicines are prescribed for 9 months to clear off the TB exposure from the body also known as treatment for TB.

Laks09 · Nov 14, 2013

Ramya,
strange! I've never heard of any pead giving a 9 month course of heavy antibiotic to any kid when the skin test came out positive. False positive skin test is due to the BCG vaccine, something that can be easily overruled by other tests, like the chest x-ray you suggested. I have had a positive skin TB test and I'm sure many indians who have had the bcg vaccine will have the false positive skin TB test.Im yet to hear of anyone who has taken the 9months course of antibiotic to clear off the tb exposure from the bcg vaccine. I know i havent and neither have either of my kids, both with bcg vaccines. The reason I got my kids vaccinated was because of the fact that someone I know actually got skin TB( not just the false positive test) and that kid had not got the BCG vaccine. I gave it to them because I wanted at least the protection BCG offered. No vaccine is fool proof but that does not mean it is safe to stay without it.

Sunshinebeauty · Nov 14, 2013

Thanks Laks yesterday went and put BCG injection for my DD.

ramyaramani · Nov 14, 2013

@laks In my neighbors kids case, it was not a false positive. I am not sure if it is an antibiotics course. But I do know for sure that the medicines have to be given for 9 months.

Of course prevention is better than cure. I just wanted to give an idea about the other side too.