As a preemie
mama, one of the things that has plagued me over the last year was my inability
to carry my daughter to term. I
developed severe preeclampsia and IUGR, and had to deliver at 29 weeks 2 days. 4 months later, we received another blow when
Judith was officially diagnosed with a life-shortening, chronic, and
potentially life-threatening lung disease: cystic fibrosis. My husband and I knew from the start of
Judith’s life that we wanted to do what was best for her, much like any parent
would. Part of this plan included a
crucial element: vaccines.
Since
preemies can be prone to complications from many different diseases, vaccines
are an important part of their care.
It’s not just the standard vaccines that all children should get (think
Hepatitis, polio, MMR, etc.) - it also includes critical vaccines against the
flu, and against RSV. Just like with
adult vaccines against the flu, children can still get the flu (and yes, even
RSV) even though they received the shot; the crucial element is the vaccine
will prevent the virus from growing, and will help lessen the severity of the
virus. In some cases, it could make a
difference in treatment, and could help keep the little one from landing back
in the hospital (granted, there are exceptions to everything). It’s one more step preemie parents can take
to protect their child/children.
Many
pediatricians will vaccinate a preemie based off of their actual age. I remember having this discussion with our
pediatrician and our neonatologists; they explained to me that they vaccinate
preemies this way to help give their immune systems the protection it needs
from these harmful diseases. After
receiving that information, I had a decision to make with my husband about how
to approach vaccinating Judith: did we want to follow the standard vaccine
schedule, or did we want to follow a delayed schedule? I know a lot of preemie parents who
choose/chose to follow a delayed schedule, and work with their pediatrician to
set something up. I also know a lot of
preemie parents who follow the standard schedule, and I know many preemie
parents who mostly follow the standard schedule but will delay a couple
vaccines. Personally, we follow the
standard schedule with modifications: our pediatrician will not overload Judith
with too many vaccines at once, but she will receive the vaccines within the
recommended time frame. That’s just our
decision though - every preemie parent is different, and they need to follow a
schedule they are comfortable with.
I know this
isn’t a lot of information; the best source of information is your
pediatrician, and they very well may recommend something different than the
information I received. Work with your
preemie’s doctor, and figure out what will work best for your situation, and what
you would be comfortable with. Together,
you and your doctor can help give your little miracle the extra protection they
need!
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