?? Shots for 5 yr olds ??

[sheryl]

My girls are scheduled for their physical in a week or two and I know that at age 5, they are scheduled to get their shots. I think this is one of the big ones. In the past, I have spaced them out, especially not giving the MMR with any other shots.

I am not sure what they are scheduled to get. Does anyone know?

And should I tell the girls that they will get shots, or just wait until we are in the examining room? For your older twins, do you have the doctor give shots one child right after the other, or do you separate them and have it done at the end of each visit?

[Stefanie]

If they did not get the MMR booster at 4 then they will get it at 5.
I believe they need it before Kinder.
Jillian got the boosters at 4 but Joey did not due to allergies, he will get them this Summer.
There is a Chicken Pox booster available, but they did not get it as it is not required yet.
There are also some new Hepititis shots, but there is a shortage. So I'd call the office ahead and ask them as all Drs are different.

I did not tell her until just before the shots. I didn't want her getting worked up. I also had Joey leave the room. I prefer to have them individually. They get yearly flu shots as well as the other stuff.
I also usually bring a treat along for afterwards. Something special like a Push Pop or bag of M&M's.

[Kylie]

I wouldn't tell them beforehand, and I might take the 2nd child out of the room whike the first one gets the shot (if possible) (can't imagine watching my sibling get it and knowing I'm next, like we used to at the Health Dept ). I would also take along a sucker or some treat to make the shots feel better ! Kara did great with hers last year, barely whimpered at all.

[Schill]

This is a great question!

I found a website with this information.

http://www.cispimmunize.org/IZSchedule_Childhood.pdf

If you look at that chart, my immunization schedule shows that they would need 5 shots.
DTaP
Hep B
IPV
MMR
Varicella

I called our Ped to find out if those are the vaccines that need to be given. He said that our school district does not require 2 Varicella vaccines. Yay! Down to four. He said they only need the one Hep B shot. Yay! Down to three.
He said that they would need the:
DTap
IPV
MMR

I know that those are all big shots with potential side effects. I asked if he would recommend giving those vaccines on separate days. He said he would. So that is what I plan on doing. I will schedule three different appointments probably a month apart. I don't want my littles to associate the shots with starting kindergarten, so I will start giving them the shots next week. I have always given them the shots one right after the other, but I see Kylie's point and will probably have one child in the office getting the shot and then send the other in. Our Ped says that there have been studies to show that sugar in the system helps to alleviate the pain of the injection. So I will give them a sucker before and one after the shot. I will also put some EMLA cream on them before I take them in. I used that when I was injecting myself during IVF and it works. I will also give them a dose of Tylenol before we go.

I tell my littles they are getting shots. I tell them that it will hurt a little like a pinch would and that it will hurt for a minute but then it will be all done. I always fair better knowing what I'm in for so I give my littles the same respect.

[jan21]

Mine got 3 shots at 4, not at 5. Can't remember exactly which ones they were, but we did do all 3 on one day.

I think I told them a few days beforehand. We did no special prep or anything, and both got them the same time in the room - I think they had 2 nurses come in and did at the same time.

I really believe that if you don't make a big deal of it, it doesn't become a big deal. I do the same as Schill - tell them it's going to happen, then it will hurt for a minute then all done. I took them to buy something afterwards - they each got a Princess doll.

They cried for a minute or 2 then were fine. Then we went to get their dolls and I never heard about it again. No side effects afterwards.

Janice
Laura & Elizabeth 11/29/00

[Kylie]

Kara got her shots at 4 instead of 5, but this is what she received:

DTaP
IPV
MMR

We don't do the Varicella shot.

[Lois]

We got 4 at our 5 yr visit. They offered them the prior year, but we'd already promised them no shots so we waited. I'm not exactly sure which of the five listed they didn't get. With us....we have found it works better if we prepare them ahead of time for the shots. S HATES them! We warn her/remind her for several days prior, and promise a treat/reward if she does well with them. this works better....she still screams but doesn't hide under the table, kick wildly, hit, etc. Now, H does great, usually not a whimper....we have both in the room at the same time....we asked and as I recall they told us they will need two more next year...

[LBWP]

My twins supposedly got their last set of shots at their 4 yr. old check-up. I was told that they wouldn't get any more until like age 11?

L (43)
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