Have any of your kids had the Menactra vaccine?

[Scrapper007]

My two older dds are supposed to get this and from what I have read about it online, it appears to be safe. Does anyone know how long this vaccine has been out? If your kids had it, did they have any side effects?

[lauren grier]

it first went out in 2005.. ce hasn't had it yet as he's not in the age group.. but I found that from googling & that Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has been associated with receipt of the vaccine... but I don't have any personal knowledge/experience with the vac. here's the cdc blurb about GBS + the mengitis vac http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/vac...factsheet.html

[AmyM]

That's a new one on me, hadn't heard of it until now. We probably wont' get it since it's so new.

[maryinaz]

Is that the meningitis vaccine? All four of my boys have had it - no side-effects. All of our schools require this, including Arizona State University. My son could not even pick up his move-in package without proof of this vaccine.

My older boys got this 2-3 years ago, I think. My younger 2 got it last year.

ETA: Meningitis scares the crap out of me...when my boys complain at all about their back/neck, I constantly ask "Can you touch your chin to your chest?" over and over. I was very happy there was a vaccine for this.

[ariesfl326]

My daughter has had whatever vaccines they say to get; even had the H1N1 last year. Never had any problems. Honestly though I have no clue what each vaccine was called. Sorry.

[mummytothree]

Like Mary all our schools require it (starting in 6th grade) and so does the local University. Our school also takes it one step further and makes it mandatory for ALL athletes.

But my oldest DD was vaccinated for it in 2001 when our school district had an outbreak and 3 kids dies and 5 more were confirmed with the strand but survived (all with varying permenant damage).

I never ever want to go through "that" again so as soon as all my kids are old enough they will be vaccinated for meningitis!!!

[Scrapper007]

Thanks ladies. After some research online today and reading all of your responses, my kids are getting it.

[CA Dreamer]

Originally Posted by maryinaz

ETA: Meningitis scares the crap out of me...when my boys complain at all about their back/neck, I constantly ask "Can you touch your chin to your chest?" over and over. I was very happy there was a vaccine for this.

Exactly... High fever, stiff neck? Into the ER. Don't mess around. It hits them really fast.

[Scrapper007]

Originally Posted by CA Dreamer

Exactly... High fever, stiff neck? Into the ER. Don't mess around. It hits them really fast.

Very scary.

[MissKim]

Apparently, spinal meningitis is going around our town. Chesney just got diagnosed with strep and the nurse practioner told me to watch for meningitis. My son has had the vaccine -- he's 16, though.

[amandabarugh]

Originally Posted by maryinaz

Is that the meningitis vaccine? All four of my boys have had it - no side-effects. All of our schools require this, including Arizona State University. My son could not even pick up his move-in package without proof of this vaccine.

Actually, the state of Arizona allows for religious, medical, and philosophical vaccine exemptions, from what I understand. So, technically, you don't have to have it.