Delayed Vaccination Schedule for Foster Children

Not here; you need to vaccinate according to the regular schedule unless there is a documented medical reason that the doctor advises against it.

Not here either unfortunately. So far we only have breathing issues that cropped up after the 2 month shots, but I do wish we could slow them down to protect the little guy more. Our state is clear that all vaccines must be given on schedule unless seizures or something of that magnitude is seen.

Here we can only delay if there is a documented medical reason. My daughter had febrile seizures so the doctor had to submit documentation to DHS that he felt staggering vaccines would reduce the risk of fevers, thus hopefully preventing seizures, in order for them to approve the delayed schedule.

You do what the doctor says and know that you just don't have control over it. There will be all sorts of things you'll do differently with you foster kids because YOU don't have custody, the state does. It is something, I understand. I also hate the traditional schedule. And if I had a baby biologically or through adoption, I would not follow this country's standard schedule. Honestly though? This is going to be one of the smaller things you deal with. In many cases, there will be much worse done to the child that you'll have to sit back and take (or worse, participate in fully). You'll do your best to advocate for the child, but you'll mostly just do what you're told when your told even if you know it is not best. It is really just something we have to suck up and deal with, hoping that our daily love and care makes more of a difference than the hurt the bios and system heap on the children.

You do what the doctor says and know that you just don't have control over it. There will be all sorts of things you'll do differently with you foster kids because YOU don't have custody, the state does. It is something, I understand. I also hate the traditional schedule. And if I had a baby biologically or through adoption, I would not follow this country's standard schedule. Honestly though? This is going to be one of the smaller things you deal with. In many cases, there will be much worse done to the child that you'll have to sit back and take (or worse, participate in fully). You'll do your best to advocate for the child, but you'll mostly just do what you're told when your told even if you know it is not best. It is really just something we have to suck up and deal with, hoping that our daily love and care makes more of a difference than the hurt the bios and system heap on the children.

Our pediatrician has done a great job of spreading out the vaccinations and still meet recommendations, especially when you have a toddler with no shots. To limit the trauma, we schedule shot appointments with a specific nurse and it is done in a room set aside for shots. This helps with "white coat syndrome." The kids don't always panic when they go to the office for a doctor's visit, instead of a shot.

Mine did not. I fostered a newborn and every month, the cw looked at the vaccination record to make sure he was up-to-date.

Because foster kids are covered by Medicaid, they have to be vaccinated on the Medicaid approved schedule. The only time I know they can approve a change in the schedule is when there is a medical issue for the child.

This is a question I wouldn't even ask. I would only bring it up to the doctor if there is some clear medical indication. I totally understand wanting to delay the vaccines, just that I think it's a small issue in comparison to all the other things you will deal with.

This is something that concerned me but we had absolutely no control over medical treatment or what vaccinations our kids. Our sib group (ages 2-16) were taken to an urgent care center after being taken into care, and they received examinations and some shots. According to what the older girls said, they received quite a few vaccinations and they were concerned their younger siblings would get Autism (I tried to explain to them that was flawed medical research). Since there were no medical records, the kids were vaccinated again so they've received double or perhaps triple doses of some vaccinations because of the number of times they've moved, changed schools and now entering foster care. Healthy adults can feel under the weather for a few days after receiving a flu shot - how would a small child or baby feel? These are kids who may not be completely healthy, may have been neglected, exposed to drugs and alcohol in the womb, and not receiving adequate nutrition. The little ones slept about 18 hours a day for the first week they were here and I wonder if in part that had to do with their little systems getting overwhelmed with all the vaccines they received. But we have no say in it.

When we go in I ask the doctor: Can we wait till next time to do this? It isn't really a delayed schedule but it does help me have and idea of what is actually needed and what is just a matter of routine for the doctors to give. When our kids came they were sick - mainly allergies but still. I didn't really want to go putting a lot of stuff in them if they didn't need it. Turns out a lot of the shots, though not all, could be held off till the next appointment or even till the next year. It was just "convenient" at that time to do it so we "wouldn't forget". I was glad for the honesty but said I wanted to wait.