Vaccine study participation

In Finland all children have the possibility to get vaccinated, free of charge. These vaccinations are offered and given during routine check-ups at neuvola visits. All vaccinations are optional, but in Finland only 1-4 children out of 1000 aren't given any vaccinations as per the guardians' wishes. So the vaccine rate is quite high here.

When Paxlet was a few weeks old, Mr Siili and I received some information in the mail about participating in a vaccine study, to which we agreed to participate. This study will replace the series of vaccinations that are given in the neuvola visits. Paxlet will get all of the vaccines he would normally get, but he'll get them via this study instead. This study will have two groups for the vaccinations: one group will get the same thing as you would from neuvola (commercial vaccines) and the other group will get the test vaccines (deemed to give as good as protection against diseases as the neuvola vaccines), plus both groups will get Hep B, which is not routinely given to children in Finland in the course of the routine vaccination series.

The diseases being vaccinated for are whooping cough (hinkuyskää), diphtheria (kurkkumätä), tetanus (jäykkäkouristus), polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and Hepatitis B. In addition, the babies in this study will also get a vaccine for the Rotavirus, which they would normally get at neuvola. Although through the study the vaccination that will be given has a wider range of protection. So, over the course of the next 11 months, Paxlet will get these vaccinations.

At the first visit, they (the people running the study) explained what would happen during this study and that we could stop participating whenever we wanted, if we chose so. They checked Paxlet over and took some blood, which he hated as they prevented him from moving his arm when he wanted to move it. (How dare they take away his freedom of movement!) We also received a thermometer, thermometer protection slips, a bag (cool!) and a booklet to record Paxlet's reactions, if any, to the vaccinations.

In the booklet to follow his reactions, we were to follow his main potential reactions for 5 days. The things we were to observe were his temperature, any possible change in sleep, eating or temperament along with how the injection area looks (swelling, pain, lumps). And if Paxlet gets sick or something changes within 14 days of when the vaccination(s) was given, we need to write that down too.

This time around, Paxlet was given a shot in each thigh, which he didn't appreciate, thank you very much. He was a bit fussy the first day and had soreness in both thighs for a couple of days. He might have puked a bit more than normal, but I didn't really think so. He did get a lump from one of the injections and we're following that to see when it goes away. Thankfully our baby boy wasn't too affected by it all and life was pretty much back to normal quite soon.

We go back for our next vaccination(s) in December when he's around 3,5 months old.

Ryhmäneuvola ja rokotetutkimus

Two posts in one today: Group neuvola and vaccine study

The group neuvola visit was... uneventful. There was 7 of us moms with our approximately 2 month old babys. We went around the room and introduced ourselves. For everyone else, this was their second or third child. I was the only one on the first child.

Then the neuvola nurses facilitated the discussion by asking questions to try and get us moms talking. Getting Finns to talk is no mean feat, as they are generally quite quiet, especially in groups (without alcohol). After an hour or so of chatting, it was time for individual baby weigh-ins and length check. Then people headed off to where ever they were going.

It might be to early to tell, as all of us mothers have just met, but I already feel as if the group neuvola won't come to much and I won't find other mother friends from there. I did at least get some info of other places where I can meet adults to talk with (mostly in Finnish, it's a good thing) and potentially other moms.

At 8 weeks, today, Paxlet weighed in at 6kg 180g (13,6lb). That's up 302g (664oz) from last week's Tuesday, only 9 days ago. Paxlet's such a good eater!

Then we headed downtown to our next appointment, the vaccine study*, where Mr Siili met us. This was our first visit there so blood was drawn, Paxlet's temperature taken, details & information explained and of course vaccinations given.

Paxlet did NOT like the freedom of his arm being restricted, nor did he like blood being drawn. He cried so hard and unhappily that I started to tear up myself. After the blood was taken and I was calming him down, Mr Siili asked Paxlet if it was a big mosquito or vampire that took his blood. Paxlet responded at the vampire part.

Paxlet was given one vaccine injection in each thigh. He did not like that at all. Thankfully the boob helped calm him down quite quickly. Although, he did have to let go for a sec to reiterate how unhappy he was about the shots.

Afterward, Mr Siili went back to work. Paxlet (sleeping the whole while) and I went to lunch and then headed home. On our way home we were treated to our first snowball/snow-hail fall of the season.

This evening, Paxlet's thighs are sore, he's a bit fussy (not normal for him), but no fever. However, it did take me just over an hour to get him to sleep. Poor baby boy. Such a traumatic day.

*Mr Siili and I have given our consent for Paxlet to take part in this vaccination study. I intend to write a separate post about the study.

-JustHeather