wholeworldwindow

I have been here for 3 months now. When I arrived I took my childrens immunisation record to the doctor for a history assesment - as the immunisation records office in Oz need to have a note of your childrens immunisations from birth. I got a letter from Centrelink yesterday to say they have stopped my sons child care benifit as he has not had the Hepatitis B injection. This is not on the UK medical schedule but apparently is manditory in OZ! So I have an appointment tomorrow for the 1st of 3 injections for him, or they will not reinstate child care benifit. I was surprised that i did not know about this, especially after 3 months being here. I did ask UK doctor before we left too, they said that UK's immunisations were equivilent...but they are not. So be aware that any children under 7 years old will need Hepatitis B injections!

Zan

At what age should they normally have had it?
Thanks
Zan

MrsDagboy

What the ...........?? The Hepatitis B injection isnt part of the scheduled routine immunisation schedule as far as I know? Maybe they have recently changed it?

wholeworldwindow

Apparently at 2,4 and 6 months old.

MrsDagboy

Ahhhhhh Ive found it - if your child was born after 1st May 2000 they need to have Hep B.

My kids are older than that, which is why I hadnt heard of it .....

Children born 1st May 2000 to 31st Dec 2003

Children born from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004

Children born on or after 1 January 2005

wholeworldwindow

Don't know if it's a recent change...but for sure now it is routine at 2,4 and 6 months (along with some other thing that I'd never heard of!) I also checked with the doctor about my 7 year old and us adults - we're all fine - just the under 7's need to be imunised. Funny though, as when the doctor 1st looked at my UK records they said it was all fine - but centrelink and the immunisation records office rejected the history form - but never told us - so the 1st we knew is when i went to my sons kindy and they told me they had recieved a letter telling them my benifit had stopped. I would have thought the doctor would have said something when she filled in our imunisation history forms 2 1/2 months ago!

KatieStar

When I registered with the hospital I am to give birth at they sent me a consent form for hepititus b. They will give it after birth if I consent. I plan to refuse and get it done for Ezekiel with his other routine vaccinations when he is a few months old.

I plan to breastfeed and have been immunised against it myself so the midwife said the antibodies in my milk will protect him for the first few months.

I read a leaflet about it. Basically the idea is that if a person infected with hep b were to cuddle your baby etc and they have a small cut they can pass it on to your baby. I think mainly they are concerned about children in nursery, who are cared for by strangers.

I had no idea though that it was compulsery because they stop your child support if it isn't done. Imagine the fuss that would happen if that was the case in the UK.

Katie

Mrs Jackaroo

We were also told in our medicals last week to look at getting our daughter (who is 5) the TB jab! Apparently its standard over there at this age too! forgot about it actually until you mentioned this - another thing to add to the list!

Pootle

Well I had no idea about that! We have had our medicals for permanent residency and nobody asked anything. As we are currently on 457 visa, we do not get benefits anyway, but it looks like i'll have to look into it for the future. My kids are 3 and 6 so may both need it?
Ruth

KatieStar

Your poor daughter I didn't like getting mine when I was 15 It sounds like there will be a lot of children with sore arms before getting on the plane to Oz

Katie

renth

Wait for all the indignant posts from the "knit your own yoghurt" brigade!

MrsDagboy

Pootle, according to the HIC website, its only required if your child is born after 1st May 2000 ie just turned 5 or younger. So my guess is that your 3 yr old will need it, but your 6 year old wont.


tygwyn, I cant see anywhere on the website where TB is mentioned for under 5s schedule. Id check that if I were you.

Pootle

Thank you Mrs Dagboy - I will look into it for my 3 year old.
Karma to you!
Ruth

Wave the Sails

Yes our 21 month old is playing catch-up at the local GP. He needs to have one of the Hep's in a course of 3 (that he didn't have in the UK (although he did have all the jabs in the firtst few months)). PLus he's having chickenpox (voluntary).

Zan

How much are the jabs in Oz??
Zan