kentmum

Hi

We are moving to America in April, probably Connecticut as DH is working in Manhattan. I have three kids age 8, 6 and 3 and my question is about their immunisations. 8 year old is fully immunised, 6 year old we stopped after MMR due to ill health and 3 year old we stopped after baby injections because of big sister's ill health.

Do my kids need to be fully immunised to register in a public school? I have taken a look at lots of websites and they all say so. Can I object for any reason or do I have to do this.

Would really appreciate some advice here as April is going to come around very quickly.

Thanks

Kentmum

lisa67

Hi and welcome

When we first moved over (9 years ago) we lived in Michigan and were able to sign a waiver that allowed us to register the kids in school without having all their immunisations. Now this was years ago and a different state than where you're headed. The waiver wasn't offered to us, we had to ask the school district.
If you are thinking of applying for LPR status then you will have to get the kids immunised, and they will have to have Heb. B for high school.

SarahG

There is also the chicken pox vaccination unless they have already had chicken pox. My son and daughter have both had the pox so don't need to have the varicella injection. (sorry not sure how to spell it!)
My son was 6 when we came over to Indiana and the school said he needed to have all his jabs up to date before he could start. Only one he needed in the end was Hep B and he has had 2 of the 3 required doses. Daughter will have her course start in Spring for her to start school in Fall.

Are your kids allergic to something in the doses given? If so that may be a way of not getting them unless there is another way to be given the vaccinations?

penguinsix

Each state sets the requirements for immunizations and what is necessary for a waiver (or if such a thing exists). New York is considered very difficult to get a waiver however. Here are the school requirements

http://www.health.state.ny.us/publications/2370.pdf

Here is the general information for NY:

http://www.health.state.ny.us/preven...adolescent.htm

Oops, you are in CT for schools

http://www.cga.ct.gov/coc/immunization.htm
http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?a=3136&q=388450
http://www.health.state.ny.us/publications/2370.pdf

One note is that Hepatitis B is standard in the US and is not in the NHS. This is in part due to the fact it is more common here than it is in the UK (especially in areas with large numbers of immigrants, like NY) and that the cost of treating the disease and liver cancer is so much more expensive in the US that it make vaccinating more cost-effective.

I would recommend consulting your pediatrician when you arrive and going over what the normal schedule is for a child, what the requirements are for public schools, and what their thoughts are on the matter.

As a cultural note, vaccinations are more accepted and immunization rates are higher here than in the UK. The discredited and highly corrupt study by Wakefield did not cause as much of a stir on this side of the ocean as it did in the UK (which is why measles are making such a wonderful comeback in the UK).

Mummy in the foothills

This might be helpful. BUT, you may want to check on what the US goverment requires for everyone for immigration purposes. I don't think they do the exemption thing.
See here
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigra...info_1331.html

Gingerert

Well put.

Bluegrass Lass

As someone else pointed out, if you apply for Permenent Resident status eventually, your kids, you and your spouse will have no choice but to get the required immunizations. There are no waivers given by immigation.

traceym

When we tried to register my son in school (California) they were not interested in anything, birth cert, courses being studied etc, all they wanted to see were his medical records. The HR lady at husbands work was very helpful she printed out our local schools policy on vaccines etc.

As others have said matters not for immigration. if you look through my threads you'll find one, something like vaccination info for parents, that may help.

Tracey

Giantaxe

You have the option of not sending your children to public schools and teaching them at home. I think private schools - at least in CA - have to follow the regulations for public schools.

Sally Redux

The public schools ae very hot on it and I had to go madly rushing around to get Hep B done for my son, but later on I found out you can object and not have them done.

By the way, the school nurse told me the varicella is not that effective and she didn't recommend it anyway.

budleigh

Can't really help too much on the jabs but just wanted to say Hi, we are moving in April too, to CA but kids almost the same age 8, 5(will be 6 in Feb) and 3 best of luck with all your plans, I think I am in denial about how much we still need to sort out!

buckers

Hi

We moved over to US last Oct, best thing i could suggest is check with the school you are putting your children into. Both our son and daughter (6 and 2) had to get Hep B to start school/nursery but we had the first course given in the UK and the school was happy to accept my son aslong as he kept up the course. Your children may also need to have a medical (which for our school had to be done in the US, your school may be different) before he could start. We arrived on the Sat, he had the medical on the Tues and started on the Wednesday, but it was a requirement before he started so i would advise you check that aswell. If you arent sure what school you are going to yet, check the county website for where you are going to live, as they will say what the minimum is, and you may be able to get some of them done in the UK without being charged dependant on your GP.

Good luck with it all but this site has a huge wealth of knowledge in it from other people asking similar questions so search through threads and you will find your answer to most questions hopefully.

Best of British

Bob

Your going to need to get the jabs done, so might as well get them done for free on the NHS.

clarissageo

The Hep B wasn't free for my kids when I had it done in England in 2008 - I got the second one done over there (the first was done at our medical in london) and I paid 25 quid per child for it.... when I got over here we had the final one in the set of 3 done at the health center, and it cost me a big fat $10 per kid....

Since then we've moved to KY from OH and I just got the Hep B done for work and it was free!! yay!!

emailrob

I had a voicemail and three missed calls on my cellphone a few months back. It said missed call from my son's school - they have never phoned me in two years. Panicking, I checked my voicemail only to be told one of his vaccinations was running out I was so annoyed.