If you check the school requirements for your state you should be able to find out what is necessary. (I googled it to find Massachusetts')

The only differences from the UK were Varicella, but they both had Chicken Pox a few years ago so that isn't necessary and Hep B which I had to pay a whopping £40 a jab for, 2 children and 3 jabs each, not sure who found it the most painful!

Do your children's health problems still prevent them from getting the jabs that are recommended on the NHS? Maybe you could discuss it with your GP whilst it's still free!

I'm in the process of getting my visa, and I had to have the MMR vaccination...and I'm 38! Even the nurse who gave it to me said how ridiculous and completely unnecessary (she'd previously been through the visa process for Canada) it was. I suggested she might like to just "miss" with the injection and stamp the form anyway. But at least it was only the same dose they give to a kid (funnily enough, nobody makes "adult size" MMR vaccines!) so it probably won't kill me.

Moral of the story: don't try to apply logic or reason to the immigration process...what the embassy tells you will be completely different from what it says on their website which in turn will probably be different from what border officials tell you.

Moral of the story part two: I don't have kids and know very little about them so you can probably go ahead and completely ignore this post.

Hi, you say that later on you found out you can object. How do you object and how did you find out? I am not sure whether I will object or not, just my middle child has ill health and so I am concerned. My little one has had all the baby shots but I didn't give her MMR. Just trying to research all avenues at the moment.

Thanks v much

Kentmum

Hi

Its very exciting but nerve-wracking too. We have lived abroad before but we have always wanted to go to the States - now the time is here though I am terrified. So much to do and so little time. Good luck.

Kentmum

Find a decent pediatrician in your new town and go over in detail the previous reaction that your other child had to the vaccine and your concerns about getting them the new shot. They will talk you through different options (for example breaking up the MMR into three separate shots instead of just one) or other options that might exist. If you can reach an agreement with the doctor, even getting them to write a note, then filing for a 'waiver' or 'exemption' (and those are the terms you need to research) is really quite easy. Religious grounds are also a valid reason in some states (in fact, I think religion is the primary grounds for exemption for Connecticut). If you do get an exemption, your child may be suspended from attending classes in times of disease outbreaks.

And as others have said, the immigration folks don't give a flying fig about your religious exemptions or other objections.

Do you have a study as to why kid 2 reacted and kid 1 didn't. Did they do an allergy test? Any other research? Or is it just sort of anecdotal? If you have any medical records from the previous vaccination you might want to bring that with you. Choosing not to vaccinate your kid is not choosing no risk, it's just choosing a different risk.

You can read more about the vaccines and the anti-vaccine movement at:

Science Based Medicine: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?cat=36

MMR controversy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MMR_vaccine_controversy

When it came to my younger child moving to Middle School, the Elementary noticed she didn't have everything, so the nurse just said, "I'll tell them you objected to the shots and they won't bother you again". Of course if you go for a Green card, as others have said, you have to have everything. If you look at the form it does have a space where you can express your wishes.

in ohio we have to have a doctor sign off on a medical sheet stating all their vacs and dates etc. It has to be completed before they can start school/nursery etc and the doctor has to have physically seen the child within the last year. when we arrived my eldest was 3 and a half and my younger son was just short of 1 year. we just fitted into the US vacs schedule and only a couple were missing. I did take a copy of my UK doctors vaccs sheet for ewach child and the doc here was happy to accept that and just wrote that into his records.

About time. http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8493753.stm

The medical journal which originally published the discredited research linking autism and MMR has now issued a full retraction of the paper.

The Lancet said it now accepted claims made by the researchers were "false".

I have just organised this today with my local doctor's practice. I contacted the school my son (who is 8) will be going to in Houston. The (very helpful) administrator emailed me the school department's immunisation requirements.

I cross referenced this against the 'little red book' medical record we get in Scotland when you have a baby. (This is the one where all the immunisations etc... are recorded). There are a couple the 2 younger kids have to get: Hep B and also Chicken Pox. I have an appointment with our practice nurse next week to talk though the necessary immunisations and then she will write the prescriptions. I have opted to have this done in the UK. There might be a charge but it will be like £15 per immunisation per child.

It certainly looked quite clear to me that they insist on immunisation where we are going to and that is within the Katy ISD.

If your kids have had chicken pox, they shouldn't need the vaccination - my son's school were happy to accept the UK doctor's details on that one.

We're also in Texas and you can object to vaccinations based on philosophical grounds if you want to...

Depending on your insurance & co-pay details, it might be cheaper to do the vacs here if your GP's surgery is going to charge you (they don't all charge, so if you can wing it for free, even better) - we only pay a $10 co-pay for vaccinations, so that would actually be cheaper than £15.

Could always get a titre test done too, that'll show what you are vaccinated against and will show you're covered for chicken pox.