Friday, September 17, 2010 ;
4:39 PM
E at 7 months.
Just brought her to the polyclinic for her vaccination. Much delayed, cos of the HFMD episodes in ds2's school. But it's also good, cos I somehow feel that if she is slightly older than the schedule given, and her body weight is higher, the dosage will still be effective but have less detrimental effects. I know this is "not supported" by research studies, as the autism and MMR link has been discussed heatedly and then overthrown recently...
It's just my feeling. I read about the preservatives in the vaccines and the components placed in a vaccine. And then I asked the nurses at the polyclinic, incld the doctor. They confirmed that the dosage is fixed. It is not calculated by the mass or weight of the baby. Although clinically, the range of baby weights at that specified age they are supposed to take the vaccine is safe, I still feel that if the baby weight is lower than ideal, then the negative effects would be greater.
The nurses have given thousands of shots. Everyday they immunise many, maybe easily 100? I don't know. But through anecdotal evidence and experience, they told me that thinner babies tend to have fevers, and higher temp fevers in fact, after the DPT/ 4-in-1/ 5-in-1 or 6-in-1 vaccinations. Heavier babies of the exact same age tend to have milder side effects/ symptoms.
So Dd is 7months+ and going for a jab she was supposed to have taken at the 4mth mark. I guess that should be pretty safe, yet the immunity will still be there.
She weighed in at 9.2kg (she lost weight from her recent illness!), length at 67cm and head circumference at 43.7cm. She's at the 97th percentile for weight now, about higher than average for head circumference and length.

She did have fever after the jab. Not the day itself though. It was the day after. I guess it takes some time. It lasted about a day. Can't confirm if this is better than if she had the vaccination at 4mth. :)

She is also teething again (5th and 6th teeth - upper incisors- emerged last week). Lots of drool everywhere and she's taken to chewing on my shoulder when I carry her. Ouch.

She just started crawling proper this week. But she's much more timid than the boys! In the past, once they got the hang of putting the hands/ arms one after another in front of them, they'd go faster and faster and never stop.
This girl would put one hand in front of the other, then bring the other arm level. Then stop there, look around, sway her butt back and forth, and then whimper and cry. I think she's scared and very wary, cos she fell on her face before, while on all fours. And thereafter, is super cautious!
The boys fall too, very often, and can be quite serious, but they still don't care and will do it again. Especially ds1. Dd is so different.
Perhaps that's why she's crawling slower than them. She also still does move backwards in the leopard crawl position sometimes.

She also pulled herself to stand in her baby cot. That occurred earlier than learning to crawl proper. I think she just likes standing better.
But the falls are coming fast and furious now. She pulled this light plastic Ikea stool to stand. No one was sitting on it. So of course, the stool fell backwards, together with her, and the back of her head slammed onto the floor. Ouchie!! She wailed soooooo loudly!
All part and parcel of growing up!
rainbows every day, do not worry for the morrow
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