BCG reaction - OMG!!

[tstmum]

My baby's a few months old and her BCG reaction is looking rather ugly. Initially a bump, then looked like a dark bruise, now is even more raised and kind of dark purple. It doesn't seem to bother her if I touch it (gently, of course!!) I had it checked by a midwife last week who said it was fine, but it looks worse now. All I've read says not to touch it, and not to cover it even if it bursts. Any advice?

 

[Honkyblues]

Sounds perfectly normal. The bump eventually bursts and flattens out and then can begin to heal. There will be a scar, but at least it's on the buttock and not on the arm like for most of us adults.

Don't worry!

 

[joyofliving]

The QM docs gave my daughter the BCG shot in her arm, guess they didn't bother it would scar her permanently . She is close to 4 months now and the bump is still red, puffed and keeps peeling off every week. The Paed says not to worry it will heal on its own.

 

[carang]

the public hospitals ALWAYS give on the arm. you have the option to take her privately and have it on the thigh/bottom instead, but it is much more expensive.

it does take a long time to heal properly but it sounds normal.

 

[Neha]

we got ours on the bottom but thankfully no scarring

 

[nicolejoy]

What age do they give that injection? I'll have to remember to ask them NOT to give it!! That's the scar that practically ALL the Chinese people I know have. I don't know if we got that in Australia, but I don't have that scar and none of my friends do either!!

 

[Smiles]

I wouldn't worry about scarring. I had mine as a baby on the arm and have no scar at all...I know most of my friends had it as a teenager hence more of a scar when you are an adult.

 

[nicolejoy]

My hubby has a huge scar on his arm - so do ALL his friends from over here... I'll have to ask him when he got it... Not that he'll remember, but anyways... Maybe I'm vain, but I don't want my baby to have to have that scar!! hehe

 

[carang]

the BCG is for TB. if you plan on remaining in hk for any length of time, i would suggest you do some more research on it and not let your judgement be based on having a scar.

if we were going to move back to canada shortly after the kids were born, we probably wouldn't have had it, however as we've decided to stay in hk for the foreseeable future, we decided to have it for the kids. TB is not eradicated in this area of the world as it is in others.

 

[mambo]

question for carang

Cara,
I'm from Canada and hv been living in HK for awhile. What other vaccines did you get for your children that Canada requires but not neccessarily given in the HK public system. Did you vaccinate public or private? Just wondering what my kids shd be vaccinated with and what is 'optional'? Thanks.