2nd Round of Vaccinations at Starcare

11.30AM this morning, we are having an appointment with the Pediatrician.  The Sri Lankan lady.   We are there on time and go through the procedures of registration and all that sort of thing.  We are told to wait, by our ‘friends’ who seem to know us as the Starcare Loyalty Fraternity.  That is what we are. 

First check, will be Maya’s weight and length. It all seems fine.

Weight              : 5470 gms

Height               : 60 cm

And then to the doctor.  I had a list of questions, that I had typed into my iPhone.  Some of the questions might have seemed strange and silly. But this doctor is just so obliging that it does not make me feel an idiot to ask.  And, I learnt somethings.  

(a) One does not have to clean a baby’s ears and nose.   

(b) The BCG takes 6 weeks to show a reaction on her arm.   (c) The jerky motions that she shows when feeding, is when milk goes down the wrong passage.  

(d) And a note on Vitamin D.  Something that I have had trouble understanding.  Apparently, most kids in the tropic do not need supplements   In spite of the fact that dark skin hinders the conversion under the surface, the exposure is sufficient. On the other hand, kids born in Europe, do have a problem in terms of absorption  Not because they cannot (in reality, they absorb better), but because the Sun does not favour them that much.  In Maya’s case it is to do with mixed race. She is catogarised more as a dark skin, as such she has to take supplements   Living in the Middle East, with the heat is no fun to be out for a baby.  Anyway, my point, she will continue with 10 micrograms a day.  That’s settled.

And now the vaccinations.  It is her 3^rd month shots or the  2^nd round of shots!  Maya is usually the kind of baby that does not seem to make a fuss.  But we are concerned.  It is said to be painful.  And I am worried.  Not for anything.  We just cannot bear to see her in pain.  But this must be done.  I am also rather confused with the whole change from Netherlands to Oman.  What was given today was,

Tritanrix – HB + HIB 0.5ml  (DPT, HEP B, HAEMOPHILUS, INFLUENZAE B)

Injectable POLIO Vaccine (IMOVAX 0.5ml).

I need to sit down and make a table of what is required.  It seems to me that something has gone amiss. Or, it might just be, me being paranoid. 

Since coming home she has been asleep.  But keep waking up and screams in pain and goes back to sleep.  Hope she will be fine tomorrow.  It is not at all a nice feeling to see a girl who is nearly always happy in this mood.