A few weeks ago I posted about a 3 year old, still breastfeeding, probably
consuming about 5-6 oz per day of breast milk, who due to a rare condition,
has a weakened immune system and is unable to receive vaccinations.  Mother
wants to know if there is any value in receiving these vaccinations herself
so she can pass on some passive immunities through her breast milk.  Does
anyone know whether this would be effective?

Original posting:

I have permission from my patient to post.  She is breastfeeding her 3 year
old son with mitochondrial disease.  She is producing approximately 5-6 oz
of breast milk per day.  The child has been in and out of the hospital with
various respiratory and digestive problems since infancy.  At 6 months he
received his first round of vaccinations (polio - not the live vaccine - and
pneumococcal) after which he "got floppy and stopped breathing".  The
doctors warned that he should not receive any more vaccinations because of
his compromised immune system.  But his compromised immune system places him
at greater risk for the diseases that the vaccines are intended to protect
him from.  Now that he is 3 years old and doing relatively well, mom wonders
whether it would help if she, herself, received the vaccines so that she
could at least pass on some of the immunities through her breast milk.  Does
anyone have any information on whether this would be effective?

Ellen Steinberg
Tarzana, CA









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