BCG Vaccination

My daughter was administered a BCG vaccination at 1 day old. She is 5 1/23 months old now and the site has yet to completely dry out and heal. It dries... leaves a flakey scab (which comes away with her movement and clothes) and then weeps and starts from scratch again. It is continuously going this route and doesn't seem to dry out. I am wanting it to dry out as I heard you can use Bio Oil on the scar to minimise the apprearance... but I cannot do this until the site has healed and scared completely.

We have not been putting anything on it at all (except maybe baby powder after her night time bath).

Any advice? Has this happen to your little one? How the hell do I dry this thing out and get it to heal... it has been a LONG time now.
http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/c67.0.403.403/p403x403/64689_10152291641295254_1546042957_n.jpg

What is the BCG vaccine, Never heard of it..

Can you put some gauze on it and tape it so it doesnt catch on her clothes?

Poor baby   I have no advice. I've never even heard of that vaccination. Could you call her pedi and ask?

Something doesn't seem right. Have you tried talking to your pedi about it? Both of my daughters had vaccinations in the hospital and they just had a little bit of a red mark for a week. Tho that was over 3 and 2 years ago, but usually babies heal very quickly.

I didn't even know there was a tuberculosis vax. I hope you get answers, op!

Quoting Piecey.:" I didn't even know there was a tuberculosis vax. I hope you get answers, op!"

I just looked it up too.. only a handful of countries do it at birth... yikes.

Quoting Piecey.:" I didn't even know there was a tuberculosis vax. I hope you get answers, op!"

Maybe cause she is from South Africa?

Poor baby girl   I would take her to her pedi. It should have healed by now.

I don't have any advice except PLEASE report that to VAERS since it is obviously a bad reaction to the vaccine do it needs to be reported. I hope you get some answers. I had never even heard of that vax before :/ poor baby that looks extremely painful

<blockquote><b>Quoting Juggernog-aholic:</b>" Maybe cause she is from South Africa?"</blockquote>


Yeah. Countries with a high prevalence of tb do it apparently.

i just looked it up for you because they dont give that vaccine in the us i had never heard of it but this is what i found.........
The BCG vaccine usually causes a hardened lesion that may ulcerate and occasionally discharge. It heals over several weeks or months leaving a small flat scar. You should keep the area dry to allow it to heal, but it is not necessary to protect it from water during washing or bathing. Avoid covering it with waterproof (airtight) dressings or tight clothing, unless for short periods such as during swimming. If the ulcer starts to ooze you can cover it with a dry dressing until a scab forms, but you should still allow the air to get to it. Airtight dressings may delay the healing of the ulcer and cause a larger scar. If you get a more severe reaction or the ulcer persists seek medical advice from your doctor.

It is for places where there is a big chance a person may catch TB.

My son was born in the UK and never had it - they only administer it at 12 years in the UK.

It is suppose to blister and then dry out and heal leaving a scar. Some babies heal sooner then others and because it has been just over 5 months.. it had me worried. But apparently my friend on FB just advised me that her baby boy had the same reaction and it dried out, and weep and dried out and weeped and got smaller and small till it eventtually left a scar. She said this happened to her baby between 6 - 7 months... my baby it only 6 months in Dec.. so I will check to see whether it is decreasing in size. It isn't painfull for her... but it looks it doesn't it! Shame... my poor baby! sucks really!

Quoting mommyof6soontobe7:" i just looked it up for you because they dont give that vaccine in the us i had never heard of it but ... [snip!] ... ulcer and cause a larger scar. If you get a more severe reaction or the ulcer persists seek medical advice from your doctor."

I have been googling.. but a lot of different things came up. This is actually very help and eases my mind... thank you!

you're welcome im glad i could help

It can take months to clear up. It looks fine to me. DS had his about 3/4 months ago and his still looks the same. It is not a bad reaction, that reaction is completely normal. I was worried like you are and asked the nurse at the clinic and she said it was absolutely fine. As long as it isn't irritating the baby you don't need to worry about it. Like I said, it can take months to heal over and can continuously weep, scab and dry out and repeat until it's healed.