mine was 4 wks premature supposedly (not sure if they had my due date right or not) but she weighed in at 7 lbs 1 oz anyway. As far as that being true, I don't know. I know that the benefits of getting them far outweigh the risks in my book.

the nurse also said that they should not have them until they were 12 pounds. i am gonna ask her more when i see her next thursday...

my son was not a premee but he was VERY underweight. they gave him his shots according to his age. he was 5 lbs 3 oz. and has always struggled with weight issues, but his shots have always been by age.

i am going to look into this more...in my opinion, if you give a two year old the meds on the box to one that might be underweight, i would bet you that the reaction would be quite different than giving it to a regular weight child. i have even asked pharamacits to tell me if something is safe for a grand child...natties sister ashlynn is almost 4 and weighs 24 pounds...tiny petite girl, she is about the size of a two year old. so if you told me it was ok to give her the meds for a 4year old, my bet is that it could be a overdose. even when you go into surgery they weigh you for the anesthia. so i am going to find out if there is are certain guidlines for the meds for the shots to be given.

Yea but for immunizations they don't weigh you. Everyone gets the same flu shot irregardless of weight, because an immunization isn't based on weight it's based on a disease and a disease doesn't react differently between a 5 lb person and a 500 lb person. The process of a disease is always the same whereas the effects of the disease aren't. Immunizations are too prevent the disease process. Pain meds and such are based on weight due to the way that they are metabolized. Thats why tylenol and motrin are based on weight. Comparing a vaccine to an anaesthetic is like comparing apples to oranges.

I am with Medic on this one. I have never seen any of my 4 children put on a scale and weighed before immunizations, my children range from a teenager down to a toddler.
My now toddler was born early and if anything I was told that because he was early the shots are even more crucial. The only time we held off on shots for him was because he was sick right before he was supposed to have shots.
I truly mean no disrespect but just because some one went to school and has the title of doctor, nurse or pharmacist it does not mean they are the end all be all of their field.
Medicine is not a perfect science, why do you think doctors and nurses are "practicing" it? One thing I have learned with having my children over the years is that asking questions in one thing, but getting second opinions is even better and sometimes even a third. I totally reccommend and encourage everyone to do this, it does give a peace of mind. Just because someone does have the title of doctor, nurse or pharmacist, it does not make them any less human and humans do make mistakes even the most educated ones. I have saved my older children from unnecessary medical procedures just by asking questions and getting more opinions. Honestly, it is worth the money spent, becuae it could cost so much more if you don't.