Living with Primary Immunodeficiency (PI) What to Tell Your Family Your Child’s Friends and Their Parents

When discussing your child’s PI with other family members, especially siblings, it’s important for the entire family to know about PI and understand that your child can expect to live a normal life with Ig therapy.

When discussing Vivaglobin^® therapy, show and tell the whole family how Vivaglobin^® is infused, and allow them become familiar with the infusion kit. Be sure to discuss Vivaglobin’s^® side effects with the family so they can understand that side effects like injection-site reactions are normal and to be expected.

When discussing PI with younger children, make them aware that having PI makes their brother or sister more susceptible to getting sick, especially if other children in the house are sick. If they have friends who have colds or the flu, make it a point not to bring them into the house.

How to talk to your child’s friends and their parents

Tell your child’s friends and their parents, that this condition is not contagious, and cannot be spread to other children or adults. Let them know that your child does not have to limit his or her activities.

Make children aware that having PI makes your child more susceptible to getting sick, especially if other children in the house are sick. If their friends have colds or the flu, let them know they are welcome to come back and play when they are healthy again.

Next: Vivaglobin^® Resources

Important Safety Information

Immune Globulin Subcutaneous (Human), Vivaglobin^®, is a prescription treatment for patients with primary immunodeficiency (PI).

Immune globulin products, such as Vivaglobin^®, should not be taken if you have a history of anaphylactic or severe systemic response to immune globulin (Ig) preparations. If you suspect you are having a severe reaction to Vivaglobin^®, discontinue treatment immediately and inform your doctor.

Vivaglobin^® is derived from human plasma. As with all plasma-derived products, the risk of transmission of infectious agents, including viruses and the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) agent, cannot be completely eliminated.

In clinical trials, the most frequent adverse event was mild or moderate swelling, redness, and itching at the injection site. Other adverse events included headache, gastrointestinal disorder, fever, nausea, sore throat, and rash. No serious reactions were observed, and reactions tended to decrease substantially with repeated use.

If you are receiving Ig therapy for the first time, are new to Vivaglobin^®, or have not received Ig therapy within the past eight weeks, your healthcare provider should monitor your initial treatment with Vivaglobin^®, as you could experience reactions including fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting. Rarely, these reactions may lead to shock.

Ig administration may impair the effectiveness of virus vaccines, such as measles, mumps and rubella. Consult your doctor if you plan to receive any vaccine.

In clinical studies, Vivaglobin^® has been shown to be safe and well tolerated in pediatric patients, without pediatric-specific dose requirements. Safety and effectiveness were not studied in subjects under 2 years of age.

Please see full Prescribing Information and Patient Product Information.