Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

SN children

They won't give ds measles booster

21 replies

sleepyhorse · 11/04/2013 21:41

Hi, feeling a bit unsettled and confused

I took ds who is 4 yrs old (has severe language disorder and some autistic traits) for his single measles jab this afternoon at a private clinic. He had his MMR when he was 13 months old and in the wake of the measles outbreak I thought I better get him immune with the booster. As I will never know what caused his condition I just didn't want to take any risks by giving him MMR which is why I chose to go private. However after being asked a few questions and them realising my sons condition they were reluctant to give me the booster as they said there is a risk it could make his condition worse. I was shocked as I thought the single one was supposed to be safe. They said they could arrange to give him a blood test to find out if he is still immune from the MMR in which case we would know for sure. It has made me feel a bit sick as firstly it was obvious that they think its likely it was the MMR which caused it in the first place, I'd rather not think this is the cause. And secondly if the blood test indicates he isn't immune I have to make that difficult decision whether to give him booster. Right now I don't even feel like leaving the house with him in case he comes into contact with someone that has measles even though the outbreak is currently in Wales and we are in London. Apparently over 500 people in Wales have measles right now and the authorities are now giving babies as young as 6 months old the MMR, this is according the clinic. Can anyone offer me any advice please as to what I should do. Thanks :-)

OP posts:

Report

fishoils · 11/04/2013 21:48

Was it the babyjabs clinic that you went to in London?

I have the book that Richard Halversen wrote and have visited the clinic too. My children have had no vaccinations and I am wondering what to do about this measles outbreak.

I only have what you have written to go on. But I don't think they would have been implying that the MMR caused your son's autistic traits.

You hopefully will find that he is immune already. I remember from our visit that they were really keen for people to have blood tests first to make sure that no unnecessary vaccinations were given.

We are in London too and as far as I can tell no one is affected here yet. I am surprised that there hasn't been more said about the likelihood of measles spreading.

sleepyhorse · 11/04/2013 22:02

Hi fishoils I'm actually just outside London and it was the Breakspear medical group that I visited. The nurse told me that there is a link with MMR and gut problems often found in autistic kids. I'm not saying I agree with her as to be honest I'm a bit ignorant about the MMR and any of the side effects and don't have much knowledge to go on. I'm just telling you what she told me. I guess it's just her opinion. So please don't anyone get angry with me LOL. I'm not trying to scare anyone. Just confused as to what I should do.

OP posts:

fishoils · 11/04/2013 22:18

I wasn't angry with you. I hope it didn't sound like I was ...

I didn't vaccinate my children because I was worried about the sideeffects. My DC already has a brain injury and I didn't want to make it worse.

I just thought that it would be unlikely that a doctor/nurse would say that there was a link between MMR and autism as they usually avoid making this connection. Even Richard Halversen who is anti the current vaccination schedule kind of spoke in code, as though he was afraid to be pinned down and accused as Andrew Wakefield has been.

Hopefully your DC will be immune. I think the chances are quite high that the first MMR he had will have worked. The booster is only there to catch the children for whom the first MMR vaccination didn't work. And from my memory that is only a small number.

zzzzz · 11/04/2013 22:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sleepyhorse · 11/04/2013 22:31

Oh I know you weren't angry, I just didn't want anyone reading this to think I was trying to put them off getting their kids vaccinated as its a delicate matter and still very controversial. I know I was quite shocked when the nurse spoke so openly about it, I didn't think they would be allowed. So what do you think you will do about getting or not getting your kids vaccinated should measles spread to London? It's so difficult as a parent having to make such decisions isn't it.

OP posts:

thewhistler · 11/04/2013 22:53

Ds is a lot older than your dcs, but was going through the vaccination issues at the time of the first mmr scares.

He has/had an immune condition and had the first round before we found out. When it came to the booster the Gosh consultant was clear he should not have it. We were told that the booster was only to pick up the very small proportion of children in whom the first set doesn't take.

That was obviously some time ago, and things may have changed. But I would follow a consultants advice when it comes to individual children.

SaltedChocolate · 12/04/2013 07:28

Breakspear are very good.

I'm not surprised they told you what they really thought.

All the private professionals I've seen, one of whom I think also works at Breakspear, have thought vaccinations have caused my DSs problems. And because I'm going to them privately not through the NHS they've been able to tell me this.

The single measles jab is not safe. No vaccination is safe. The govt has paid out a lot of money to vaccine damaged children.

I would most certainly listen to breakspeare.

sleepyhorse · 12/04/2013 08:16

Thanks salted, appreciate your advice. I remember my mum saying to me just before ds had his MMR at 13 months not to do it and to take him private for the singles. Just wish I had listened to her. But then it sounds like there is concern even with the singles from what you are saying!

OP posts:

inappropriatelyemployed · 12/04/2013 08:26

I think you need to do your own research and not rely on the private opinions of a nurse at a private clinic. Did you ask her for her clinical justification for her statements that such a jab 'might make his autism worse'?

And where is the evidence that the single jab 'is not safe'? Or that the government has 'paid out a lot of money to vaccine damaged children'?

What government? What vaccine? In what circumstances?

If the anti-vaccine lobby want to be taken seriously let's have some facts and not just scare-mongerng.

MareeyaDolores · 12/04/2013 08:46

Measles infection can cause brain damage and death. Even in 'uncomplicated' cases, its a nasty illness. It definitely isn't 'safe'.

Drugs, immunisations etc are relatively safe, though obviously a child can have an allergic or odd reaction. Sometimes these are serious. For example, the old-style whooping cough vaccine around when we were kids did cause brain damage in a tiny proportion of children. I would presume that some of them became autistic.

MMR is as safe as any other drug or vaccine. It doesn't cause autism, autism is multifactorial. And subtle ASD signs are present way before 12-15m if you follow high-risk infants from birth. Tbh though, if you're convinced that it was the final environmental straw on the genetic camel's back

MareeyaDolores · 12/04/2013 08:50

Sorry, posted too soon

...then I would test for measles immunity before revaccinating (with single or other) as otherwise you'll always wonder if it was really needed.

Fwiw, nurses in a single jab clinic are always going to be self-selected to be broadly anti-vaccination compared to NHS staff.

topsyandturvy · 12/04/2013 08:53

I may be wrong but I would say that the nurse is grossly misinformed as far as the medical profession is concerned, this is absolutely not current medical opinion and you would not find a gp practice in the land giving the advice she gave.

Get your son tested for measles immunity urgently. If he is not immune then I would go somewhere else for your jabs. Whaat I secretly think is that you went to a private establishment, and that it is THEIR policy not to give any vaccinations to children with any history of autism as they want to avoid all possibility of future claims against them. They havent given you this advice for your sons benefit, but for theirs.

MareeyaDolores · 12/04/2013 08:53

So if a parent is sure that MMR affected their particular child, who am I to say it didn't. They know their child, before and after. It's big step from that to the media hysteria that it 'causes' ASD, and the implication that there's a massive cover-up.

bigbluebus · 12/04/2013 09:14

Another one here who was advised by a Dr not to give DD the MMR booster as she has multiple health issues (not autism) as in Drs opinion it was a massive attack on the immune system for possibly no gain (ie it is only to catch the small number who didn't become immune after the 1st jab).
If they have offered to test your DS for immunity, then I would take them up on it and worry about what to do if he is not immune once you know for sure. He may well be immune already and you are worrying now without any evidence to say that you should be!

bigbluebus · 12/04/2013 09:19

Sorry, I forgot to say that I was given that advice before the Wakefield report was published as DD was born in 1994!

everynameistaken · 12/04/2013 09:48

//www.gov.uk/vaccine-damage-payment/eligibility

Something that isn't usually told to mother's when they present their child for vaccinations at just a few weeks old.

I'm not saying that parents shouldn't vaccinate their children, but my mum told me to look at both sides of the argument before making a decision.

Cathwyn · 13/04/2013 00:38

innapropriatelyemployed - see previous link. also lots of vaccine payments have been made in America and 1 other country that I know of (in Italy?)..quite recently as well. There have been lots of reports on it.

Im not saying that MMR causes Autism but I do think it could be the final straw that broke the camels back?

My eldest has had the first MMR and I can honestly say that there were no signs of autism before that....There is none in the family and we have lots of small children so I think we would have picked up on anything out of the ordinary? But around the same time he did have a lot of tonsilitis as well...so? I dont know..could it be either or?

My youngest is 5 and a half months so too young yet for the MMR but we live close to Swansea with the current outbreak..and it is worrying.

It is just a very sad and horrible situation and I wish we could know exactly what causes it. :(

sleepyhorse · 13/04/2013 09:29

I phoned the NHS GP yesterday and she said that as ds had mmr, he will have a 90% chance of still being immune. But she said the NHS won't do blood tests to check immunity, would need to go private for that.,

OP posts:

thewhistler · 13/04/2013 09:53

Well, I would do that immunity test. And then see an immunologist or autism specialist if he isn't immune.

sleepyhorse · 13/04/2013 11:48

They were discussing the epidemic on bbc Breakfast this morning and some guy was moaning that it's the middle class that don't get their kids vaccinated. Then they were saying the govt should make it compulsory that all kids be immunised and if they don't they shouldn't be let back into school.

OP posts:

topsyandturvy · 16/04/2013 07:09

go private then, if you would get him immunised if he wasn't immune then you must get the test done

Flip

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.