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Original poster

MMR - tell me I have done the right thing

55 replies

georgiemama · 20/06/2008 19:37

So, DS had his MMR today. He is totally fine, no temperature even. I know that doctor (has he been struck off?) was totally discredited but can't help having ridiculous niggling doubts. Reassure me someone!!!!

OP posts:
dinny · 20/06/2008 19:39

mmm, side-effects don't happen straight away anyhow - measles is about 7 days and mumps 3 weeks, iirc

a v small proportion of children have adverse reactions

but I wouldn't agree that Wakefield has been discredited, more gagged

cazboldy · 20/06/2008 19:41

i think you have done the right thing georgiemama

edam · 20/06/2008 19:42

He'll be fine! All Wakefield ever said was that there was something worth investigating in a very small sub-set of a sub-set. MMR is perfectly safe for all but a very tiny minority of babies - and Wakefield never disputed that.

Dinny is right, he has not been discredited, more persecuted.

Fillyjonk · 20/06/2008 19:43

you have done utterly the right thing

and a reaction to the MMR just shows it has worked, not that there is anything sinister going on.

hotCheeseBurns · 20/06/2008 19:43

Me too, doctors recommend it and give it to their own children and the risks from measles, mumps and rubella are real.

Original poster
georgiemama · 20/06/2008 19:44

thanks for replies.

I am sure that children who go on to develop autism must have shown some sign of it before having the jab... this is just my first scary parenting decision (have been confident and single minded about everything so far and felt completely justified in myself, even though others may disagree - work, BF, routines etc etc) and it's really worried me.

OP posts:
frankiesbestfriend · 20/06/2008 19:45

I agree.
Think you have done the right thing for your ds, and for the greater good

Seona1973 · 20/06/2008 19:59

both dd and ds had the mmr and were both fine

sweetgrapes · 20/06/2008 20:04

My eldest is autistic and second one is not. And both have had the MMR.

I was very worried before giving the second one MMR and forever checking his responses afterwards. But he's 2 and a half and doing fine.

chilledmama · 20/06/2008 20:06

when I was trying to decide I looked at all the informaiton the NHS handed out which really didn't satisfy me as it seemed really one sided [duh emoticon]. So I looked at the world health organisation website and then at other coutries government website to see what they were all saying. After reading all that, I made my decision and haven't worried or regretted my decision HTH

NormaStanleyFletcher · 20/06/2008 20:09

DB is a professor in a medical field

all of his kids have had MMR after he reviewed the research

He totally disagreed with all of the anti stuff as it was badly done and basically a pile of crusty old wank

Original poster
georgiemama · 20/06/2008 21:44

but what was your decision chilledmama?

OP posts:
Kif · 20/06/2008 22:00

You've done the right thing.

Dd was in contact with suspected measles when she was 1 y.o. . I googled symptoms/complications - horrifying and relatively common. Deafness, retardation etc .

My childminder told me about her neighbours child who did not have MMR but went on to develop autism. She described how he went suddenly backwards from a fairly verbal affectionate 18 m.o. to a 2 y.o. who didn't speak. If he'd had the MMR at 18 m.o. his parents would have naturally linked MMR with autism.

artydeb · 20/06/2008 22:04

Right decision
Both children have had MMR - ds last week. He's had a fever last couple of days and been a little off his food - but then he's also teething. Still responding and doing everything that he could do before jab and more.
I felt like it was a double edged sword but friend's dd didn't have jab in low uptake area - has just had german measles, so these diseases are still prevalent.

tulip27 · 20/06/2008 22:06

As someone who gives childhood imms I would say you have done the right thing.

Clary · 20/06/2008 22:08

I would say the right decision.

Childhood immunisations have revolutionised the health of children in this country. I'm all for 'em.

pagwatch · 20/06/2008 22:09

Of course you have made the right decision for you. Almost all children are fine
But the children who do react are not autistic before I'm afraid. Mine was not - he was 20 months and developing perfectly normally and was perfectlyhealthy. Now very severely autistic..
Be comfortable in your decision - but don't assume becausre the decision was right for you that it must be fine for all and that children affected must have had signs before. Mine had none.

solo · 20/06/2008 22:10

My Dd is booked in to have it next Friday. I've left it right until she's 18 months, same as I did for Ds. Ds is currently being assessed for Autism... I'm not convinced that it is nothing to do with the MMR. My nephew has Asbergers after having the jab and his two sisters didn't have it and are both ok. It's a tough decision I think and our fears are pooh pooh'd too often IMO.

dinny · 21/06/2008 09:06

No-one can say "you have done the right thing" - it is your decision and, on occasion, children do have an adverse reaction to vaccinations, there is a reporting system to deal with these reactions, think it's called the Yellow Card.

All anyone can do is make what they feel is the best decision for their child.

MrsSchadenfreude · 21/06/2008 10:12

But measles can be a horrific disease. It's not "just a few spots" as one of my friends said. I had it as a young child. It affected my eyes very badly. I had to have an operation to uncross them, was in and out of hospital all through my childhood and have been told that I will probably go blind when I am older.

I still think it's a tough choice though.

spicemonster · 21/06/2008 10:14

I'm taking my DS for the first of his single jabs today (measles). It may be superstitious but I feel more comfortable about getting them done separately. I am very against people not doing it at all

OneLieIn · 21/06/2008 10:22

You have absolutely done the right thing - dd had the MMR, then several months later(much to my surprise) got measles but it was really really mild.

I dread to think how bad her measles could have been if she had not had the MMR.

I had measles as an adult and it was horrendous, possibly the most ill I have ever been.

Both kids have had the MMR and both are fine.

dinny · 21/06/2008 11:08

That's the thing - your child can still get measles/mumps/rubella even if vaccinated as the uptake of MMR is so low

fwiw, I have given my two children single vaccines at a reputable clinic - I personally felt more comfortable with that option

I would be too worried to leave them unvaccinated, I think, against measles

pagwatch · 21/06/2008 11:56

dinny.I agree with you although it is the personal circumstances thing again though.
DD will remain unvaccinated against measles because for her, given DS2's experience, the MMR ( and vaccination in general)is the far greater risk.
I think what I'm saying is that there is no mythical worry free option.

Spicemonster. i am sorry that you object to some people avoiding altogether but I think I will have to learn to live with your disaproval. After what happened to her brother anyone expecting me to jab my DD is dreaming.

spicemonster · 21/06/2008 12:01

pagwatch - I'm sorry if I have offended you. What I object to is people not immunising against MMR based on nothing more than a vague fear. If you have had a dreadful experience with one child then obviously that will totally alter your perspective. The odd child not being immunised is not going to make a huge difference. But where I live there are huge swathes of the population who are not immunised, putting everyone at risk of these diseases. And I cannot believe that they all have older children who have had the MMR and then developed autism.