Measles vaccination

My grandson died a week after his MMR. That’s how ‘rumours’ start.

The solution is simple. Let the NHS continue to offer free MMR vaccinations to those who want it but allow parents to pay for separate measles, mumps are rubella jabs if they feel worried about multiple vaccines.

Since antibiotics arrived people think this that illnesses like measles can be sorted out. Meanwhile there is no doubt that because medical advice on things like diet and side effects of pills changes so often people are more sceptical about what is the truth. There is also a feeling that everything "natural" is good. Measles can be very nasty indeed and the affects felt years down the line, deafness etc. Knowing a member of my family from a previous generation died of a childhood illness was enough to send me to get the injections done.

That is so awful Anja . The cause of death was the MMR vaccination?

How do we know? No cause of death was ever found and it was recorded as Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood.
All we can say is he was a healthy, happy toddler.

My point is, no vaccine is without risk. If parents are refusing the MMR (because it’s that or nothing) because they are genuinely worried about their child then it’s no use saying ‘it’s safe’ and having no Plan B.

I’ve suggested a plan B.

yes, I would totally agree with your plan B Anja

I agree with you, too, Anja. My DD's children all had the separate jabs. It's appalling that the only way of doing so is to pay. I'm convinced that there would be far more uptake if 'they' authorised single jabs on the NHS.

I seem to remember that the idea of having all three done together was to make it easier for parent to remember/bother to have the jabs. Well, it isn't working, so why don't they go back to the old system?

I was one of those who decided not to have the MMR given to my DD.
My reasoning was that the childhood illnesses we had had and my elder children had all had including measles , mumps and probably rubella had given them a strong immune system . We were lucky I guess that they didn't suffer complications.
They got the triple vaccine against tetenus, whooping cough and diphtheria.
An uncle died from diphtheria and children at school with me had polio.
My views were also affected by the stories of vaccine damage which never truly go away. I was a helper for RDA and some of our riders over the 20 years were disabled due to reactions to immunisations.
However I have a heavy heart today as our DGD has her MMR. My AC do not feel as I do.
So dreadfully sad about your loss anja

Personally I am inclined to support the action of German state Brandenburg in making vaccination compulsory for children attending kindergarten/nursery, but with the choice of single vaccine or separate vaccinations; I suspect that would be acceptable to most parents, and after all, whenever anything is made compulsory, there are always people who don't agree, I think that can't be avoided, we're talking the greatest good for the greatest number.

It’s cheapness and expediency.

Anja my sympathies to you, I have also lost a toddler grandchild and have some understanding of your grief.

I am in agreement with your Plan B.

My grandchild died of TB meningitis......we are not screening for TB and it is back.

Vaccinations can be dangerous and perhaps looking into the issue more thoroughly would be better than the usual head in sand attitude by Doctors.

But measles is dangerous. Children die or are damaged in various ways. It’s a matter of balance. I’m with the need to vaccinate but would definitely support the option of separate jabs. I don’t think it’s fair at all to say that doctors have their heads in the sand.

pinkquartz from one bereaved grandparent to another

I can remember how awful I felt when I had measles - aged 6/7.

I support your plan B anja

But, children should not be allowed in school with out having had the jab.

And, the Wakefield man is still spreading his mistruths.

My eyesight was damaged by measles and I was very very ill. AW is a charlatan in my opinion and is now on the celeb circuit in the States. He has made a living from children’s suffering and deaths

When I was 32 and remarried I was advised to get a measles shot because of the belief childhood vaccine wasn’t enough. I couple of days later I had itchy spots and a fever. Felt and looked horrible. My doc was out of town but later talking to him he said I had the measles. For a year or so every morning I woke up with swollen stiff fingers. Doc said it was a side effect of the measles. Thank goodness it did last. He told me also I’d probably have arthritis in old age as a side effect. Does make one wonder.

Envious it sounds as if, indeed, your childhood vaccination wasn't enough - or you would have had no reaction.

From the BBC today, commenting on the increased number of cases in the US:

"Adults travelling to outbreak zones, or adults who were vaccinated prior to 1968 with an earlier prototype of the vaccine, should consider receiving another vaccination, federal officials say"

I'm all for vaccination programmes as childhood diseases/illnesses from many years ago have mutated over the years due to the influx of migrants. We've had the return of TB and scarlet fever too.
Single vaccinations would be the answer given in stages. I often wonder at the many cases of autism/adhd that there are ? Whether caused by the triple remains to be seen.

Is there anyone else who's a carrier of chickenpox like myself ? I didn't get it as a child though my brother had it and in recent years my GGC had it, but again, it went over my head.

I am most definitely not an Anti-Vaxer, I am well aware of the horrors of the diseases that they prevent. However, I do have some concerns re Autism. I know of three children, who were happy, healthy and above all engaging before their vaccines? It does make me question. All mine were vaccinated, but my youngest was really poorly after the last batch, which was multiple vaccines at once. I believe it was too much for her little system to cope with.

I find it hard to comment here, as I have very strong pro-vax views.

I am so sorry for those who have lost GC; but personally I would question the link with vaccination.

Just because one thing might follow another does not prove a causal relationship scientifically. It is massively distressing and I fully understand the temptation to make that link. And my heart goes out to you.

Sadly children do die, sometimes for unknown reasons; and children do begin to show signs of an ASD - but the emergence of symptoms tend to happen around the same time as the vaccinations - that does not mean that one has caused the other.

God, it is so hard; but, having seen the appalling results of these childhood illnesses during my professional career, I would always say get vaccinated at the first opportunity.

The idea of single jabs seems to have taken hold - but has no foundation in science. Like all of us, children are bombarded with millions of viruses and bacteria every day, so the combined vaccine is no different - just smaller doses and sometimes non-live.

I guess the NHS is loathe to endorse the idea of separate jabs, both for very valid cost concerns, but also because doing so implies that there is some basis in fact for these concerns.

My DD had whooping cough when she was 4 and was ill for a year - and still suffers from the long-term effects in her 40s. So that is why I am so pro-vax; and can understand why some people have the opposite concerns from their own experience.

But, in the final analysis we are so lucky to have the opportunity to prevent our children getting so ill.

Please do not think I am in any way dismissing the grief of those who have had such bad experiences; but I do believe that scientifically and socially vaccination is the right route.

My Children are all pre vaccination , they all had measles and were so ill , the first 4 had them one after the other , trying to cope with a lively well toddler, as well as others in various stages of vomiting and listlessness wasn't good , trying to keep the curtains closed , in case they went blind , persuading one to drink , tring to get another to lie down ......... luckily none had any lasting effects , but it is not a simple illness
my youngest 2 were not born while the first lot were ill , but they were very ill too , the youngest was ill for weeks before the measles came out

I was born in 1957 and had measles in 1962 ... then the mumps. I remember how dreadful I felt even now.

I am glad the vaccines are now available, and would hope my son or daughter, when GC arrive, choose to take the separate vaccination option so they can monitor each reaction.

PS Had whooping cough too. All sugar or not, Lucozade was my friend then!

I had measles my mum had measles and it caused deafness all my children had measles all my grandkids were vaccinated when they were older not as babies or toddlers and not in the 3 in 1
I think it’s dreadful to consider making all children have the vaccine whilst I fully support those that do have it and think it’s a good programme but it has to be voluntary to consider a child not being able to attend school because the parents chose to not vaccinate is dreadful are they not allowed to go to the cinema play in the park are they going to have to ring a bell when they are around ...disgusting in my opinion

If the children in school are all vaccinated what danger is an I vaccinate child to them

I had measles in 1946 at the same time as my younger sister and our baby sister. What a burden that was for my mum. I got bronchitis as a result and later in the year was hospitalised with pneumonia. When my aunt was a child, measles made her blind in one eye. Our neighbour's little girl developed encephalitis with measles. I'm sure that most of us who were born before the days when vaccines became available can think of examples when measles was anything but a mild childhood illness. I'm glad my children and grandchildren have never been exposed to that risk.