Headline News….this just in…….(imagine a similar header running across the bottom of your TV screen).
“Our previous study among 12-to 23-month-olds found increased risk of febrile seizures 7 to 10 days after receiving the MMR or the MMRV” (Klein et al., 2012).
Why is THIS not headline news? This study is hot off the press (right along with the increased risk for autism if obese during pregnancy)
Important Background Information
Readers should know that the MMR refers to the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccine that children in the US are advised to receive between 12 and 15 months of age and again between 4 and 6 years of age. So, the medical community knows about an increase risk of seizures for infants an toddlers when they receive the MMR, yet they continue to recommend that the children receive the vaccine?!?!
The MMRV is a vaccine that includes the MMR as well as a dose of varicella. In addition to the MMR between 12 and 15 months, children are also advised to receive a dose of varicella. Thus, some vaccine manufacturers created the MMRV so that children can receive all the vaccines in just one dose. However, after vaccinating many infants and toddlers with the MMRV, researchers later learned that the MMRV more than doubled the risk of febrile seizures for children 12 to 23 months of age. Thus, it is now recommended that the MMR and the varicella be given in separate doses (unless the parent insists otherwise).
For the current recommended vaccine schedule click here.
Little Seizure Risk at Later Ages
Klein and colleagues (2012) (the same authors who first told us about the increase seizure risk for infants and toddlers back in 2010) set out to assess the risk of seizures following the MMR+ varicella or the MMRV for children aged 4 years to 6 years. The authors reported that few seizures were observed during the study of over 150,000 children. As a result, the authors concluded that their study “provides reassurance that MMRV and MMR +V were not associated with increased risk of febrile seizures among 4- to 6-year-olds.”
This is exciting news! Neither vaccine increases the risk of febrile seizures for older children.
It seems as the children age, their bodies may be better able to process the chemicals in the vaccines.
Modify the Vaccine Schedule?
So, based on this new research, does it not make sense to modify the vaccine schedule to reduce the risk for infants and toddlers? Why is the administration of MMR at age 12-15 months so important? Do we know? Will the world come down with measles if we hold off on the vaccine until the child is 4? Has the research even been completed?
Uninformed is Better
Maybe the medical community does not want us to know this research. If we don’t know that vaccines may have harmful side effects, then we won’t question vaccine safety. If we know the true risks of vaccines, we may use our brains and decide to withhold measles-containing vaccines from our 12- to 23-month-olds.
Citations
Klein, N. P., Lewis, E., Baxter, R., Weintraub, E., Glanz, J., Naleway, A., Jackson, L. A., Nordin, J., Lieu, T., Belongia, E.A., Fireman, B. (2012). Measles-containing vaccines and febrile seizures in children age 4 to 6 years. Pediatrics, 129 (5), 1-6.
For a complete copy of the article, click here.
It is that time again. We are linking up with our friends over at Yeah Write. Hop on over there and check out all the other great blogs!
Informed is better. However lately there seems to be a cultural backlash against vaccinations that is worrisome – an upsurge in some of the diseases that are easily avoided with a vaccine is the result. I agree they should stagger the MMR schedule – yet I’m wary of the emotional response of some headlines around the whole topic of vaccines. I for one am a really grateful parent, that my kids have access to vaccinations. I’ve known a lot of parents who have chosen not to vaccinate – at all – and I find it disturbing. I know that’s not what you are advocating – you are advocating for parents to inform themselves, and I agree with that!
I agree. I would have no problem with a modified vaccine schedule if I were confident that other, older children were vaccinated before they come in contact with my younger, unvaccinated children. Instead, I usually find out after the fact, which is disconcerting.
You know, in the veternary world, all animals are not vaccinated on a schedule. They actually test the pet to determine what it is immune to before vaccinating it. Perhaps we should do that with our babies!
Thank you for chiming in! I am dear friends with an MD who studies HEP B. We have great discussions about the need to eradicate certain diseases. I’m just amazed at what gets in to the media. Two other studies in this same issue are all over the news and blogs and twitter yet this study managed to fly under the radar.
Thanks again for taking the time to comment!
I agree that parents should take the time to research and inform themselves about the medical choices they are making for their babies. As a parent, you are your child’s biggest (and sometimes only) advocate.
I love that….”as a parent, you are your child’s biggest (and sometimes only) advocate”!
Thanks for stopping by!
I would say that revising the schedules absolutely makes sense! We kept our son home and put off vaccines as long as possible. I’ve never regretted that!
I’m assuming that health-wise they are doing ok? Thanks for stopping by!
As someone who worked closely with families of young children with new diagnoses of autism, I have read and heard all kinds of research around vaccines. Mothers, arm thyselves with data from reputable sources. That is all I am going to say. I agree with you and everyone else—inform yourself on the latest, most reliable research. Such a fraught topic, Erin
Erin, I cry every time I see a child who has regressed. To think they were normal and then they spiraled in to that awful place of autism. I’m, personally, tired of seeing it. I have friends who are working to educate pregnant moms so that they “prevent” autism from developing. It’s pretty cool. Have you read Jepson’s book, Changing the Course of autism? You would enjoy it, I think.
Thanks for stopping by again!
Ah, what a controversial topic. I won’t weigh in – I’m not a parent, so luckily I don’t have to make those tough choices!
thanks for stopping by! Hopefully you can store the information away so that when you decide to become a parent, you will be equipped to make great choices.
A truly controversial topic, which I have many opinions of my own, which I won’t use your space to go on about. I do believe that all parents, regardless of what decisions they make, should make informed decisions and keep their children’s well-being top of mind.
Alison, you are so right. This topic is incredibly controversial. So much that I held my breath before I hit “publish”. However, the science is the science. We all need to keep up with the science because the media only shares what they want to us to know about.
Informed is definitely best. I hadn’t read that study, thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Yes, it is a new one. It’s not even in print yet. I didn’t include this in the post but the study was funded by a pharmaceutical company. It makes me wonder if they were truly worried about the children or if they were trying to find a way to continue marketing their MMRV and not let it go to waste.
Yikes. There is so much to learn becoming a parent. Holybeeejeez. Thank you for sharing this.
Angela, I think this is one reason why I have opted not to give birth. It is really scary!
Scary stuff. My older kids got their MMR separate from varicella, just because I wanted to wait until 18 months on MMR and have it be the only vaccine that day. (Don’t really know why – just thought it sounded good.) I guess I’ll be doing the same thing with baby #3. Thanks for bringing this up!
Baby 3? Does that mean you are pregnant? I need to blog stalk you some more! I showed my girlfriend (airforce wife/mommy) your blog. She agreed that you looked familiar but she didn’t “know” you. Thank you for stopping by!
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