Family's anxious wait
after MMR injection
CLAIRE SMITH
A FAMILY
faces an anxious wait after a
four-month-old baby was given
the controversial MMR vaccine by
mistake, eight months before the
age doctors recommend the jab is
given.
The parents of Aiden Smith, who
is now six months old, must wait
at least a year to discover
whether the injection has
permanently affected their son.
The baby received the
vaccination, which has been
linked to autism and bowel
disease, from a nurse who
thought she was giving him a
meningitis jab.
Later, however, the child’s
parents, Julie Anne Smith and
John Wright, were contacted by
doctors from the surgery in
Kilmarnock and told Aiden had
been given the combined jab by
mistake.
Following the injection, which
should have been a routine jab,
Aiden became seriously ill and
was admitted to hospital.
The couple now plan to take
legal action against Ayrshire
and Arran Health Trust, saying
they want to protect other
parents from such mistakes in
the future.
Ms Smith said: "I’m angry and
disappointed with the standard
of care we received and them
allowing it to happen.
"Aiden has been ill ever since
he had the injection and now I’m
frantic with worry. He just
hasn’t been himself.
"There were two staff at the
doctor’s surgery and they told
me it would be double checked.
You put your trust in these
people.
"That very day, we heard the
news from America that it had
been proven that it does lead to
autism."
Although Aiden was seriously ill
with sickness, diarrhoea and
fever for two weeks after the
injection, medical experts are
uncertain whether there will be
any permanent side effects as a
result.
Mr Wright said: "Hopefully, by
taking action against the trust
this may help prevent this
happening to someone else. It’s
a terrible thing to have hanging
over us."
The couple’s solicitor, Neil
McPherson, said: "Aiden was very
sick and it will take a year to
determine whether any of the
side effects, including autism,
will take effect.
"He is certainly behaving
differently and this is worrying
for his parents. He attended the
surgery for various injections,
but MMR was never discussed. It
had a serious effect and could
have long term serious effects.
"There is a duty of care
incumbent in all medical
treatment. Clearly, in this
case, the trust has breached
this duty of care."
A spokeswoman for the Ayrshire
and Arran Health Trust said they
were aware of the situation and
that the matter had been placed
in the hands of their lawyers.
She said the health authority
had launched its own internal
inquiry into the incident, to
work out exactly what had
happened.
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