http://www.thescotsman.co.uk/index.cfm?id=120654

Triple vaccine: triplet trouble


FOR Tracy Steele, 33, the change in her triplet sons following their MMR jabs was immediate and terrifying.

Four days after the vaccination at 17 months, Stuart, Glen and Bobby all ran a high temperature which set them howling in distress and pain.

"Through the night Stuart was screaming in an uncontrolled high pitch that sent shivers down my spine," Ms Steele said. "The other two followed and they were the same. The doctor came and he put ‘MMR?’ in his notes. The boys were hot and dehydrated for days. I had to feed them fluids with a syringe."

Her triplets recovered but as the days went by, Ms Steele noticed something was wrong with all of them.

She said: "They used to say words like mummy and daddy. They loved being tickled and would say "tickle". But that all stopped after the MMR. Video footage of them on their second birthday shows we couldn’t get a peep out of them. They were like wee zombies."

Since then, the boys have all been diagnosed with similar problems. Stuart is the most severely affected and has cerebral palsy of the visual system, language disorder and possibly Asberger’s Syndrome.

Bobby has severe autism and mild cerebral palsy. Glen has language disorder.

The boys are now seven and although Ms Steele worries for their future, she feels they have made significant improvements.

"They are making good progress. They go to a special school but I’m hoping that won’t be for too much longer. But I am livid at what has happened to them.

"To think of introducing a chickenpox vaccine is appalling when they can’t yet allay the fears over the MMR."

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.