Immunisation
Parents' concerns about MMR
In 1998, research by Wakefield et al suggested a possible link between the MMR vaccine, inflammatory bowel disease and autism. Sensational media reporting of these findings led to concerns amongst parents about whether they should give their child the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine. Unsure of the right decision to make, several parents choose not to immunise their children, which resulted in a significant increase in the number of cases of measles and mumps.
Since 1998, the research findings by Wakefield et al have been discredited by many other scientific studies, which have produced good scientific evidence to suggest there is not a link between MMR, inflammatory bowel disease and autism. As a consequence, some parents we interviewed had few concerns about giving their child MMR.
She checked with her health visitor but felt confident there was no need to be concerned about MMR.
She checked with her health visitor but felt confident there was no need to be concerned about MMR.
The overwhelming majority of parents believe in immunisation for their children. We have however included here the views of a few parents who do not believe immunisation is right for their own child based on their personal beliefs. Their views represent a small proportion of the population.
Initial concerns did still exist amongst many parents when making their decisions about their child's MMR, but after gathering information and weighing up the risks they felt reassured enough to go ahead with it. Some of these parents found it very difficult to make a decision and were worried for a long time before they made a final decision.
It is normal for parents to be concerned about their children's health and it's important for them to find reliable scientific evidence on which to base their decisions and there is now a mass of this information available.
They were concerned that their child might be disabled in some way from MMR, which they didn't...
They were concerned that their child might be disabled in some way from MMR, which they didn't...
A few parents did not feel that they were able to find enough reassurance and decided that MMR was not the right decision for their child and chose single vaccines or not to immunise (see 'Deciding not to give my child MMR').
Some parents who had initially been concerned that after having MMR, their child might develop inflammatory bowel disease or autism had felt reassured after learning more about MMR and how autism develops, for example that MMR has been used in the USA since the early 1970s and reported serious reactions have been very rare (see 'Deciding to give my child MMR').
Believed the evidence wasn't strong enough to prove a causal link between MMR and autism.
Believed the evidence wasn't strong enough to prove a causal link between MMR and autism.
The underlying piece of evidence I was told was basically they took files from autistic, they were looking at, at trying to find links between autistic children and looked at everything they had in common. And one of the things that they all had in common was MMR. Which was inevitable because at the time everybody was being vaccinated with it. But it didn't, to me that doesn't justify any kind of cause, link. I mean it was probably something worth investigating just like wheat and hamburgers over, you know, a certain period of time, but it doesn't, in no way does it, you know, was it conclusive for me at all. It didn't allay necessarily other fears but it was, you know, basically wasn't enough for me to feel that it was, you know, a strong piece of research to support any, a problem with it.
Learning that MMR had been used in other countries for many years eased her concerns about there...
Learning that MMR had been used in other countries for many years eased her concerns about there...
She was reassured when her health visitor told her that the symptoms of autism tend to appear...
She was reassured when her health visitor told her that the symptoms of autism tend to appear...
A few parents had been concerned that their child's immune system was already compromised in some way and that MMR may make the situation worse, for example if their child was premature, or already had allergies or bowel problems. After getting advice from health professionals, these parents felt reassured enough to give their child MMR.
Every parent should have access to a trained health professional to chat about their concerns, the risks of catching the diseases and the benefits and potential risks of immunisation for their own child, and the population in general. In addition to their GP, health visitor or practice nurse, there is also an immunisation advisor in each local health protection unit, whom parents can talk to about their child's immunisations.
She was concerned that her premature baby's immune system may not be developed enough, so she...
She was concerned that her premature baby's immune system may not be developed enough, so she...
I think every mum has their concerns but [my consultant] knew mine were more specific to [my son] being young. And that's why I think he said, 'Look, if you're that worried, wait until he's a little bit older, you know, wait till he's corrective age'. Because at 1 year old he would have been actually 9 months old physically. I still think, I mean I think 1 is, I think you look at your child and if they're a small 1 and they've been ill for a while and stuff then it might be good to wait. I also did it, I think I did it in October. I felt like I should do it before winter came in because obviously babies' immune systems and stuff, with colds. And so I sort of thought, 'I'll get it done now before we get to full cold season'.
A few parents were worried about whether they should give their child MMR because he/she had an egg allergy. There is no evidence to suggest that children with egg allergies should not be given MMR and it can be given in a hospital setting if parents are concerned.
Concern that her son's egg allergy might cause a reaction, led him to have the MMR vaccine in hospital.
Concern that her son's egg allergy might cause a reaction, led him to have the MMR vaccine in hospital.
Our youngest son had an allergic reaction, I can't remember what age he was, but quite a severe allergic reaction, and we took him to the doctor. They identified it as an allergic reaction. And then he went to hospital to have some blood tests done, one of the results of which was that he was allergic, mildly allergic to egg white. They're still, he's still in the process of having further blood tests taken, and we haven't received the results yet of those, to find out whether he's allergic to anything else, and there's been a broader spectrum of allergies that have been tested. And because he's allergic to egg white, in which the vaccines are cultured, they, the medical staff felt that it was safer for him to have his jabs in a controlled environment in case he had an allergic reaction, so that he could be taken care of quickly and effectively. And so we took him to hospital. He had his MMR jab and was absolutely fine. Had absolutely no reaction whatsoever to it, not even a slightly swollen leg or any, you know, anything at all, he was absolutely fine. But he will be having his MMR booster in hospital as well, just to make sure that he's okay.
Most parents who had given their child the MMR pre-school booster, had less concern making a decision, largely because their child had not had a reaction to the first dose of MMR.
A very small number of parents were anxious that the previous reactions that their other children had, which they personally believed were triggered by MMR, might occur again. Research studies since 1998 have produced good scientific evidence to suggest there is not a link between MMR, autism and inflammatory bowel disease.
She felt too frightened to give her other children MMR because of the reaction her oldest son had.
She felt too frightened to give her other children MMR because of the reaction her oldest son had.
And I personally don't know if it was something in the measles, something in the mumps, something in the rubella, I don't know. It could be one thing in any one of them vaccinations. It could be the fact that they're given as a threesome. I just don't know. So that's what makes me afraid to do it. And because they are live vaccines, would I be opening my children to the risk of something happening by giving them the vaccine? It's just such a hard place to be. I would like someone just to say to me, 'Do you know what? It's all right. You can have them done because I guarantee you they're going to be fine'. But even then I'd probably laugh and think, 'No, I don't think so'.
Now I'd need a cast-iron guarantee written in stone before I'd even venture down that path again. But then obviously as I've said I'm running a risk anyway, because they're, my children aren't vaccinated. So what, what infections am I opening, making them more susceptible to and what are the consequences of those? But I just don't know. I don't know which way to do it. I mean the amount of times myself and my husband have sat and discussed this, you wouldn't even believe. 'Well, should we or shouldn't we? Should we, shouldn't we? Yes, I will. No, no, I won't'.
They believed MMR triggered autism in their older son and were concerned about the safety of the...
They believed MMR triggered autism in their older son and were concerned about the safety of the...
And as long as this situation stays in place, our youngest baby, our baby will not be vaccinated, at all, and we will regard all medicines with extreme circumspection. We're actually having another baby and that baby won't be vaccinated and the same will hold true. And we're looking at every other way we can to protect our two youngest children because this is not a decision we've taken lightly. And I would want to make that absolutely plain to anybody whose looking on this on website. It's not an easy decision and neither you nor I, [my husband] would say it's an easy'
Father' No, well due to the MMR, we took seven years to find out what we believe is the truth and that's based on what we're doing now, and that's no vaccinations whatsoever.
She was concerned that swelling which had occurred in her daughter's arm after MMR, might happen...
She was concerned that swelling which had occurred in her daughter's arm after MMR, might happen...
And so when my little boy needed his doing two years later, I was very reluctant to have it done and I expressed my concerns to the health visitor. But she wasn't very, I don't know, she didn't really take much notice. She just said, 'Oh well, it's something that happens, he'll be fine'. And he had the injection and it was disastrous because he ended up in hospital for three days and his arm swelled up, across his chest, his shoulder, down his hand, his hands, fingers, it was just huge. He was on IV antibiotics, plastic surgeons were involved, they didn't know whether it were infection. They were going to operate so that was a nasty time. So my views on it now have changed a lot.
The safety of the vaccines was a concern for some parents. A few were worried about the information available on the long-term effects of the MMR vaccine. One mother who had these concerns had found it reassuring to learn that the same MMR vaccine used in the UK had been used in the USA since the early 1970s, and of the millions of children given MMR, accounts of reported adverse reactions was rare.
A few of these parents had concerns about the ingredients of the vaccines and that live vaccines were given which the occasional parent personally believed were too much for a child's body to cope with. There has been no scientific evidence to suggest this is the case. The mumps, measles and rubella vaccines contain strains of the virus that has been weakened (attenuated) so that it will stimulate an immune response to natural measles, mumps and rubella viruses but will only produce very mild symptoms of these diseases, if any at all.
Learning that MMR had been used in other countries for many years eased her concerns about the...
Learning that MMR had been used in other countries for many years eased her concerns about the...
Last reviewed October 2015.
Last updated October 2015.
Copyright © 2024 University of Oxford. All rights reserved.