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Revisit immunisation advice urges Measles mother
Date: 24 April 2012
Revisit immunisation advice urges
Measles mother
Te Awamutu
mother Ally Edwards-Lasenby thought she was doing the right
thing by making an informed decision not to immunise her son
against Measles at four years of age.
It was at a time when there was a lot of speculation about the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine causing autism later in life.
While her now 14-year-old son Cameron didn’t develop autism, he did spend three days in Waikato Hospital last year fighting for his life against the Measles virus.
In fact, Cameron was the first of a cluster of unimmunised young people living in and around Te Awamutu, to contract Measles in July 2011.
"Unfortunately someone had shown up at school in the early stages of the illness and unknowingly spread the virus around and Cam became unwell,” said Mrs Edwards-Lasenby.
"He first presented with flu-like illness and we took him to our GP at Hillcrest Medical Centre and were told that he had a bad dose of the flu.
"Two days later I went back because I wasn't happy about Cameron's health.
“I was quickly told that I had better take him to Waikato Hospital Emergency Department myself as I'd be faster than an ambulance.
“He had deteriorated quickly and had all the symptoms, from a red face and neck, white lumps on the inside of his cheeks, conjunctivitis, nausea, dizziness, light sensitivity, a cough, runny nose and a fully developed full body rash.
“The poor kid was miserable.”
Cameron was put in isolation and it was there that he was diagnosed as having Measles. He spent three days in hospital on oxygen.
"It was one of those things where I had made the informed decision at the time not to do the MMR vaccine, with the information I had available to me, but where I went wrong was not going back to revisit that information and the advice available as time went on.
"And that is what I strongly advise
other parents to do. I know why we
Immunise and Cameron
and my other son Paul were up to date with all their other
immunisations.
"I also understand the importance of parents and families being able to make their own decisions based on good, sound information, but its so important to make sure the information you are basing your decisions on is from a creditable source and that you revisit it.
"Best practice and advice is always changing. I didn’t do that in Cameron’s case and it was not a good feeling seeing my son as vulnerable as he was. It was very scary. He was just so weak and sick and lost seven kilograms throughout his illness.”
Mrs Edwards-Lasenby says it is only in the past three months that her son has started to become well again.
After being discharged from hospital, he battled the beginning stages of Pneumonia as Measles attacks the respiratory system.
Because his immune system took such a hit from the illness, he spent the next eight months on and off antibiotics fighting every bug going.
"Our medical centre was fantastic and sent out personal letters to other families who had made the same decision as I had to let them know of the consequences. As a result, many follow up immunisations were done,” said Mrs Edwards-Lasenby.
"After all this happened, we had Cameron's Measles immunisations done at Waikato Hospital Emergency Department which was great for peace of mind and I think people should know that that’s an option too, if they are concerned for valid reasons about having their children immunised.
"Parents, please keep up to date with health information and advice regarding your children so you're not playing Russian roulette with their lives."
For more information about Measles, visit www.waikatodhb.health.nz/measles
ENDS
Check out our media releases on www.waikatodhb.health.nz/news or
About Waikato District Health
Board and Health Waikato:
Waikato DHB is responsible for
planning, funding and providing quality health and
disability support services for the 365,730 people living in
the Waikato DHB region. It has an annual turnover of $1.2
billion and employs more than 6000 people.
Health Waikato is the DHB’s
main provider of hospital and health services with an annual
budget of more than $701 million and 5238 staff. It has six
groups across five hospital sites, three primary birthing
units, two continuing care facilities and 20 community bases
offering a comprehensive range of primary, secondary and
tertiary health services.
A wide range of
independent providers deliver other Waikato DHB-funded
health services - including primary health, pharmacies and
community laboratories.
Waikato District Health Board
Healthy People. Excellent Care
Waikato District Health Board (DHB) employs over 6500 people and plans, funds and provides hospital and health services to more than 391,770 people in a region covering eight per cent of New Zealand.
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