Revaccination Safe in Children W/ Prior Adverse Event – (09-18-00)



Revaccination Safe in Children W/ Prior Adverse Event

The decision whether or not to vaccinate is becoming a more difficult one as more and more questions arise about the safety of numerous vaccines given today. Here are a few of my thoughts. First, I feel that the safety aspects of these vaccinations are not completely studied and many are released too soon. A good example of this was the recently pulled rotavirus vaccine that was found to increase the risk for a specific intestinal disorder. Next, underreporting of adverse effects is very high. I remember one patient telling me that her son’s pediatrician refused to call a several day sustained high fever immediately following a vaccination as an adverse effect. These vaccines do have a benefit, and one can’t deny that certain previously lethal diseases have been all but eradicated (smallpox); but the questions being raised are definate cause for concern for all parents. If you have a child almost due for vaccination, please be as informed as you possibly can…many doctors do not give full disclosure on the issue.

Arch Dis Child 2000;83:128-131 Children who have a past history of an adverse event following immunization (AEFI) can be safely revaccinated in most cases, according to a report in the August issue of the Archives of Disease in Childhood. Between 1996 and 1999, 469 children with a prior AEFI attended one of three special immunization service centers. According to the report, 63% had minor post-vaccination reactions and 37% experienced hypotonic hyporesponsive episodes, convulsions, skin rash, anaphylaxis, apnea, or various miscellaneous symptoms. Most children (90%) were revaccinated after careful clinical review, the authors report. Among the 421 children vaccinated, 83% experienced no AEFI. All but one of the remaining children experienced only minor reactions, including fever, local reactions, and/or lethargy, during the 7 days following immunization.

James Bogash

For more than a decade, Dr. Bogash has stayed current with the medical literature as it relates to physiology, disease prevention and disease management. He uses his knowledge to educate patients, the community and cyberspace on the best way to avoid and / or manage chronic diseases using lifestyle and targeted supplementation.







Email: