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Measles nearly killed my sons - father of three adult victims tells parents to give children MMR
Anna Davis, Health Reporter28.05.09
Three adult brothers were left fighting for their lives after being struck down with measles as the disease increasingly threatens Londoners.
Their father is now urging other parents to have their children vaccinated. Brendan O'Connor spoke out after two of his “strapping” sons were hospitalised with measles, and another left seriously ill at home.
NHS London has launched a campaign to tackle spiralling rates of the disease. Experts have warned the capital is on the brink of an epidemic as not enough children are vaccinated.
Mr O'Connor from Kentish Town said: “After seeing what my sons went through I am a massive advocate of the MMR jab. I thought my sons were going to die in front of me. Parents who are dithering about giving their children the vaccination should realise how serious measles can be.”
Mr O'Connor's 24-year-old son Malachy caught measles in January. It spread to his twin Brendan, and then to 22-year-old John-Paul. Mr O'Connor said: “Malachy had a very high temperature and found it hard to breathe. He had a massive rash and was rigid.
“We called the doctor out who immediately sent an ambulance and he was rushed to University College Hospital where he stayed for six days. When I saw him lying on the bed with the paramedics around him I was really worried.”
Brendan was confined to bed and John-Paul, a personal trainer and lifeguard, was taken to the Royal Free hospital where he stayed for six days. Mr O'Connor said none of his sons had their MMR jab because they “slipped through the net”. He added: “It was an oversight. Their mum was ill around the age they would have had the jab and I didn't realise they had not had it.”
NHS London has launched an advertising campaign showing images of children hospitalised by measles to shock parents into getting their children vaccinated. The posters were put on phone boxes and bus shelters in 12 Primary Care Trusts with the highest MMR rates, including Barnet, Lewisham, and Richmond and Twickenham.
If the scheme is a success it will be rolled out across the capital. Simon Tanner, Director of Public Health at NHS London, said: “Reassuring parents the MMR vaccine is safe and encouraging them to protect their children is a major priority.
“Measles is highly contagious; a simple cough or sneeze is all it takes to spread the virus, so if your child is not immunised there is a high risk they will get it.”
In the first three months of this year 98 people in London were struck down with measles, compared with 66 in the last three months of last year.
Reader views (5)
well said mary.measles is far worse as an adult, that's why years ago parents used to hold 'parties' to catch the disease while their children were young,they knew the disease is much milder in children.Parents years ago didn't fear measles like it is today,the government hype it up hidiously(maybe to keep their friends in pharmacuticals happy).They are happy to show pictures of ill children with measles, but not so keen to show pictures of children who are ill after the vaccine. If you ask most older people whose children were young in the 60's & 70's and most will say they were not fearful of measles and very few had any complications (and of those VERY FEW children, mostly had other health issues).Why can children not be checked to see if they already have immunity first? I have a relative who had the MMR and who reacted severely within a few days and was hospitalised with symptoms of the said diseases, but strangely enought the medical profession refused to accept it was anything to do with MMR!She was poorly for years later and still has health issues.Prior to her MMR she was extremely healthy.How many other cases are there like that? Also i agree why are children not told to stay at home after the vaccination,it is a live vaccine. I also know of 2 children who have had the vaccine and still gone on to have measles later on, so does the vaccine even work that well? google 'prison planet baxter swine flu' and 'childhealthsafety wordpress measles mortality'.
- Shirley, derbyshire
i have had all 3 of my children vaccinated not one of them has autisim and my first child after being vaccinated did not pass the virus on to anyone! its a simple choice protect your child from this illness and risk infecting someone else, if it is possible, if it is its pobebly 0.01%chance of that happening or don't vaccinate them and watch them be serverly i'll feel helpless n wish to god you gave them the vaccine. its been a long time since we have seen measles this badly and their are a lot of young mums who won't remeber how bad and dangerous it realy is.
- Leah, barry
Hugh do you suggest that we have MP's sitting at the airport testing people for measles as they enter the country. The problem isn't people bringing the disease in. It is parents who refuse to vaccinate their children due to their false belief that the vaccines are dangerous. It is these parents who are putting the rest of us at risk.
- Nicola, Michigan, USA
What kind of government would allow dangerous diseases to enter this country and infect the people ... the kind that is to busy filling its pockets to give a damn...
- Hugh E Torrance, London England
"Childhood" diseases such as measles, are often more serious in adults. Nobody, however, mentions that the MMR is a live vaccine, so it is possible for a newly vaccinated child to pass on the disease to another person by means of a process called "virus shedding." If a child has a disease, doctors will advise to keep them away from other people while they are infectious. No such advice is given after vaccinating with a live vaccine.
- Mary, London
