Vaccine reactions deter mother

Australia last week suspended influenza vaccination of young children with Fluvax. Photo / Natalie Slade

An Auckland mother will not have her children vaccinated against influenza again after her toddler son experienced a frightening convulsion.

The woman, who asked that her family's names not be published, said her 19-month-old son and 3-year-old daughter experienced bad reactions within hours of their first dose of Influvac vaccine.

Australia last week suspended influenza vaccination of young children with Fluvax because it was linked to an unexpectedly large number having fever-related convulsions.

The New Zealand Health Ministry has consequently told doctors not to give Fluvax to children under 5, although there is thought to be little left in the country anyway.

The Auckland woman said her son had twice previously had fever-related convulsions - from viral infections - but neither seemed as serious as the latest one.

Both her children were vaccinated on the morning of March 31. By 4.30pm the boy had a high temperature that stayed high even after she gave him paracetamol and, later, Ibuprofen.

As she drove him to an accident and medical centre he developed breathing problems and vomited. The daughter stayed home with her father and she too had a high fever and vomited.

At the medical centre, the boy's temperature topped 40C and he had a seizure that lasted for around two minutes, after which he slept. When he woke his legs started shaking, as though he was having another seizure.

"He didn't know who I was. He looked really scared and did this screaming."

He was disoriented for several hours afterwards and was transferred to nearby North Shore Hospital. His heart was racing, even when he was sleeping.

"That's when I thought he was going to die. Then all of a sudden he came around, he awoke from sleep and he was much better, but still not looking great."

He was discharged after being watched overnight in Waitakere Hospital. Blood tests found nothing wrong and he did not have epilepsy, his mother said.

She had her children vaccinated because of fears over swine flu. She would not now take them back for their second doses.

The ministry said last night that by last Friday, three cases of febrile (fever-related) convulsions in young children within 24 hours of Fluvax injections had been reported to the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring. A fourth had been reported but the vaccine's brand was not properly recorded.

These all related to seasonal flu vaccine, which covers three strains, including pandemic swine flu. A fifth case relates to the vaccine that protects only against the pandemic strain.

Ministry chief adviser on child and youth health Dr Pat Tuohy has said fever is a common reaction to flu vaccines.