My daughter is 10 months old and I'm already thinking about whether to let her have the MMR vaccine.

The problem I have is that my parent's neighbours have a son who is vaccine damaged. At the age of 18 months, right after his MMR, he suddenly stopped developing speech. He was diagnosed with Aphasia - an inability to process aural information in the brain. Now, aged 11 and thanks to a special school, he's capable of basic conversation, but he'll never be the same as other children. I only mention this because his parents have won a large sum of money in compensation from the Health Authority, and therefore there must be grounds for blame.

The other problem is that I believe strongly in vaccination! Without it people would still be dying of smallpox and measles, and we are seeing a resurgence in diseases like TB that was previously thought dead in this country. I am (I like to think) of fairly sound scientific mind and I think that vaccination is one of the most important medical discoveries *ever*.

Vaccination is essential not only for our children, but also to control the diseases for future generations. Sometimes we have to see the big picture. When measles is extinct worldwide, as smallpox is, then we can stop vaccinating. But until then we have to take that tiny risk to prevent a bigger one.

I think the only way to make a decision on this matter is this:

How many children would die or be permanently damaged this year alone if measles was as rampant as before vaccination?

Far more than are ever likely to become ill as a result of the vaccination itself. And the point to remember is that measles and other childhood diseases can and do kill. It's only because we have systematically protected the population this century that people have forgotten how dangerous these diseases really are.

I will have my baby vaccinated because I couldn't stand what could happen if I didn
9;t. Seeing the little boy next door makes it very difficult, but I take more risk with her life driving her around in the car every day than I would by doing this.
It's the only sensible choice.