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Search forMMR inquest: First evidence heard
Tuesday, December 02, 2008, 14:24
George Fisher, aged 18 months, was discovered dead in his cot in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire by his mother Sarah Fisher just hours after he was heard “chatting away on the baby monitor”, a coroner was told.
Mrs Fisher, 44, and husband Christopher, 43, believe the vaccine is “implicated” in their son’s death in January 2006 as the temperature-raising effects of the drug on children who have suffered febrile convulsions were not explained to them – knowledge they say might have allowed them to act sooner.
Department of Health guidelines say the jab should be given “with caution” but does not ban child sufferers of febrile convulsions from taking it and recommends temperature monitoring.
Two doctors confirmed that giving MMR to sufferers like George, who contracted the fever four months earlier, was permitted under patient guidelines with careful watches recommended.
The coroner heard George was born at a healthy 8lbs 10oz, and came through his routine injection with no side effects.
His GP Dr Annette Bugaighis confirmed that George fell ill on September 25 2005 after returning from a holiday in Spain and developed a high temperature.
After suffering a fit at the Overton Park surgery he was rushed to hospital where it was found he had suffered febrile convulsion – a fit caused by a fever.
Dr Bugaighis said: “There was nothing obvious in his medical history to explain his sudden death.”
A Department of Health pamphlet advises only that MMR2 should be given “with caution” to those who “with an individual or family history of cerebral injury or any other condition in which stress due to fever should be avoided. The physician should be alert to the rise in temperature that may follow”.
George was admitted to hospital from the surgery with high temperature, stiff neck, crying and puffy eyes, and green-tinged stools.
Both Dr Bugagis and consultant paediatrician, Alan Day, of Cheltenham General Hospital, agreed that George was safe to be given the vaccine on January 9 2006 - adding that he should be monitored for the warned raised temperature.
Dr Day said his advice to parents whose child had suffered a febrile convulsion before being given the vaccine would be to take paracetamol and “purchase a good thermometer”.
Gloucestershire Coroner Alan Crickmore will hear up to three days of evidence at the Shire Hall, Gloucester, before recording a verdict.
