Two shots prove to be better than one for mumps, measles, rubella and chicken pox.
According to a new study in the Pediatrics journal, children who get a combination of the mumps, measles, rubella and chicken pox vaccines all in one shot are at an increased risk of getting a fever-related seizure as compared to children to who get two separate shots of the vaccines, one vaccinating them from measles, mumps and rubella, the other from chicken pox.
"The risk of a febrile seizure after any measles-containing vaccine is low – about one febrile seizure in 1,000 doses" lead study author, Dr. Nicola Klein, co-director of Kaiser Permanente's Vaccine Study Center, told CNN. "But if a child gets the combination vaccine, the risk doubles.”
Researchers took data from more than 459,000 toddlers vaccinated between the ages of 12 and 23 months. They found that there was one additional case of febrile seizure for every 2,300 doses of the all-in-one vaccine given. The seizures typically occurred between seven to 10 days post-injection.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a febrile seizure is a fever-related seizure that can happen when a child has a fever that is at or above 102 degrees Fahrenheit. It can also happen when a high fever is going down.
These seizures are benign and do not lead to long-term seizures or epilepsy, Klein told CNN. Klein said febrile seizures do not cause brain or nervous system damage, paralysis, mental retardation or death.
Febrile seizures are most common in toddlers between 12 to 18 months, but can occur in children ages 6 months to 5 years.
What's being said about the recent study:
»BusinessWeek: Combo Vaccine Raises Risk of Fever-Related Seizures in Kids
»Wall Street Journal: Giving MMR, Chicken Pox Vaccines Separately Cuts (Already Slight) Seizure Risk
»LA Times: 2 shots may be better than one for measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox