Welcome to AccessAtlanta!

Vaccines considered capable of producing injury or abnormal conditions such as seizures include DPT (D= diphtheria, P= pertussis or whooping cough, T= tetanus), MMR (M - measles, M - mumps, R - rubella), and the ORAL Polio vaccine (not the inactivated Polio vaccine given as an injection). The Department of Health and Human Service has found that whole cell (DPT) pertussis containing vaccines have a causal relationship with the following conditions:

anaphylaxis (life-threatening breathing difficulties)

acute encephalopathy (encephalitis)

shock

unusual shock-like states

The Department of Health and Human Services also has determined that vaccines containing pertussis do NOT have a causal relationship with:

Sudden Infant Death (SIDS)
afebrile seizures
infantile spasms
hypsarrhythmia (a characteristic EEG pattern)
autism
attention deficit disorders
learning disabilities
Reye's syndrome
epilepsy
Guillain-Barre
juvenile diabetes

The acellular Pertussis vaccine (DTaP) is now being used to replace the whole-cell Pertussis vaccine used in DTP. DTaP has been shown to decrease the occurence of serious adverse events.

As the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act presently stands, the criteria for vaccine-related injuries are:

DPT

anaphylactic shock occurring within 24 hours
encephalitis occurring by the end of the 3rd day
residual seizure disorder with the first seizure occurring by the end of the 3rd day
shock-like state, hypotonia (decreased tone), decreased responsiveness by the end of the 3rd day

MMR

anaphylactic shock - Children with anaphylactic reaction to egg ingestion should have an allergy consult before considering vaccination with MMR
encephalitis occurring within 15 days of immunization

Polio vaccine (live)