From: "Lyle Thompson" <lylethompson@sprint.ca>
Dear Dr. J. Thomas Megerian,
My name is Krista Thompson and I am the mother of a child damaged by the DPT
vaccine at 2 months of age and I am a litigation lawyer, non practising at
the moment, with 6 years of legal research and writing background. I have
read your recent letter to Ms. Winkler and feel that I have some information
to share that you need to hear.
I do not propose to argue all of the points in your letter. I will
highlight a few and start by sharing my daughter, Kaisha's story.
We adopted Kaisha at birth. She was pronounced healthy, but had minor
tremours in her legs. At 10 days old our family doctor saw Kaisha for the
first time and suggested we get a paediatric consult regarding the tremours
and the prolonged crying spells (which the family doctor suspected were
'colic' type spells). She stated that we may need to see a neurologist, but
would start with the paediatrician. The paediatrician suspected the birth
mother may have used drugs (unconfirmed) or drugs used during labour could
have been inducing the tremours and crying. He suggested we wait and see
what happened. At 7 weeks the tremours and crying had virtually disappeared
and the paediatrician recommended vaccination.
Unfortunately, we as parents did not do our own research or even read the
package insert where we would have learned that a child with a possible
developing neurological disorder, and a child under 10 pounds, as Kaisha
was, should not receive this shot. We were told the only possible reaction
would be fever and redness at the site. Immediately upon receiving the
shot, Kaisha emitted a high pitched scream, a scream we had never heard
before, that lasted 13 1/2 hours (the nurse tried to comfort her and never
mentioned the words 'vaccine reaction' although 3 years later we finally
were told that an adverse event report was filed with Health Canada) before
Kaisha sunk into a deep 8 hour sleep. She had never slept more than 2 hours
consecutively before this. Also, immediately upon receiving the shot,
Kaisha's legs began shaking with much more violent tremours than she had
ever exhibited.
The next months were nightmarish. The screaming episodes, beginning with
the shot, lasted each day, in 2-4 hour intervals, a total of 16-18 hours per
day. The third day after the vaccine, Kaisha exhibited diarrhea. This
became chronic and was not fully resolved until 2 1/2 years later with the
assistance of a naturopath.
Our many trips to the paediatrician and Children's Hospital following the
vaccine were fruitless and frustrating...no one knew what was wrong and no
one wanted to even discuss the possibility of vaccine damage. At 4 months
of age, when the screaming was getting worse by the day, we were referred to
a paediatric neurologist. After much testing and finding swelling on the
brain, she suggested phenabarb (a sedative) be administered round the clock
and that we may have to institutionalize our daughter in the future. We
were told she may be deaf, may have cerebral palsy, may never walk, may need
all kinds of rehabilitative and special education services, etc.
By this time I had researched the issue of vaccine reactions to the DPT shot
and read the package insert to the neurologist. The neurologist claimed our
daughter was predisposed to a neurological condition and would have
deteriorated anyway. I countered that if that was the case, the vaccine was
contraindicated....you are admitting that she should never have received it.
The neurologist looked away. We left the neurologist after 2 visits and
never filled the prescriptions and never returned.
Thank God we did not give up on our daughter. We found a homeopath who had
worked as an MD in France where he had encountered vaccine damaged children.
He assured us he could help and help he did. After many months the
screaming episodes gradually lessened and after spending 8 months in the
sling on me, not rolling, sitting...she was able to scoot about and walked
at 10 months. When I brought Kaisha to the neurologist, not for an
appointment, but just to show her walking, the neurologist stated that she
still may never 'learn' properly. Kaisha spoke 25 words at 12 months and
spoke in sentences at 18 months.
We did not sue any of the doctors involved for many reasons. First, knowing
the process and the necessity to have qualified expert witnesses willing to
support us, the task seemed pointless. Second, we needed every ounce of
energy we had to carry our usually screaming child through the day, through
the night each and every day and night.
Now, to your letter. You state that you have seen outbreaks at school of
pertussis and "all because a few individuals took it upon themselves to make
an uninformed decision not to vaccinate", little infants contracted the
disease. Are you not familiar with the documented occurance of pertussis
outbreaks in fully and almost (95%) fully vaccinated populations? Are you
not familiar with the known failure rate of each and every vaccine type? It
follows that if the particular vaccine is only 85% effective, the outbreak
could be from one or more of the 15% of vaccinated children for whom the
vaccine was not effective in establishing immunity. Apparently this was the
case where a fully vaccinated population suffered an outbreak of the disease
vaccinated against. Regarding the "uninformed decision not to vaccinate",
I
hardly call a parent who has read the vaccine package insert, recognized a
contraindication in their child and either decided themselves not to
vaccinate or received medical counsel to that effect, as uninformed. (not to
mention the extensive research many of us have conducted on this issue)
You also state that, "if your children go to any public places, they are
putting others at risk". Your comment fails to consider the known failure
rate of vaccines, without which there would be no danger from unvaccinated
children, and, in and of itself, results in vaccinated children sometimes
being a risk to other vaccinated and non vaccinated children. Am I to
assume from this comment and others in the same paragraph that you advocate
that all children, even those the vaccine manufacturers, CDC, LCDC (Canada)
and Medical Associations identify as being more at risk for vaccine
reactions (pre existing developing neurological disease, history of
allergies, history of siezure disorders, etc.) should be vaccinated for the
public good? I cannot put into words how unspeakably unethical that is.
You suggest that Ms. Winkler "read some history about the causes of death,
ages of death, infant mortality, occurring over the last 500 years". I
have. Clean water, sanitation, better nutrition, living conditions and the
natural rise and fall of infectious diseases accounts for much of the
improvement in child mortality figures that you elude to. The trends are
clear and well documented. I could list some for you, but that is not the
purpose of this letter. I am not seeking to argue but to offer another
perspective and encourage you, in a position of power and influence over
your patients, to take another look.
Finally, you allege that, "your group advocates for your own children. I
advocate for my children and for all children in society." Yes, I
personally advocate for my child as no one else will. Had I not, she would
be in an institution, drugged, today. But the group I hold membership in,
Vaccine Risk Awareness Network (Canada) advocates for all children that
they and their parents have full disclosure and give infomed consent
regarding the administration of all pharmaceuticals (including vaccines); in
particular, that they be advised of known risk groups among children and the
fact that not all children at risk of a vaccine reaction can be identified
at this time.
I trust that these points will speak to you of the neccessity to consider
individual children when you as a doctor seek to advocate for "all children
in society", and of the importance of recognizing that vaccines are drugs,
that vaccine administration is a medical procedure and that anything short
of informed consent is battery.
Sincerely,
Krista Thompson
Alberta, Canada