‘Vaccine left Jenna totally different’

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http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/vaccine-left-jenna-totally-different-191212.html

‘Vaccine left Jenna totally different’

By O’Sullivan

Friday, April 20, 2012

Jenna Haide is a "totally different child" since she received the swine flu vaccine two years ago.

When she first started junior infants last September, she was prone to falling asleep at her desk twice or three times a day — and her school day is less than four hours long. She has become "much more contrary" according to her dad, Mark, and so deep is her sleep that she can wake up with hallucinations two or three times a night.The now five-year old, who lives in Clonmore South, near Cahir, Co Tipperary, also suffers from the added complication of cataplexy, which in Jenna’s case manifests as her tongue hanging out and eyes drooping. According to a report published by the Department of Health, Jenna is one of 28 Irish children and adolescents who developed narcolepsy following vaccination with the Pandemrix jab from 2009 onwards. This number could be even greater as not all cases have been confirmed. The study, completed by Darina Flanagan of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, found that youngsters who received Pandemrix were at a 13-fold increased risk of developing the sleeping disorder than youngsters who weren’t vaccinated. The Irish research bears many similarities to studies in Sweden and Finland. Narcolepsy is a malfunction of the sleep/wake regulating system in the brain. Its most common manifestation is excessive daytime sleepiness and sleep attacks. Speaking after the report was published, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said health authorities were responding to the educational and health needs of the children and their families. Proposals will be brought to Cabinet shortly to further provide for their needs. Last night, Jenna’s father, Mark said it was "a relief to finally hear official confirmation of what we always knew". Jenna was officially diagnosed with narcolepsy before Christmas and now takes Ritalin so she can stay awake during school. "It had to come out that the vaccine was responsible. Sweden and Finland had already come clean on this. Ritalin has made a difference to our daughter in school but my big fear is that she won’t reach her full potential in life as she developed this so young. "I know other children have done great Leaving Certs with narcolepsy but they were only diagnosed in their teens. She will carry this through her life." The department’s report says it is unlikely the vaccine alone would be sufficient to explain the sudden rise in narcolepsy among young people. Internationally, it’s agreed that a number of factors are likely to have contributed to the increased narcolepsy risk, including a genetic pre-disposition which is more common in northern Europe. Reilly, the health minister, yesterday said the report "is a start in understanding the association between the vaccine and narcolepsy". "However, our main focus is on the people affected and their families. We are working to put in place assessment and supports that help the cope with this condition." Sinn Féin spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin has called for an investigation into the indemnity deal between the last government and the multinational manufacturer of the flu vaccine, GlaxoKline. This deal, which other governments also offered, was signed as part of an advance-purchase agreement between GSK and the HSE. It means any legal actions alleging a link between narcolepsy and Pandemrix will be lodged against the State.

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Friday, April 20, 2012Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/vaccine-left-jenna-totally-different-191212.html#ixzz1sfcJn2Jv



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