[Risk of vaccination in children with epilepsy]

The central nervous system, previously considered as "immune privileged", does exhibit features of inflammation in response to injury, infection or disease. We do not know its reactions on immunization. We do not know how common febrile seizures after vaccination are and if there are subgroups of children at higher risk. What is the long term outcome for children who had afebrile seizure after vaccination? Can the vaccine be a direct cause of a condition called an epileptic encephalopathy, where seizures damage the brain with the resulting epilepsy?

It should not be forgotten that "benign infective childhood diseases" can, and do, kill, and that vaccines are a public health intervention saving many millions of lives around the world. Parents as well as doctors have fear: whether vaccinations can cause convulsions, epilepsy or encephalopathy. Large studies of this issue have produced conflicting results, although the recent consensus is that the risk of vaccine-induced epilepsy and or encephalopathy, if it exists at all, is extremely low. It is necessary to establish a proposed immunization program for children at neurologically high risk and for children with epilepsy to protect them and the whole population from infectious diseases, children from immunization adverse events, and avoid possibilities of legal trial. It is necessary to know everything about the risks and benefits of immunizations for each child. For each child, the risks of the disease, and its squeal, must be compared with the vaccine's protective efficacy and potential adverse reactions. Vaccination is given preference in nearly all children with epilepsy.