New evidence has confirmed what observation has shown for years - that the MMR vaccine significantly raises the risk of febrile seizures. The DTP vaccine was also shown to increase this risk.
A review of nearly 680,000 children found that the risk of having a seizure on the day of DTP vaccination was five times that of those not vaccinated. The MMR jab was associated with a nearly threefold increased risk of febrile seizures 8-14 days after vaccination. This translates to 6-9 per 100,000 with the DTP and to 25-34 per 100,000 with the MMR.
Although the seizures resolved fairly quickly and without long-term neurodevelopmental disabilities or subsequent seizures, this large-scale review represents the first official recognition of the link between seizures and vaccination (N Engl J Med, 2001; 345: 656-61).