Via CBC News: B.C. family furious teen vaccinated without parental consent - British Columbia. Excerpt:
A B.C. couple are furious after public health nurses vaccinated their teenage daughter at school without parental consent.
Dean Bootsma said his 14-year-old daughter was pulled out of her Grade 9 class and inoculated against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) without checking her medical history, calling him or his wife, or having them sign a consent form.
"The fact that they did this without our knowledge or consent sickens me, sickens me. I've never felt so violated," said Bootsma.
Bootsma said he and his wife are not against vaccines in general, but have chosen not to vaccinate their children out of worry they may be predisposed to an adverse reaction. The couple say their first daughter developed a high fever hours after being inoculated.
"She was a fine bouncy little baby and then she, after receiving the shot ... within 12 hours, [she] couldn't lift her head up, she started fevering,” said Bootsma.
That daughter died 10 years ago after a lengthy battle with cerebral dysgenesis — a malformation of the brain.
Bootsma said doctors denied the vaccine had anything to do with the disease. They told the family it may have been a pre-existing condition, but Bootsma said it is not worth the risk for his children to have the vaccine.
