Parents Raise Fears Over Children’s Development After Vaccines

Where he once sang “Halleluyah” and engaged with his family, he now finds solace in rhythmic, repetitive motions staring fixedly at the rotating blades of a ceiling fan, turning his body in a 360-degree dance that mirrors the machine above.

For his mother, Mrs. Iraboh (not her real name), the change was not gradual; it was a sudden “after” to a very specific “before.” She remains convinced that the turning point was her son’s Measles 2 vaccination.

“He was okay, until I collected the vaccine,” she claimed, recounting how her once-vibrant son stopped responding to his name and lost his vocabulary shortly after the milestone shot.

A Growing Chorus of Concern

Mrs. Iraboh’s story is not an isolated one. Across Nigeria, a growing number of parents are sharing similar accounts of “developmental regression” , a phenomenon where a child appears to lose previously acquired skills.

On social media platforms like TikTok, parents like Lisa Benjamin have become vocal advocates for awareness. Benjamin, who documents her journey as “Lisa Motherhood & Lifestyle,” noticed her daughter began tiptoeing, stimming, and losing social interest after her first birthday.

“My daughter used to respond to her name,” Benjamin shared. “What if these kids react differently to these vaccines? What if for some children it’s going to affect them and for others it doesn’t?”

The comment sections of such posts have become digital support groups. One user, @Oritoke, described how her son was repeating words at eight months, only to fall ill and regress after his Measles 2 immunization. Another parent, @Ugonma, described her niece becoming non-verbal and hyperactive, leading the family to seek out “heavy metal detoxing” treatments involving Epsom salt baths, a practice born out of desperation and online research rather than clinical prescription.

 Tragedy in Lagos

While developmental concerns weigh heavily on some, other families are mourning more permanent losses. In late 2025, 30-year-old Samuel Alozie accused a primary healthcare center in the Ojo local government area of Lagos State of negligence following the death of his nine-month-old twin boys, Testimony and Timothy.

Alozie reported that the twins became lethargic and feverish immediately after their routine immunizations on December 24. By the morning of Christmas Day, both children had passed away.

“The drug weakened two of them to the extent they couldn’t talk, they couldn’t eat, they couldn’t play,” Alozie said, alleging the vaccines may have been expired or inappropriate.

The Lagos State Primary Health Care Board has since launched an investigation. Permanent Secretary Ibrahim Mustafa confirmed the vaccinations took place but maintained there is currently no evidence linking the shots to the tragedy. Post-mortem and toxicology tests are pending to determine the official cause of death.

The Medical Perspective: Safety and Screen Time

Despite these harrowing parental accounts, the medical community stands firm on the safety and necessity of immunization. Dr. Adekunle Saheed Adediran, a Consultant Pediatrician at the Federal Medical Centre Abeokuta, emphasizes that in over thirty years of practice, he has found no link between vaccines and autism or speech delays.

“Immunization prevents death and disabilities like blindness, deafness, and paralysis,” Dr. Adediran stated. He pointed to World Health Organization (WHO) data suggesting that global immunization efforts have saved 154 million lives over the last 50 years, roughly six lives every minute.

When asked why parents might see a “regression” around the time of vaccination, Dr. Adediran suggested looking at other environmental factors. He noted that the age at which many vaccines are administered coincides with the age when developmental disorders like autism typically become symptomatic.

He also highlighted two modern culprits: nutrition and technology.

* Nutritional Deficits: Shortages in calories and nutrients can stall mental development.
* Screen Exposure: Dr. Adediran warned that “excessive screen exposure” in toddlers is strongly linked to delayed speech, as children require real-life human interaction to develop language.

 A Plea for Support

For mothers like Lisa Benjamin, the debate over “why” is less important than the “now.” Navigating a world that isn’t built for neurodivergent children is exhausting and expensive.

“The most challenging part has been not always being able to fully understand my daughter… which sometimes leads to meltdowns born out of frustration,” Benjamin said.

Parents are now calling on the Nigerian government to provide more affordable early intervention services, speech therapy, and inclusive school environments. They argue that regardless of the cause, the focus must shift toward empathy and support for families dealing with special needs.

As the medical community works to maintain vaccine confidence in a climate of fear, the families in the middle are left searching for answers, clinging to the hope that their children’s voices will one day return.