SHARON Fentiman thought long and hard before agreeing her only child should receive the controversial mumps, measles and rubella vaccination.

But her concern turned to horror when she went ahead - only to find 14-month Michael had wrongly received a completely different jab meant for children more than twice his age.

Mrs Fentiman and husband Gary today warned other parents to double-check what jabs their children are given after Michael was mistakenly given a pre-school immunisation for diphtheria, tetanus pertussis (whooping cough) and polio instead of the MMR jab.

Mrs Fentiman, of Bramham Avenue, Chapelfields, York, said she was "in a state" after the mistake was revealed at her family doctors' practice, Front Street Surgery, Acomb. She later took Michael to hospital, concerned by his behaviour.

"He became really ratty, screaming and crying," said the 29-year-old mum, who was told by hospital staff that Michael's symptoms were a usual reaction to a vaccine.

"I was angry and upset," Mrs Fentiman told the Evening Press, adding that Michael now faced a return visit to the surgery for the MMR injection.

"I want to get it across to other parents to check with the doctors what they are giving their children and then to double-check," she said.

Dr Gordon Orr, from the Front Street Surgery, told the Evening Press: "We have taken this very seriously and it has been dealt with as a critical incident within this practice. A critical incident is any event that causes disruption or difficulties."

Practice manager Erica Rogers has also written a letter to the couple, formally extending the practice's apologies.

Updated: 11:07 Friday, October 08, 2004