Parents should know that the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-660) created a federal vaccine injury compensation program which provides compensation for children who were injured or died following DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus), MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) or polio vaccinations. The program has awarded more than $56 million for vaccine injuries and death.

But parents whose children were injured or died from a vaccination given before Oct. 1, 1988, only have until Oct. 1, 1990, to file a claim with the U.S. Claims Court in Washington, D.C. After that deadline, a lawsuit will be the only alternative for seeking compensation. For more information, call the National Vaccine Information Center, (703) 938-DPT3.

The center is appealing to Congress and President Bush to extend the deadline period. We should contact Sens. George Mitchell and William Cohen and urge them to support legislation which will allow more parents to obtain financial support for children adversely affected by vaccines which keep so many of us safe from disease. Sue Leteure Alton