Chicken Pox

[ZenCat]

This may be off topic, but what are the communities feelings about the people who refuse to vaccinate their children against anything?

Mixed. Very mixed, in fact. For those who refuse all vaccines... somewhat frustrated but still empathetic.

For those who have been forced to adhere to vaccination policies commonly employed by most pediatricians (including non-core vaccines for diseases which are not endemic to the area) which means giving them in BULK to VERY young children... equally frustrated.

I would like to see vaccines given individually with longer "rest times" in between, and greater education given to parents regarding what to look for as far as adverse reactions and possible side effects go. I am reasonably certain my son had reactions to two of his childhood vaccines, and I was given no information verbally, nor was I given any literature to read, and my concerns (called in) about possible side effects were brushed off.

Though perhaps we were just unlucky, I am inclined to think otherwise, especially in view of growing research into the link between childhood vaccinations and autism.

 

[MyPetZombie]

On topic, I had chicken pox when I was about 9. I developed a high fever, and was delirious for a while. I distinctly remember tiny giraffes and elephants running all over my body, and sleeping on coat hangers. I remember waking up and being surprised the coat hangers weren't underneath me. I was incredibly uncomfortable. My cousin caught them when he was 6, developed a fever of 106, was rushed to the hospital, and though he survived, all his hair fell out. And never grew back.

Off topic, while I support vaccines, I can understand a parent's concern about immunizing their children, particularly with the autism issue. However, there are a few factors that seem to be involved in that. The first is that the vaccine has to have mercury (thimoserol) as a preservative, and there also has to be a genetic predilection towards autism; for instance the father having ADD or ADHD. As a further footnote, vaccines no longer can have thimoserol put into vaccines for children. The CDC banned its use in 2001.

I question thimoserol's culpability in this largely because there are so many more children being diagnosed with Autism than thimoserol in vaccines can justify. I believe that science will soon discover that Autism is actually an autoimmune condition, and can be treated in part by zinc and the elimination of copper in the diet.

 

[alcyone]

Actually I think the overdiagnosis of autism has more to do with health insurance and government sponsored fiancial support programs than an actual dramatic increase of autism in the population. Or for the ties of autism to mercury in the vaccines.

An Autism diagnosis is covered under most insurance plans, therefore in order for kids to get treated ,and for doctors to get paid....I think there is a great deal of misdiagnosis.

I wholeheartedly believe that all children should be vaccinated. Parents who rely on the 'herd immunization' of the rest of society are relying on that to keep their children safe from the diseases the vaccines are protective against. Not only that, with the ability of diseases to mutate and evolve, each of these parents in to some degree putting the rest of us as risk. With the increases of cases of small pox, measles, polio etc...Any of those diseases could mutate into a vaccine-resistant strain and then all of us are in trouble.

While I realize that there are some children who will have reactions, I think that those families need to be taken on a case by case basis, and some other method of vaccination be discovered.

Zen~ I absolutely cannot believe that your doctors would be so completely irresponsible! My middle son had an odd reaction to one of his sets of shots (his leg swelled up like a sausage) and I called to ask about it and they told me to get in right away! Nothing turned up wrong except of a worse than normal reaction but still! People complain about the amount of lawsuits brought up against Doctors....No wonder why so many are brought up when I hear about stuff like this!

 

[ZenCat]

I'm so grateful to both of you for updating me on the autism issue. I have not looked into it for about 10 years and clearly there have been major developments since I was looking into it.

Overall, I agree. Children need to be vaccinated. But I'm still very pissed off about things like - for instance - the Lyme Disease vaccine, which was also pushed hard at all of us (we lived in Lyme Central back in Connecticut), including my infant son... only to have it taken off the market when so many were sickened after receiving it.

Here's the latest one that is making me very nervous, particularly the beginning age for this vaccine:

GARDASIL is the only cervical cancer vaccine that helps protect against 4 types of human papillomavirus (HPV): 2 types that cause 70% of cervical cancer cases, and 2 more types that cause 90% of genital warts cases. GARDASIL is for girls and young women ages 9 to 26.

Which appears to have some pretty severe side effects: http://www.nvic.org/Diseases/HPV/HPVrpt.htm

And yet...

February 3, 2007

Executive Order: Gardasil Mandatory in Texas

Texas Governor Rick Perry has issued an executive order making Merck's cervical cancer vaccine, Gardasil, mandatory for all girls entering the 6th grade beginning in September 2008.


http://cervicalcancer.healthdiaries.com/executive-order-gardasil-mandatory-in-texas.html

See, now that REALLY bothers me.

 

[alcyone]

My beef with the Gardasil vaccine is that it only protects against 4 strains of HPV that are known to contribute to cervical cancer. 4! They are mandating something that isn't even all inclusive since there are (i think exact number escapes me right now) over 90 strains of HPV. And more than 4 that can cause cancer.

Not only that, with that Texas mandate....maybe someone should look into whether or not some company has made significant contributions to someone elses political party....Hmmmm....I wouldn't put it past an administration to do something like that.

 

[ZenCat]

I just realized that I hadn't pasted the whole story in my other post:

February 3, 2007

Executive Order: Gardasil Mandatory in Texas

Texas Governor Rick Perry has issued an executive order making Merck's cervical cancer vaccine, Gardasil, mandatory for all girls entering the 6th grade beginning in September 2008.


Perry bypassed the Texas state Legislature and ignored vocal opposition by parents throughout the state.



The AP is reporting that Perry has deep ties with Merck:

Perry has several ties to Merck and Women in Government. One of the drug company's three lobbyists in Texas is Mike Toomey, his former chief of staff. His current chief of staff's mother-in-law, Texas Republican state Rep. Dianne White Delisi, is a state director for Women in Government ... Perry also received $6,000 from Merck's political action committee during his re-election campaign.​

Bravo to the AP for putting Gov. Perry's Merck ties out there. It is completely unethical that somebody with ties to a drug company would make an executive order that all girls should receive that company's vaccine. Why not let the bill go through the Legislature? What's the rush?
This kind of thing should be illegal in the United States. When it comes to our health, no government official should have the right to make an "executive order" that favors a corporation over the people.


http://cervicalcancer.healthdiaries.com/executive-order-gardasil-mandatory-in-texas.html

 

[alcyone]

Can I call it or what!

Dayam! I am good!

 

[ZenCat]

Yes, you are. And after Merck's previous Vioxx fiasco... well, it's hard to trust

And don't get me started on all the flowery prescription drug commercials on TV! Our flat screen is lucky to have survived all my projectile shoes.

 

[alcyone]

Nerf darts are a lot safer on television screens darlin. A lot safer!

 

[ZenCat]

O Wise and Venerable Alcyone, With Your Safer Nerf Alternatives...

I bow down before thy resourcefulness... :hail:

 

[alcyone]

LOL!

I use mine primarily during football games....

I especially love the suction darts.....Extra points for getting one on an eye or mouth.

 

[Soulful]

LOL!!

On the topic of vaccines, I feel safe with the basic number that have been around for a long time. But vaccines like the one for chicken pox - why not let children develop natural immunity? Isn't that much safer? And gardasil? I'm concerned about it, to be honest. Especially that it is so new and we have huge numbers of teenage girls being vaccinated. It's also mandatory (or very highly recommended) in Canada where I live - and probably in at least some of the other provinces as well (and I think they run school immunization clinics free of charge for these girls. That bothers me. If I was a parent, I think I would file for exemption for my child.

I read somewhere the idea that perhaps these individual vaccines are safe - but has research (valid research - but that's another subject!!) - has valid research been conducted to test the effect of the combination of all these vaccinations? Because in isolation, they may be one thing. But if somehow they affect each other... I don't know. Maybe they have tested this.. I certainly hope.