Facts, not Fantasy

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Who wants Smallpox Back?

Anyone manage to recall that smallpox has been declared "eradicated" in the world?  Is this such a bad thing?  I still have a smallpox scar since I was born in Sweden shortly after the smalpox scare in Stockholm.  Again, I think too many people have forgotten what life was like before vaccines.  That is to say, these diseases killed and disfigured millions, and we still had autism (they just called those people "difficult", retarded, anti-social, etc.)...

I take it you'd like to keep this disease eradicated, and possibly get rid of a few more? The advocate the responsible and reality based approach of real medicine which includes vaccines.

Friday, September 16, 2011

NBC Today: Doctors will refuse to see unvaccinated?

Some doctors are taking a stand.  While viscerally I agree with this policy, keep in mind that there are some people who just can't get vaccines for health reasons (which is why everyone else should ensure herd immunity, a fact that escapes the pro-disease nutters).  I hope that instead of taking a black and white approach, there is some common sense applied to this policy.


Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Harpocrates Speaks: A Parent's Story of Vaccine Reaction

I am only going to provide the link to this story and urge you to read the entire post as well as the comments!  I also speak as a parent that has a child diagnosed on the autism spectrum, but still had her vaccinated as per the schedule.  Thankfully, she had no reactions!

A Parent's Story of Vaccine Reaction

Please share more of your stories with Todd W. if you would. Thank you.

Monday, September 12, 2011

7.1 Percent Of Marin Parents Refuse To Inoculate Their Children

This will not turn out well for these residents in the long run.  Purell(R) has no effect on measles and pretty much all the rest of the diseases that vaccines actually provide real protection against.
When a Larkspur woman’s healthy two-year-old heads off to pre-school she’ll do so without any vaccinations, a decision that has been viewed as controversial by many parents and health officials.

“I decided that I did not want to vaccinate her,” Sondra Kleghorn said. “I believe that vaccinations can cause more harm than good.”

Kleghorn said she doesn't talk about her decision with many people because like religion and politics, it's personal and controversial.

Kleghorn is just one of many Marin residents who have said no to vaccines for their children.

According to the Marin County Health Department, two percent of parents in California opted out of having their children vaccinated.
READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE HERE!

It's sad to see this sort of ignorance endanger someone who is too young to defend themselves from the bad decisions of an adult that is frankly just plain wrong.  And because so many adults use Purell(R) incorrectly, in the end it will probably do more harm than good for their families...  The misguided in-expert opinions of the masses are not a rational approach to issues like these...

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Chicken Pox? Not a threat, right?

So I'm sure many of you have heard of those "Catch the Pox" parties, or even attended them in your younger days.  Of course,science has made advances.  Things change.  People don't need to go to these parties and catch the disease.  And this young lady could probably tell you that she would much rather have her hand back!

The National Institute of Health lists these possible complications:
  • Newborns are at risk for severe infection, if they are exposed and their mothers are not immune.
  • Women who get chickenpox during pregnancy are at risk for congenital infection of the fetus.
  • A secondary infection of the blisters may occur.
  • Encephalitis is a serious, but rare complication.
  • Reye's syndrome, pneumonia, myocarditis, and transient arthritis are other possible complications of chickenpox.
  • Cerebellar ataxia may appear during the recovery phase or later. This is characterized by a very unsteady walk.
Just keep this list in mind. Again, we so readily forget what things were like 50-60 years ago when people actually worried about these diseases, and you were reminded of the terrible penalties in schools, at the shopping centers, etc.  I would much rather have these things be memories and historical documents, but the anti-vax pro-disease nutters seem to want to bring these things back in actuality.  I wonder if they own stock in the manufacture of iron lungs, crutches, and the like?

Friday, September 09, 2011

Measles in Minnesota

The Health Department in Minnesota is busy it seems.  They recently reported:
Three cases of measles in Minnesota have been confirmed during the month of August. The first case was an unvaccinated 12-month-old who acquired infection in Kenya. The second case was an unvaccinated 15-month-old who was exposed to the first case. Both cases were unvaccinated. A third case was confirmed on August 25 in a 43-year-old adult female with unknown vaccination history who was exposed to the first case in a health care setting. The third case was identified through public health follow-up of exposed persons. All three cases are residents of Dakota County. These cases are not related to the recent outbreak in Hennepin County.
So of course, now I am wondering about what is going on in Hennepin County.
Outbreak included 20 cases of measles linked to an individual who acquired infection in Kenya. 
And just in case anyone thinks that Measles is a nuisance disease, here is a list of complications that come along with it (oh how soon we forget!):
Complications with measles are relatively common, ranging from relatively mild and less serious diarrhea, to pneumonia, Otitis media and acute encephalitis (and rarely subacute sclerosing panencephalitis); corneal ulceration leading to corneal scarring. Complications are usually more severe in adults who catch the virus. While the vast majority of patients survive measles, complications occur fairly frequently, and may include bronchitis, and panencephalitis which is potentially fatal.

Mortality in developed countries is ~1/1000. In sub-Saharan Africa, mortality is ~10%. In cases with complications, the rate may rise to 20–30%. On average, ~450 children die every day from measles.