For many parents like myself the recent outbreaks of Measles has us worried. Today BabyE is nearly 6 months old and too young to be vaccinated for measles. My husband and I have decided to vaccinate our son according to the America Academy of Pediatrics timeline, give or take a week. For others in our family, vaccinations are being delayed or foregoing vaccinations all together. With an outbreak less than 30 minutes from my home at a daycare center, and a local community college, the topic of vaccinations has come up more than once at family gatherings.
With Measles in the news nearly everyday this week, with another case being reported in Chicago, the topic has come up more than once in our family gatherings, including our differences. I have worried about my son meeting his cousins because none of them have been vaccinated for polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, or Whooping Cough and influenza. As a proponent of vaccinations I am not averse of exposing my son to germs, we have experienced his first cold. A cold is a virus, regardless of how little attention it is given by people of the general public. The measles however is a virus but on a completely different level and contagion. Prior to 2000 when Measles was eradicated from the United States the vaccinations were a part of children’s regular check ups. Vaccinations are effective even though diseases have the ability to evolve, it is a living organism, but can save a life.
Measles as many know is a virus, spread through the air and lives up to 2 hours after an infected person breaths in a room, and lasts for hours on surfaces. Like a cold measles has similar properties, itchy throat, runny nose, and watery eyes to say the least, the obvious symptom is the RASH. A rash of red bumps all over a persons body, and white bumps inside the mouth. Some people have no reaction, and others have the rash to boot. For children under 1 year old the symptoms and side effects are much greater for contracting the disease with learning disabilities and encephalitis and in severe cases death.
On this issue I am tiny bit bias. Like many my family has difference, stating that the detriment to their children’s health is greater than receiving a vaccine that can have the opposite effect of helping them and having properties of defense for future contact. My opinion, the percentage of people who have had a bad reaction to these same vaccinations is less and less every year, through science we doctors and parents are able to identify allergens that your baby has diminishing these risks. After a scientific study that was debunked for having skewed results relating vaccination to autism, many parents lost their platform for withholding vaccinations. Likewise with my extended family, they could no longer use this data. But how do we proceed with our differences ?
I will continue to vaccinate my son and my family members will still refuse to vaccinate their children. Will the risk of exposing my son to whopping cough or measles be ok if he is exposed to something he cannot combat himself. No, the risk is not worth it. Understand each others differences but do not compromise your child’s well being and safety. You would not set your baby down to play with a 1 year old who has the flu, why would you set your baby down with a one year old with measles?
My extended family has give us some flax for keeping my son away while members are sick with colds and flus. Our response has always been the same, we are exposing him to germs just not every germ. In my opinion make your boundaries clear, and stick to them. Regardless of which side of aisle they fall on whether it is religious, personal choice, or medical.
The fallout – Kindercare has decided to update their criteria for caregivers to have MMR vaccinations. Elgin Community College has offered free vaccinations to its student as well as a complete decontamination of the affected areas. The difference between these two areas is one place had children who were not vaccinated or were too young to be, so the disease was able spread without censure. The other an area where adults knowingly could be vaccinated for MMR and had the immunities to combat it. For my son and I, we are staying away from sick people for our own health. I have the possibility of having a shingles relapse, and he because he is too young to be treated for anything other than the common cold and what his current vaccinations are for.
Endnote: This entire blog post is from knowledge I have gained from research. I have not cited resources because I have written this quickly. If someone is looking for accredited sources you can on websites on the internet, or asking your healthcare provider for information.
thatsnotmyboob 