Chloe Holmes lost most of her fingers as a toddler due to septicemia caused by chicken pox - she has now been fitted with a bionic hand:
contrast that with this: FB Group "Find a Pox Party in your area"
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Measles: big deal
I am still working on the reference for a couple of longer blog posts, but since measles cases in the US have crossed the 150 mark, more than in almost two decades, I thought I'd post a quick reminder that "death isn't everything" (hat tip to Bad Astronomy)
Constrast her account with this - a call for a measles party!
Constrast her account with this - a call for a measles party!
Monday, June 13, 2011
The effects of anti-vaccine lobbying
Worth watching from beginning to the end. In particular, listen to Viera Scheibner, the "Grande Dame" of anti-vaccine activists - children are staying unprotected and are dying because of that kind of "expertise"! It is mind boggling. Watch - this is the anti-vaccine lobby rolling out their "best":
personal footnote: my 30 year old niece, healthy, top fit, half marathon runner, has been coughing for 102 days from whooping cough (and counting) now. This is not a harmless disease and it has the nickname "100 Tage Husten" (100 days cough) for a reason.
personal footnote: my 30 year old niece, healthy, top fit, half marathon runner, has been coughing for 102 days from whooping cough (and counting) now. This is not a harmless disease and it has the nickname "100 Tage Husten" (100 days cough) for a reason.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
oh look - vaccines resurrected on Ask Dr. Sears site
at least somewhat - as promised by Matt Sears to Seth Mnookin, "Vaccines" are back on the Ask Dr. Sears website:
The content is still a bit disappointing, cannot say the info is "updated". It consists of links to old "The Vaccine Book" (dead link) blog posts, mostly sans comments (big shame, since there were some beautiful ones in there by SM and me). This is not really suitable as an info site (yet) especially since posts don't have date stamps or corrections (no, the return of single measles, mumps and rubella vaccines is not planned for 2011, at least not according to Merck). The "purchase the vaccine book" link works (not surprisingly). I would advise against it.
The content is still a bit disappointing, cannot say the info is "updated". It consists of links to old "The Vaccine Book" (dead link) blog posts, mostly sans comments (big shame, since there were some beautiful ones in there by SM and me). This is not really suitable as an info site (yet) especially since posts don't have date stamps or corrections (no, the return of single measles, mumps and rubella vaccines is not planned for 2011, at least not according to Merck). The "purchase the vaccine book" link works (not surprisingly). I would advise against it.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Keeping Track of Your Child's Vaccinations
One of the topics that come up often on the boards is shoddy book-keeping of the doctor's office, posts like
"My child is two years old and I am sure we had done all first year vaccines, but now we got called back for XYZ shots"
"I got a letter from the State saying that my child is not up to date, but s/he is"
"my child got his/her 4th DTaP at 12 rather than at 15 months and now we have to go back for a 5th, because the 4th doesn't count" *
"my child got his/her MMR too early and now it doesn't count" *
All of these are real life examples (2 from Dr. Bob's old board, 1 from Babycenter) and they illustrate one thing very clearly:
You have to keep a record of the vaccines your child get!
Now in an ideal world, your pediatrician hands you a vaccination schedule on your first well visit, including all info on the first vaccines, so you can read up ahead of time. S/he'll discuss with you whether you have any questions before the first shots and each time your baby is vaccinated, the little sticker on the vaccine vial that has vaccine name and lot number goes into a booklet like this:
that you get to keep. I have encountered such "best practice" with our second child - our first had 3 cards, one for each country she got vaccinated in, until we combined them into one. It is surprising, however, how often parents do not automatically get vaccination records to take him with them.
However, you need such records, so if you move or change doctors, you have proof of which vaccinations your child has had. These "Yellow Cards" exist world wide (the upper picture is an Ugandan one filched off the web, my daughter has one from California, my son one from Germany), they have been around for a really really long time - I have one, my original one is white though and I recently found my mum's and grandma's (proper record keeping during WWI and WWII, although mainly for smallpox).
It is even more important to keep your records if you are on an "alternative" schedule (for any reason - the European schedule my daughter had been vaccinated on for her first 9 months was very much "alternative" to what was recommended/required in the US).
As soon as your child is born, you can make up a vaccination schedule for him/her - the CDC has a handy tool, or find your country's National schedule and do it by hand. If you want to diverge from what is recommended, highlight this on the schedule. Take the schedule in to your doctor's appointment to double check you have done it right. Ask for the yellow card and then keep track of all shots. Also make sure that all vaccines are actually available in the combination that you want to give them - there are still parents out there who want to give monovalent measles, mumps and rubella, but they are no longer made by Merck - there are also periodic shortages in vaccines (in recent years for example the monovalent hib).
It needs a little planning, but it is very valuable, and, ultimately, your responsibility.
* that is actually a topic for another post
"My child is two years old and I am sure we had done all first year vaccines, but now we got called back for XYZ shots"
"I got a letter from the State saying that my child is not up to date, but s/he is"
"my child got his/her 4th DTaP at 12 rather than at 15 months and now we have to go back for a 5th, because the 4th doesn't count" *
"my child got his/her MMR too early and now it doesn't count" *
All of these are real life examples (2 from Dr. Bob's old board, 1 from Babycenter) and they illustrate one thing very clearly:
You have to keep a record of the vaccines your child get!
Now in an ideal world, your pediatrician hands you a vaccination schedule on your first well visit, including all info on the first vaccines, so you can read up ahead of time. S/he'll discuss with you whether you have any questions before the first shots and each time your baby is vaccinated, the little sticker on the vaccine vial that has vaccine name and lot number goes into a booklet like this:
that you get to keep. I have encountered such "best practice" with our second child - our first had 3 cards, one for each country she got vaccinated in, until we combined them into one. It is surprising, however, how often parents do not automatically get vaccination records to take him with them.
However, you need such records, so if you move or change doctors, you have proof of which vaccinations your child has had. These "Yellow Cards" exist world wide (the upper picture is an Ugandan one filched off the web, my daughter has one from California, my son one from Germany), they have been around for a really really long time - I have one, my original one is white though and I recently found my mum's and grandma's (proper record keeping during WWI and WWII, although mainly for smallpox).
It is even more important to keep your records if you are on an "alternative" schedule (for any reason - the European schedule my daughter had been vaccinated on for her first 9 months was very much "alternative" to what was recommended/required in the US).
As soon as your child is born, you can make up a vaccination schedule for him/her - the CDC has a handy tool, or find your country's National schedule and do it by hand. If you want to diverge from what is recommended, highlight this on the schedule. Take the schedule in to your doctor's appointment to double check you have done it right. Ask for the yellow card and then keep track of all shots. Also make sure that all vaccines are actually available in the combination that you want to give them - there are still parents out there who want to give monovalent measles, mumps and rubella, but they are no longer made by Merck - there are also periodic shortages in vaccines (in recent years for example the monovalent hib).
It needs a little planning, but it is very valuable, and, ultimately, your responsibility.
* that is actually a topic for another post
Friday, June 3, 2011
Bob for hire...suggested topic "Vaccine Myths and Questions"
Hat tip to Liz Ditz, who found out that if you are on Dr. Bob withdrawals after his recent disappearance from the new Ask Dr. Sears website, you can still hire him to speak at your event (birthday party maybe?!):
The site advertises Dr. Bob Sears:
(1) actually, I would doubt that - Sears maybe, but that is Sears the elder, or Sears the brand, not Bob.
(2) I wish I had saved more of his posts from his board. Dr. Bob often either didn't answer, or totally hand waved his replies. He often suggested that parents with children with ASD, AD(H)D, or sensory and/or speech issue not be vaccinated at all, without a clear rationale (gut feeling, extracted rectally?).
(3) The Vaccine Book appeared in 2007.
(4) I wonder why he would still make totally outlandish claims then. Recently, he told the mother of a 7 months old ex-preemie to rely on maternal immunity after measles exposure, which isn't really a testimony to his knowledge in the field.
(5) Except when they go abroad and bring back measles, that is...
(6) Yes, right, he instead pulled the "I tend not to vaccinate in this kind of situation, but of course it is totally your choice..."
(7) ...books which are no longer mentioned in his family's web shop.
(8) Bob's alternative schedule has never been tested for efficacy or safety. On his board, he appeared generally unaware of studies on alternative schedules (e.g. the Swedish schedule). His ideas on MMR efficacy were totally evidence-free.
"suggested topic" for a talk by Dr. Bob Sears is:
Vaccine Myths and Questions:
What's True, What's Hype, and What You Need to Know
I need a new irony meter...
The site advertises Dr. Bob Sears:
Acclaimed Pediatrician & Vaccine Expert
Once considered a routine and mandatory part of pediatric health care, vaccines are now constantly surrounded by debate and controversy. Parents are bombarded with well-intentioned medical advice from family, friends, advertisers, and even pediatricians who mean well but might be too busy to provide all the answers an anxious parent needs.
Dr. Robert Sears, M.D., F.A.A.P. one of the most trusted names in childcare today (1), provides clear, concise answers to the countless questions parents have about vaccines (2). He offers the most up to date information in the latest addition to the Sears Parenting Library, The Vaccine Book (3).
"Dr. Bob," as his young patients call him, has studied every article, vaccine product insert and case study available (4). Nine years spent in private practice have taught Dr. Bob what questions and concerns parents have, what aspects of vaccines they don't understand and which topics need more clarification - all so that he can sift through the noise to give parents the peace of mind they need when making sure their child is well cared for (5).
Dr. Bob does not tell parents which decision is right for them, he simply gives them the information and the tools they need to make the right decision for their particular child and situation (6).
Dr. Bob is a board-certified pediatrician in practice with his father, William Sears, M.D.. and the co-author of several books in the Sears Parenting Library (7). He lives in Dana Point, California.
At the podium, Dr. Bob discusses vaccine myths and questions, vaccine ingredients (which harmful ingredients are still in vaccines and what parents need to know to protect their children), and the current vaccination schedule. Dr. Bob presents his own alternate vaccination schedule that is more effective and less likely to create harmful side effects than the current one (8). (my footnotes)
(1) actually, I would doubt that - Sears maybe, but that is Sears the elder, or Sears the brand, not Bob.
(2) I wish I had saved more of his posts from his board. Dr. Bob often either didn't answer, or totally hand waved his replies. He often suggested that parents with children with ASD, AD(H)D, or sensory and/or speech issue not be vaccinated at all, without a clear rationale (gut feeling, extracted rectally?).
(3) The Vaccine Book appeared in 2007.
(4) I wonder why he would still make totally outlandish claims then. Recently, he told the mother of a 7 months old ex-preemie to rely on maternal immunity after measles exposure, which isn't really a testimony to his knowledge in the field.
(5) Except when they go abroad and bring back measles, that is...
(6) Yes, right, he instead pulled the "I tend not to vaccinate in this kind of situation, but of course it is totally your choice..."
(7) ...books which are no longer mentioned in his family's web shop.
(8) Bob's alternative schedule has never been tested for efficacy or safety. On his board, he appeared generally unaware of studies on alternative schedules (e.g. the Swedish schedule). His ideas on MMR efficacy were totally evidence-free.
"suggested topic" for a talk by Dr. Bob Sears is:
What's True, What's Hype, and What You Need to Know
I need a new irony meter...
The MASTERPLAN - The Hidden Agenda for Global Scientific Dictatorship
Oh * my * word - I just stumbled across the below (hat tip to Omri)
Scientific World Domination is looming, and the only people to open our eyes and prevent the worst (e.g. getting sprayed with toxins by Chemtrails, or our children getting poisoned by fluoridated drinking water) are the 9/11 Truthers. They advertise
The bold is, of course, as bold as it is wrong.
I am not sure whether I should laugh or cry - the decline of Andrew Wakefield into this scene, down (I guess) from the Anti-Vaccine movement, deeper into the anti-science realm of conspiracy theorists is both consequential and kind of sad.
Off to stroke my cat...
Scientific World Domination is looming, and the only people to open our eyes and prevent the worst (e.g. getting sprayed with toxins by Chemtrails, or our children getting poisoned by fluoridated drinking water) are the 9/11 Truthers. They advertise
Dr. Andrew Wakefield has pioneered research into the possible links between the MMR vaccine and autism and has been victimised ruthlessly by his own profession, including being struck off by the General Medical Council in the UK for daring to speak out, despite other researchers, both before and after his evidence was published, now showing the same links between the MMR vaccine and autism. (my bold)
The bold is, of course, as bold as it is wrong.
I am not sure whether I should laugh or cry - the decline of Andrew Wakefield into this scene, down (I guess) from the Anti-Vaccine movement, deeper into the anti-science realm of conspiracy theorists is both consequential and kind of sad.
Off to stroke my cat...
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