Whooping Cough Epidemic in California

by blondie 35 Replies latest jw friends

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  blondie

  I remember these immunizations and the boosters when I was a kid; I also remember the terrible cough the next door neighbors little girl had. Are your children's immunizations up to date? Also yours, your family, the neighbors, anyone who will be around the baby?

  http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/06/24/128078400/whooping-cough-epidemic-strikes-california?ft=1&f=1001

  Whooping Cough Epidemic Strikes California

  08:57 amJune 24, 2010

  by Scott Hensley

  Widespread vaccination has gone a long way toward curbing whooping cough, a highly contagious infection that can be especially dangerous for babies too young to be immunized.

  CDC

  These little red specks are the bacteria that cause whooping cough.

  We've never seen anyone sick with it — or heard the characteristic cough. But maybe that's because we're not in California. The state's health department says the infection has come roaring back this year and is now an epidemic.

  By the middle of June, California had reports of 910 cases of whooping cough, or pertussis. At the same point last year, the state had seen only a quarter that number — or 219 cases.

  Pertussis waxes and wanes. During the last peak five years ago in California, there were 3,182 cases and eight deaths, the health department said.

  Already this year, though, whooping cough has claimed the lives of five infants, all of them less than 3 months old. If the cases keep rolling in as they have been, this could be the worst epidemic of whooping cough in the state in 50 years.

  Babies can get their first shot against whooping cough at 2 months. But it takes three shots, usually done by 6 months, before the kids' immune systems are able to mount a strong defense against the bacteria that cause the cough.

  The full battery of childhood vaccination against the illness consists of five shots, completed between ages 4 and 6. But the protection against pertussis isn't permanent, disappearing by the time kids reach middle school.

  To protect babies, new parents should be get booster shots or full immunization before the birth. Same goes for relatives, kids and any other people who'll be around the new baby.

  What are the signs of whooping cough? It starts like a regular cold but after a few weeks severe coughing spells set in. Kids can be sick for weeks or even months.
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  Confuzzled

  Because a few New Agey parents object to vaccination, babies are getting ill.
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  Elsewhere

  A big THANK YOU to all of the anti-vaccine people out there.

  I'm just waiting for Small Pox to burn through the population again, killing countless thousands.
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  beksbks

  I remember the reaction my son had to his vaccinations. I remember the next round of vaccinations, and the reaction that was so severe that my son's joints turned purple and swollen to the point that he couldn't walk. I remember the family I met years later, who unlike myself continued the vaccinations after thier son had similar reactions. That family was living for remission and looking for a cure. I remember the doctors who refused to acknowledge the dangers of vaccinations, because the "benefits outweigh the dangers". Which is true. Unless of course it's your child that experiences those "dangers".

  Pretty damned insulting to those of us who have lived through hell, to be disregarded as "new age". Tell that to my mother in law, whose sister is in an institution and has been for most of her life.

  Why is it, that they are bound to advise us of adverse reactions to Viagra, and Lipitor, but they actually deny proven adverse reactions to these vaccines? Parents should have the knowledge to recognize these reactions. Often it takes several rounds of the vaccine before the issues are severe. There are also those who are predisposed to have a bad reaction. Shouldn't parents be given that information, and told what to watch for??
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  Gregor

  I suffered through whooping cough when I was 14. JW's had an unofficial ban on vaccine. (I put it in the same category as their aluminum cookware ban) I had no medical care. It almost killed me. There were times I coughed to the point of almost suffocating, then I would panic and just get up and run. Never discussed this with my mother in later years but I'll always wonder how she could have let me be so ill and not take me in for medical attention.
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  watersprout

  My daughter has never had a vaccination. She had the homeopathic nosodes. I am also labelled as a ''new age'' mother. That is unfair, all i am doing is looking out for my child's health and giving her the best start to life. I remember when their was a measles epidemic in my area and all of the children who had had the measles vacc were very ill. My daughter was fine, only one in the clinic not to become ill from it! Funny that these vaccinations are meant to be a protection. Tell that to the kids who were ill from measles! It is also the parents perogative whether to vaccinate their children or not. People need to stop judging others for what they do, theres enough of that in the org!
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  snowbird

  http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/nosodes.htm

  Learned something.

  Syl
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  NiceDream

  It's sad those babies got sick. Were those newborns being breastfed? That's the best protection against illness. Also, not being in daycare helps. Not sure of the history of these little ones though.

  In Canada, a 2 month old is vaccinated against 8 different diseases in one visit...far too much for my liking. We've postponed them and stay home when sick and focus on a healthy diet. I guess I'm a new agey, crunchy granola type.

  My friends daughter only recieved one vaccine and ended up really ill in the ER. Her doctor told her not to get anymore vaccines because the risk outweighed the benefit.
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  Confuzzled

  I should clarify. It was a knee jerk response. I'm the biggest Eckhart Tolle-ite, so I guess I should watch who I call new agey! I'm giving birth next Tuesday, and vaccines, circumsion, ect, are on my mind and consent forms are a file waiting to be filled out on the kitchen table. I actually question the use of some vaccines so early, and the use of mercury in the shots at all. I have a girlfriend who's son as Aspbergers, and she still isn't positive it didn't come from the vaccines (yes I know about the study that says this has been disproven for the most part, but i still don't know). BUT the benefits still out weigh the risks.
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  BorgHater

  I contracted whooping cough when i was a little kid because there was a scaremongering campaign in britain at the time about the vaccinations so i wasn't immunised. My mum feels terrible about it, but all the reports on t.v and in the papers about the dangers of the vaccine scared the living daylights out of her! It reminds me of the recent scares we have had in britain over the MMR vaccine. It puts parents in a terrible position, not knowing what to do for the best.

  Btw hello again everyone, it feels like i haven't been on the board in ages

  BorgHater (RosePetal's daughter) x