I am stepping on to my soap box for awhile. Today I read about a family that has chosen to “selectively” vaccinate their child, while I think this is an extremely idiotic (yes you read that correctly) choice, they are entitled to do that. I am using this family as a general example… because I found them randomly on the internet but their case is just an example of many American families that are making similar decisions. This family has chosen not to immunize their children against polio, measles, mumps, or rubella. They claim that public health efforts have made it so they don’t need to vaccinate against any of these illnesses since cases are so rare in the US… deep breath… really? Thanks to people like them these diseases are making a major comeback. Measles which can be eradicated (why? Because the symptoms are obvious and humans are the only carriers) isn’t, in fact it is making a resurgence… we have seen epidemic proportions of the disease within the last year (131 cases may not seem like an epidemic to you but that might be because you are not aware of the definition of epidemic)…
I am sure you are asking yourself why should I vaccinate my children, they are never going to get that disease, or that disease is easy to treat tons of kids live through it… true but please don’t be an idiot, do the socially responsible thing and vaccinate your child, maybe your child would be fine but the child they infect who is unable to be vaccinated for MEDICAL reasons isn’t fine, do you want to be responsible for that?
On a related note I read about a new “trend” in the US, chicken pox parties. This is where parents take their children to be infected with chicken pox, they play with infected children with the hopes that they will get chicken pox… sure people did this a decade ago but we didn’t really have any other option. Also, you may think that chicken pox is a harmless disease… well you are wrong. One in ten children infected with chicken pox ends up in the hospital with complications, and 70% of those children were otherwise healthy. Yeah so not as harmless as you thought. So please do the responsible thing and vaccinate your child (not selectively vaccinate, actually do it). Okay I am stepping off the soap box now.
2 comments:
Again, I completely agree with you. There is this little boy who was in our ward (he's still in our stake and stuff). He got cancer last year, and is still fighting it. In August he got exposed to Chicken Pox. He had to go to the Children's hospital for 6 hours, and then take pills for four times a day for three weeks. He also had to not get his treatment for the month because the treatment lowers his T-cells and could be fatal.. If he was to have been exposed right after the treatment.. There is a high chance he could be dead.
Mental note - When I have kids, ask Ashley about all health concerns...DONE
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