Looking for Dr. that respects our decision about not vaccinating (cartoon, wife)
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There is now a shingles vaccine for people over 60, who are most at-risk. Also, this research sounds a little screwy. Exposure to chickenpox does provide a natural "booster" to one's immunity, but the cause of shingles is the chickenpox virus that stays in the body after natural infection or immunization.
Read down to the very bottom of the third page to see the section about shingles. (Actually, read the whole thing.)
Is this an anit-immunization website or researcher?
It is real research.
I'm aware that the cause of shingles is the reactivation of the chicken pox virus that stays in the body after natural infection or immunization. This research simply shows that when people who have already had chicken pox are repeatedly re-exposed to the virus (by real people who have chicken pox) it provides them with better protection from shingles by boosting their immunity and suppressing the virus from re-emerging in the form of shingles. Since we no longer have large groups of people walking around with chicken pox, there is no chance to become re-exposed.
My children's pediatricians encouraged me to postpone the chicken pox vaccine and try to get my children to catch it naturally. They said that there is no guarantee that the vaccine offers lifetime protection. Since it's too new, they don't know how effective it will be decades later. As a result, there is a chance that people who receive the vaccine might be at greater risk as adults than those who caught the chicken pox naturally.
Sadly, my children never caught the chicken pox, and they ultimately received the shots when they were young teenagers because the vaccine is definitely a better than catching the chicken pox as an adult. I think it's a wise move to postpone the vaccine as long as possible because catching the real chicken pox as a child is ideal----until this generation ages and they have a better idea of the effectiveness throughout adulthood.
Some pediatricians felt that way when the vaccine first came out. However, a death from chickenpox at Denver Children's Hospital shortly after the vaccine was licensed in the US convinced most local physicians to immunize children. It is not true, at least now, that the vaccine is too new. It has been licensed in Korea and Japan since 1988, 22 years now. There is plenty of evidence at this point that it works.
Some pediatricians felt that way when the vaccine first came out. However, a death from chickenpox at Denver Children's Hospital shortly after the vaccine was licensed in the US convinced most local physicians to immunize children. It is not true, at least now, that the vaccine is too new. It has been licensed in Korea and Japan since 1988, 22 years now. There is plenty of evidence at this point that it works.
Makes sense. It was fairly new when my children were born. They are young adults now.
It's a good thing you are here to help people understand that what might have been a concern 15 years ago isn't relevant today.
My pediatrician also recommended waiting on the varicella vaccine. She had her doubts about the long-term efficacy of the vaccine, and thought that the risks of injecting a live virus (with all of the required preservatives), plus the risk of possibly only delaying CP until kids were of childbearing age, were not worth the possible benefits. Yes, a very minute percentage of kids die from chickenpox. A very minute percentage of kids have a life-threatening reaction to a vaccine as well.
I've exposed my kids three times to chickenpox, though, and they haven't gotten it! So the plan is to have them titered before they hit puberty to see if they are immune or not. If not, we'll probably opt for the vaccine at that point.
My pediatrician also recommended waiting on the varicella vaccine. She had her doubts about the long-term efficacy of the vaccine, and thought that the risks of injecting a live virus (with all of the required preservatives), plus the risk of possibly only delaying CP until kids were of childbearing age, were not worth the possible benefits. Yes, a very minute percentage of kids die from chickenpox. A very minute percentage of kids have a life-threatening reaction to a vaccine as well.
I've exposed my kids three times to chickenpox, though, and they haven't gotten it! So the plan is to have them titered before they hit puberty to see if they are immune or not. If not, we'll probably opt for the vaccine at that point.
There is no thimerosol in chickenpox vaccine. The active ingredient is a frozen powder, no need for preservative. It is mixed with specially provided single dose vials of diuent, again, no need for preservatives. To tell you the truth, in 40 years of giving immunizations, I've never seen a life-threatening reaction to an immunization, and I've given a lot. For 11 years I worked in an immunization clinic, doing nothing but giving immunizations. Most of what we see at our office is fever (from DTaP and Prevnar usually), red arms from the 4th and 5th doses of DTaP, fever and rash 10 days after MMR.
ETA: I have seen a lot of new vaccines introduced in my years in pediatrics, and there's almost always a big kefluffle about them until they become accepted. The only one that I can remember that did not ignite a firestorm was Prevnar. But then, I was out of pediatric practice for a few years around the time it was introduced.
Last edited by Katarina Witt; 03-30-2010 at 12:00 PM..
My children's pediatricians encouraged me to postpone the chicken pox vaccine and try to get my children to catch it naturally. They said that there is no guarantee that the vaccine offers lifetime protection. Since it's too new, they don't know how effective it will be decades later. As a result, there is a chance that people who receive the vaccine might be at greater risk as adults than those who caught the chicken pox naturally.
Sadly, my children never caught the chicken pox, and they ultimately received the shots when they were young teenagers because the vaccine is definitely a better than catching the chicken pox as an adult. I think it's a wise move to postpone the vaccine as long as possible because catching the real chicken pox as a child is ideal----until this generation ages and they have a better idea of the effectiveness throughout adulthood.
I remember my Mom and the neighbors deciding to have a chicken pox party when one of us came down with them! We all had fun, all got chicken pox, and now, hopefully, all have immunity!
I remember my Mom and the neighbors deciding to have a chicken pox party when one of us came down with them! We all had fun, all got chicken pox, and now, hopefully, all have immunity!
My mom worked hard to keep me away from chickenpox when I was a kid because I had skin allergies and it was thought that chickenpox would be especially dangerous to me. I was also not allowed to get the smallpox vaccine.
Fast forward 25 years and I came down with chickenpox in my 30's, right along with my children...before the vaccine was available. I wasn't as bad as it could have been thankfully. And smallpox is no longer a routine vaccine anymore. It took awhile but I'm all caught up with everyone else now!
I would not care if anyone had the Gardisil shot for school, it's the communicable diseases I care about. Public schools are for the public and for that very reason the public needs to be protected from disease. When some of these vaccines were created the public, parents, kids, etc. thanked God and praised the medical community and stood in line for hours to receive their shots. People today...well I'm just going to say they have their priorities messes up. That's all. It's because we are spoiled for having been protected from these diseases that some feel that they aren't only pointless but somehow some horrible trick to make money for someone.
last i checked hpv is communicable. that's besides the point though. how about you decide for your kids and let others decide for theirs. if yours have had the shots then you have nothing to worry about in public schools.
last i checked hpv is communicable. that's besides the point though. how about you decide for your kids and let others decide for theirs. if yours have had the shots then you have nothing to worry about in public schools.
It is communicable by sexual contact, which should not be going on in school anyhow. So, I do not think it should be a requirement for school attendance.
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