Shot of Prevention

Last week I heard about a woman, opposed to vaccines, that presents business cards to random strangers, like the pregnant teller at the bank.  The card directs people to information that is intended to deter them from immunizing their children.  While this woman is a prime example of the vocal minority, the truth is that the majority of parents vaccinate their children as recommended.  They just don’t feel the need to advertise it to strangers.  But perhaps it’s time for this to change.

The Moms Who Vax blog is an excellent representation of parents who are speaking out in favor of immunizations.  With increasing cases of vaccine preventable diseases, along with growing numbers of intentionally unvaccinated children, some parents are becoming more vocal in their immunization advocacy efforts.  Parents, like Jessica Parker, have decided to speak out – on blogs, on Facebook threads, in mommy chat rooms, directly to their members of Congress and, most importantly, to other parents who are faced with decisions concerning their children’s health and immunizations.

Jessica explains why she has become so passionate about this issue;

“I never even knew of the pro-/anti-vax battleground until I had children. It was never something I questioned, and it was never an option to consider not protecting them. The mere list of symptoms and long-lasting effects of preventable diseases was enough to convince me to vaccinate my kids. Then, when I got pregnant with my second child, a friend gave me an anti-vax book in hopes that I would change my mind. I’ll admit, it made me angry. The outright lies were easy to see through. All it did was fuel my passion to educate others on vaccination.”

Recently, Jessica returned from a trip where she made a surprising discovery.  A disease, which is now vaccine preventable, had impacted her family in ways she had never known.  Her story appears on Moms Who Vax to remind parents of the differences vaccines have made in our lives today – for us, as parents, as well as for our children.   

How Measles Made a Mark on My Family, by Jessica Parker

I’m sure many mothers can relate when I say that family is my world. My extended family tells me where I came from. My parents helped shape who I am today. My sister was my first friend. My husband is my teammate. My children are my legacy. Family is one thing I will never tire of investing in (though I do have my moments of needing a break), and my children are one thing I will always fight to protect. Read more…

Most of the topics I post about on this blog are intended to encourage conversation about solutions to immunization challenges.  However, more often than not, the comment section on each post is inevitably derailed by those who wish to discredit the value of vaccines.  These visitors often make repeated claims about the thoroughly debunked vaccine/autism link, or they suggest that the immunization industry is plagued with corruption, or even that there is some large government conspiracy in which they claim that toxins in vaccines are intended to poison us all.  This is not to say that this blog is the only place where this type of conversation occurs.  Sadly it is not.  In fact, for every article that attempts to credit vaccines in some way, you can pretty much bet that there will be negative comments in response.

Fortunately, there are plenty of well-educated people out there who spend a great deal of time and effort diligently responding to these inaccurate claims.  They consistently defend the science that supports vaccinations and try to correct the logic of those who consistently criticize vaccines.  They are much more eloquent than I and no doubt, have far greater patience.

But I must acknowledge that there are also a great number of people who read these posts, and lots of other immunization information, in an effort to learn more about vaccines.  They may be curious about something they read elsewhere online, or they may be concerned about something they heard from a friend or family member.  They may even be inquiring about an immunization recommendation they received from their doctor.  Each of these readers have valid concerns and questions and we hope that this blog will help them get the information they are seeking.

However, as I was recently reviewing the varied comments on this blog, I realized that many comments may be confusing to those who don’t engage in immunization conversations on a daily basis.  Then, as I was discussing critical thinking with my high school daughter the other day, I remembered these insightful videos that a friend shared with me.  As basic as they may be, I believe they can offer us some points to consider as we read through the various comments on this blog.

Take for instance this first video, which expands upon the way in which we use logic in formulating an argument.

The second video introduces how broken logic, or “logical fallacies”, can easily be mistaken for logic. Read more…

My daughter enjoying a previous birthday and her special occassion cupcakes.

Today happens to be my youngest daughter’s 7th birthday – a milestone for her and a day that she has been anticipating for weeks now.  As a typical seven-year old girl she has everything planned, right down to the sprinkles on the cupcakes she wanted me to bring into her first grade class.

Unfortunately, yesterday I had to deliver her some bad news.  I wouldn’t be there to jump on her bed and wake her with my silly birthday song like I do year after year.  And I wouldn’t be there to deliver the much-anticipated cupcakes.

Admittedly, I was a bit disappointed about it last night.

See, I traveled to Texas this weekend to address the Texas Pediatric Society and discuss parental vaccine hesitancy in the U.S.  After enduring 15 hours of torturous travel, only to enjoy a brief 20 hour visit, I was experienced another unfortunate airline debacle on my return flight. Having to unexpectedly stay another night away from my family, I sat frustrated in my lonely hotel room, upset that I would not be home for my daughter’s birthday.

As I thought about this milestone she would be celebrating without me, I thought about the incredible joy that she brings into my life.  I imagined her sweet voice, her precious smile, and the contagious giggles she would have made if I had been able to wake her with my crazy birthday antics. Like any mother, I simply can’t imagine my life without her in it.

And then my bitterness suddenly turned to appreciation, as I remembered what I’ve learned as a Shot@Life champion.

An estimated 1.5 million children die each year of a disease that could have been prevented by a vaccine.  

Their mothers may never have had the chance to see their children reach their seventh birthday.  And even though I may not be present to share in my daughter’s birthday, I realize how fortunate and privileged I am that she is here to experience it. Read more…

How is it possible that one tiny baby, who only graced this planet for a mere 27 days, can have such an enormous impact on people today?

I believe it has to do with passion…persistence… and the horrible impact of a disease called pertussis.

Kaliah was only 27 days old when she lost her life to pertussis.  However, her life – like every other child’s life – was precious.  And her family – like every other family – did everything possible to try to prevent this tragedy.  Now Kaliah’s family is grieving.  But they are also fighting.  Fighting to find the strength and courage to share Kaliah’s story to spare other families from experiencing their unimaginable pain.

The story begins with the heartfelt words of her young mother, Chelsey, who explains

 “When I first held her, my entire life changed at that moment.” 

She shares the pain of this devastating disease as she reveals the shocking discovery that both she and her baby had pertussis.  She elaborates on the details of the difficult days that followed, as we come to learn that Kaliah would not survive.  One can’t help but feel the sorrow as we hear how Kaliah was suffering.   Chelsey concludes her story by saying,

“I keep telling myself that god gave me Kaliah for a reason, even if I couldn’t have her forever. I knew that when she passed I would make her live on and share her story to save other babies from this horrible disease. I would not let her die for no reason. She was too beautiful for the earth. I am doing my best to educate the world by telling Kaliah’s story.”

According to Shot By Shot, who recently featured this story as one of the many stories of vaccine preventable diseases that they have posted on their website, the details of Kaliah’s life…and death…have already been shared with 1.5 million viewers in just a matter of a few days.  And it’s clear that this story is getting so much attention because it’s touching people in real ways.

Unfortunately, this is just one of the many stories we hear about children dying from pertussis.   There are plenty others like it.  Like Carter’s story, Callie’s story, Gabrielle’s story and many, many more.  In fact, at this very point in time, there are pertussis outbreaks in Washington state, as well as Wisconsin, Colorado and various other states.  People of all ages may currently be suffering with pertussis.  But the worst part is that they may not even know it.  Some, may even be passing it unknowingly on to their own infant children.

Fortunately there is a vaccine to help prevent pertussis.  It’s called a Tdap and it provides immunity for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.  However, just because there is a vaccine to prevent pertussis, doesn’t mean people no longer suffer from this illness.  There are a number of reasons why there continue to be outbreaks around the country. Read more…

Later this week, I will have the privilege of speaking with a group of pediatricians about the topic of vaccine hesitancy.  While it’s not a subject that is new to any pediatrician, it continues to be an area that they are concerned about.  Although there are some doctors who refuse to see patients who remain unvaccinated, and others like Dr. Bob Sears who prefer to accommodate parental hesitancy by suggesting that unvaccinated patients will still be protected by the benefits of herd immunity, there are plenty of doctors who are committed to helping parents overcome vaccine hesitancy and ensure parents are comfortable with their decision to vaccinate their children.

It’s evident that pediatricians often play a critical role in helping to ensure that parents are informed about the recommended immunizations for their children and are encouraged to keep their children on schedule.  And I imagine that every pediatrician feels a responsibility to keep their patients safe and healthy.  However, it’s understandable that they may each differ in their approach. But with the popularity of the internet and social media, today’s parents are often seeking information and advice about immunization long before they have a face to face conversation with their pediatrician.

This can be a challenge.  Parents can easily fall prey to anecdotal stories that instill fear, as we often see with the recurring suggestions of those who adamantly believe in a vaccine/autism link, despite the fact that no such link has ever been scientifically supported.   It’s also common to see evidence of vaccine biases on websites that sell homeopathic remedies for ailments they claim are caused by vaccines.  And it’s likely that some parents are unaware of, or unable to adequately understand, the abundance of scientific research that supports the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

Therefore, it’s nearly impossible for pediatricians to anticipate exactly what is influencing parental hesitancy about vaccines.  And it’s even more difficult for pediatricians to determine the best way for them to address parental concerns.

But that is exactly why I’m writing this post. Read more…

Today’s post is a continuation of Lara’s Story: Growing Up Anti-Vaccine.  Despite being raised in an anti-vaccine household, Lara Lohne looked to science to determine whether she should vaccinate her own children.  After much consideration, Lara weighed the risks and benefits and proceeded to vaccinate with her children with confidence that she was making the best choice for the health of her children.

As an unvaccinated child, Lara had suffered many vaccine preventable diseases first hand. Although she had survived, she recognized that there was always a risk that her children might not.  Besides, she certainly didn’t want to see her own children suffer in the same ways she had.  By vaccinating them, she hoped to minimize the risks of vaccine preventable diseases in her family.  However, she knew that there was one thing vaccines could not prevent…or even cause.

And that would be autism. 

I must admit that it was through conversations with a coworker that I began to suspect something might be wrong with my youngest son.  It concerned me so much that I started looking for information online. I read some of the stories and they sounded similar to what I was experiencing with my son – with the symptoms, the regression and the age at which it all started to become apparent. He was born in 2007 and by 2009 he had already begun Early Intervention. 

Oddly enough, due to financial constraints she was dealing with at the time, Lara had yet to vaccinate her son.

Perhaps that bit of fate was a good thing since I might have fallen back into the anti-vaccine sentiment if he had been vaccinated prior to his diagnosis.  I hadn’t heard about the vaccine/autism link until after we suspected something.  Then I recall thinking, “Wait a minute, he isn’t vaccinated so vaccines didn’t cause it in him.” It was just a few months later that Andrew Wakefield was discredited so I figured that was the end of that. I assumed common sense and science would set the record straight. But I forgot how all-encompassing the anti-vaccine feeling can be.

Lara was determined to do all she could to support her son and over the years she has become very involved in autism organizations to help promote awareness and education.  However, this has required her to navigate a rather difficult road – one that requires support and understanding from the autism community, while also accepting her conviction that vaccines do not cause autism. Read more…