LilSugar

The Scary Mail-Order Chicken Pox Craze That's Sweeping the Country

LilSugar — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 03:16:15 PST

Letting your child lick a complete stranger's lollypop is a repulsive idea to most parents, but that's exactly what parents around the country are doing in an attempt to infect their tots with the chicken pox virus, thus avoiding the chicken pox vaccination. Since the vaccine's approval in 1995, every state now requires children to be vaccinated before entering daycare or preschool with relatively few exceptions, including: children can skip the varicella prick (the chicken pox vaccine) if the parents abstain from vaccinations for religious reasons, or if a child has contracted the virus on their own.

For parents opposed to the vaccines for any number of reasons, that last exemption clause has led to the creation of Facebook groups like "Find a Pox Party in Your Area" where parents connect with other like-minded adults to pass around infected pops, a modern day pox party - except with complete strangers.

What do you think? Would you ever order an infected lollipop to avoid vaccinating your child?

More Parents Are Choosing Alternative Vaccination Schedules For Their Kids

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 10:03:56 PDT

The times, they are a-changin' when it comes to vaccinating your tot. Following recent news that an overwhelming majority of parents are not comfortable with the vaccinations their children receive, a new study finds that more moms and dads are using alternative vaccine schedules for their kids than ever before. According to the latest issue of Pediatrics, 13 percent of families are not following the calendar created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, choosing to use alternative schedules that delay or skip various vaccines. Among the most missed vaccines are those for the flu and chicken pox, while the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) is the most frequently delayed, despite findings denying the link between the vaccine and autism.

Survey Finds Most Parents Still Uneasy About Vaccinations

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:16:11 PDT

Parents are taking their kids in for "a little pinch," but they aren't happy about it. According to a study just released today, 95 percent of US children receive the recommended vaccines (on schedule), but 77 percent of parents are still uncomfortable with the shots. More than a year after the link between autism and vaccines was debunked, many parents are still voicing concern over the safety of the ingredients used in the vaccines. Other issues parents raised include the complexity of the immunization schedule, pain from the injection, and the number of shots tots get in one sitting.

Even if you follow the CDC's vaccination schedule, are you nervous about it?

Take a Shot at 6 Quizzes That Teach You About Dog Shots

PetSugar — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 07:18:01 PDT

It can seem - especially to your budget - that doggies require endless vaccinations. Still do you know what they're being safeguarded against? Take these quizzes about six diseases that pups commonly get protected for to see if you're a shot-calling expert.

Quiz: Parvovirus	Quiz: Hepatitis	Quiz: Distemper
Quiz: Rabies	Quiz: H3N8	Quiz: Coronavirus

Are You Up to Date on All Your Shots? What You Need to Know

Leta Shy — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 17:20:01 PST

While February is the month when most people get the flu, hopefully you've already gotten your annual flu shot. But what about the rest of the lesser-known recommended vaccines for adults?

Recently I was surprised when during a routine appointment my doctor told me that because of a recent whooping cough outbreak I should get a Tdap shot, which also contains the booster doses for tetanus and diphtheria. I never think about nonflu vaccines very much, so I probably wouldn't have known that people my age needed one if she hadn't said anything.

I'm sure many of you are the same. In fact, adult vaccinations are so much lower than they should be that a recent CDC study found that most clinics don't even stock all the required vaccines for adults. But, actually, the CDC recommends that we get certain vaccinations long after we turn 18.

Want to know which vaccines you may need to get? Read on to see if you're up to date on your shots.

Are You Surprised by the Delinking of Vaccines and Autism?

LilSugar — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:00:00 PST

Twelve years after the medical and parenting communities were rocked by the release of a study linking the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism, the world's most renowned medical journal is retracting the paper that made the initial claims. This morning, the editors of The Lancet announced that the researcher behind the paper was not honest in his presentation of the data and "it has become clear that several elements of the 1998 paper by Wakefield . . . are incorrect."

The original publication of the paper set off a firestorm of controversy, pitting many physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics against parents of children diagnosed with the disorder, including Jenny McCarthy, who has been an outspoken critic of the current vaccination schedule.

Are you surprised by The Lancet's announcement this morning?

Jenny McCarthy Talks Autism, Instincts, and Jim Carrey

LilSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:00:00 PDT

Jenny McCarthy is one candid cover girl. We'd expect nothing less from the passionate mother and autism advocate who posed with her son Evan, 7, for the September cover of Cookie. Check out a few of the highlights from the interview.

On how she felt when Evan had a seven-hour seizure and went into cardiac arrest in 2004: I ran out of my house and into my driveway and screamed at the top of my lungs to God to just take him away, because I loved him so much and he was in so much pain.

On Amanda Peet calling parents who don't vaccinate their children "parasites": I think vaccines are one of the greatest things ever invented. I used to be [Peet] before I had a kid with autism.

On the position of Generation Rescue: "Vaccinations are safe - dot, dot, dot - for some kids. Vaccinations are not safe - dot, dot, dot - for other kids. Let’s protect the ones who are weak. We are pro–safe vaccine. Vaccines are just not one size fits all. If you gave everyone in the world penicillin, there would be some adverse effects for some people, and possibly deaths."

On parental instincts: "We’re the generation of parents who are saying, ‘Listen to us. We are the bosses of our children.’ I want parents to realize that, and not get pushed around by doctors who say, ‘Oh, that’s 100 percent safe.’"

On her most humbling mom moment: "Watching Evan pee on a fake tree in a waiting room."

On her relationship with Jim Carrey: "It’s wacky-weird that not only does [Carrey] not want to get married, which I love, but he also doesn’t want to have more kids, which I love."

Would You Get the Swine Flu Vaccine While Pregnant?

LilSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:15:00 PDT

It may no longer be headline news, but the swine flu pandemic still has people talking. This week the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is meeting to discuss the development and distribution of a vaccine that is set to be ready by Fall. Among the groups who may get top priority for the vaccine are pregnant women. Though pregnant women only account for one percent of the US population, they made up six percent of all H1N1 deaths since April. Each year the CDC recommends that expectant mamas get vaccinated for the flu, but only a small number – approximately 15 percent – actually do, citing fears about risks to the fetus and the expense. Would you get the vaccine while pregnant?

What You Need to Know About the H3N8 Dog Flu

PetSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:00:06 PDT

Last week, the United States Department of Agriculture announced that it had approved the first vaccine for the H3N8 flu (not to be confused with the H1N1 flu). What should you know about this dangerous doggie disease? Test yourself and see!

Take the Quiz

How to Talk to Your Pediatrician About Your Vaccine Concerns

babysugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:00:25 PDT

Mothers are hit with conflicting views on autism and vaccines. The morning news will feature a pediatrician denying any link between the two. Then on another channel, a mother is interviewed claiming that immunizations changed her child's life forever. Conflicted about what to do, some parents are opting not to vaccinate their children while others choose an alternative schedule and some stick with the schedule suggested by the AAP. Parents should talk with their pediatricians about their concerns so they can make the best decision for their child.

To see some talking points for a conversation with your doctor,

read more. Being open and honest with the doctor can be informative and beneficial for all involved. Here are some questions to get the ball rolling:

Do you think there is any link between vaccines and autism?
If "no" is the response, ask why they don't think there is a link.
If my child has a bad reaction after receiving a shot, what can we do?
Is thermisol present in any of the shots?
Why do you think there is such a high incidence of autism in boys versus girls?
What kind of alternative or modified shot schedule do you offer?
Will it cost more to administer the shots in a modified manner?
How do you or would you vaccinate your own children?
What do you think the possible causes of autism are if it isn't vaccines?

While pediatricians may not be able to answer all of these questions, it's a good way to get the dialogue started and to explain your apprehension and insecurities. Source