Measles, Mumps, Rubella... Forgotten but NOT Gone

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Whoa, when did the bots get on Allnurses? Ugh...

I reported it.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Back to the subject at hand. I was sent this by our school district nurse organization today.

"The Reasons Behind the Rise in Autism

Laurie Scudder, DNP, PNP, Susan L. Hyman, MD

May 06, 2014

Editor's Note:A just-released estimate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that rates of ASDs are roughly 30% higher than previous estimates.^[1] These new data put the figure at 1 in 68 children aged 8 years (or 14.7 per 1000) -- compared with a 2012 estimate that 1 in 88 children (11.3 per 1000) had an ASD. This rise was despite the fact that the criteria used to diagnose ASDs and the methods used to collect data have not changed, according to the report.

The new estimates are based on 2010 data from 11 sites participating in the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, an active surveillance system that provides estimates of the prevalence of ASD and other characteristics among children aged 8 years. The age of 8 years was chosen to ensure that the majority of children with the condition would be included; the overwhelming majority of children with ASD will have been diagnosed by that age.

Medscape spoke with Susan L. Hyman MD, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Chief of Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at the University of Rochester, and Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Autism Subcommittee, about the survey and the implications for primary care pediatrics."

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/824418

Cite this article: The Reasons Behind the Rise in Autism. Medscape. May 06, 2014.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

Whoa, when did the bots get on Allnurses? Ugh...

I reported it.

The bots have been banned and all spam posts from today removed. Thanks for the vigilance!

[imenid37]

I disagree with the anti-vaccine position. I think if you don't want to vaccinate and agree that your kids stay home and away from others, then you are within your rights. Otherwise you are not. Right now we have measles in PA. The source??? Unvaccinated people. We can't protect kids from everything.There are many things and circumstances out there which are much more dangerous than vaccines. I know an anti-vaccine parent who takes their child hunting. That is more dangerous than vaccination. As is riding in a car or crossing the street. Real science points to the effectiveness of vaccination. You can try to deny it. Say what you want. At the end of it all, are the figures which show how many lives have been saved by vaccination. The risk benefit ratio is weighted heavily in favour of vaccines using real science. I am not sure why so many focus on this issue. It almost seems to be a case of "I won't be told what to do, even if what I do endangers others."

[boohoo101]

one thing i noticed here in the debate for whether to vaccinate or not, is that usually the pro vax have experienced the devastation and the helplessness for caring for patients who contracted the preventable diseases. some of the anti vax have the experience of caring for special children and/or very cautious of the effects of vaccines. i have read some articles for the anti vax and what i have read so far is the concern regarding the ingredients used in the vaccines itself.

i grew up in a third world country where a lot of my playmates got sick of some of these diseases: measles, chicken pox, mumps. i have a male friend who had mumps and has to live with the fact he will never have kids. in a part of the world where your legacy is determined by whether you have kids or not is important, it is a concern for him. there are some communities where almost every family had to bury not one child, but several children in the same family due to these diseases. and when the government comes to administer vaccines, mothers line up to get their children vaccinated. these are usually moms who had buried a child before. as a nursing student, i get to listen to these moms swap stories about their experience. even new moms know of somebody whose kid died. i have encountered patients who experienced very high fever and had seizures after getting a vaccine administered but they are very rare, but their parents still opted to vaccinate their other kids, because to them, a living child with special needs is preferable to a dead child (not to discount the feelings of parents here who have special needs children). it also helps that in my part of the world, the community helps in taking care of these special children; most often, they are considered to give luck and too often called a blessing to the family; there is a network of caring individuals who would gladly take care of the special child even without the mother or the primary caregiver; but i digress.

as a nurse, i have always educated patients/parents about vaccination and what they can do: both positive and negative. and those children whom i know don't have a robust immune system, i make a heavy emphasis to the parent what to watch out for and do.

i understand the concern of the anti vax people. i know that vaccinations do not come with 100% guarantee. but i also know that no medication at all, even herbs, have that claim. however, history has taught us that we need vaccines. we can't do away with them. and thats why the pro vaccines here are very passionate in educating you further because we stand to lose too much if a significant part of the population decides not to vaccinate. the viruses have always and will always be present; as is the nature of most bacteria and viruses, they are most likely mutating and getting stronger; it only takes one infection that doesn't defeat the microorganism, and we are probably looking at drug resistant measles, chicken pox, mumps, etc.

if i had a crystal ball and i know my child will suffer the adverse effects of the vaccine, i will still vaccinate him. because if that happens to him with just the vaccine, what is my guarantee that he will not suffer from the serious effects of the disease itself?

instead of debating whether to vaccinate or not, why not fund a research on why vaccines do not work on some people and/or may cause harm to others? how about funding a research on how to make the vaccines better?

[mamagui]

Well said Boohoo101!