Comments on: Chickenpox parties and the risk of natural immunity http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-risk-of-natural.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Jonhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-risk-of-natural.html#comment-111830 Jon Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:36:27 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-the-risk-of-natural-immunity.html#comment-111830 I am a doctor that is not vaccinating against chicken pox. The research does not support this vaccination. Long tern complications from decreased immunization can lead to serious or deadly complications if an immunized child's vaccine wears off and they are exposed. Also they have forgotten to take into account the possibility of different strains of the virus. I am a doctor that is not vaccinating against chicken pox. The research does not support this vaccination. Long tern complications from decreased immunization can lead to serious or deadly complications if an immunized child’s vaccine wears off and they are exposed. Also they have forgotten to take into account the possibility of different strains of the virus.

]]> By: Grace 77x7http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-risk-of-natural.html#comment-90583 Grace 77x7 Sun, 29 Mar 2009 05:30:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-the-risk-of-natural-immunity.html#comment-90583 The vaccine can cause shingles, too. The vaccine can cause shingles, too.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-risk-of-natural.html#comment-89898 Anonymous Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:29:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-the-risk-of-natural-immunity.html#comment-89898 One major point of getting the vaccine is to avoid shingles as an adult. It isn't just about whether or not your child will be fine if exposed as a child. You can ONLY get shingles in adulthood if you had chicken pox. The virus lies dormant in your system & can then flare up as shingles later. It is a HERPES virus & is always in your system like any other herpes virus. Why would you not want to protect your children? One major point of getting the vaccine is to avoid shingles as an adult. It isn't just about whether or not your child will be fine if exposed as a child. You can ONLY get shingles in adulthood if you had chicken pox. The virus lies dormant in your system & can then flare up as shingles later. It is a HERPES virus & is always in your system like any other herpes virus. Why would you not want to protect your children?

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-risk-of-natural.html#comment-89720 Anonymous Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:18:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-the-risk-of-natural-immunity.html#comment-89720 My treasured childhood memory was my parents getting the idea that I needed an alcohol rub to bring down a fever. At least that's what I figure they were trying to do, looking back at it.<br/><br/>I have no idea what my underlying illness was. And bringing down the fever with rubbing alcohol was probably received wisdom at the time.<br/><br/>Didn't hurt me, I guess, save for the memory of a nasty smell and throwing up. My treasured childhood memory was my parents getting the idea that I needed an alcohol rub to bring down a fever. At least that’s what I figure they were trying to do, looking back at it.

I have no idea what my underlying illness was. And bringing down the fever with rubbing alcohol was probably received wisdom at the time.

Didn’t hurt me, I guess, save for the memory of a nasty smell and throwing up.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-risk-of-natural.html#comment-89719 Anonymous Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:15:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-the-risk-of-natural-immunity.html#comment-89719 I'm of a certain age, old enough to remember such parties.<br/><br/>I suppose they are better than nothing. Antivaccine parents are at least sensitized to expect something to happen at a certain time, and be ready for it.<br/><br/>I wonder if there's a value to bringing varicella-immunized children to such a party? Sort of a free booster shot? I’m of a certain age, old enough to remember such parties.

I suppose they are better than nothing. Antivaccine parents are at least sensitized to expect something to happen at a certain time, and be ready for it.

I wonder if there’s a value to bringing varicella-immunized children to such a party? Sort of a free booster shot?

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-risk-of-natural.html#comment-89708 Anonymous Sun, 08 Feb 2009 23:48:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-the-risk-of-natural-immunity.html#comment-89708 Dr. Ike -- How about, the more people are protected, the better the vaccine works? Dr. Ike — How about, the more people are protected, the better the vaccine works?

]]> By: Dr. IKEhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-risk-of-natural.html#comment-89704 Dr. IKE Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:46:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-the-risk-of-natural-immunity.html#comment-89704 So, since "Vaccines only work if everybody is protected" and we all know there is absolutely no way to ensure that everyone always receives it, then all that money we're spending giving (and telling) people to get a shot is wasted? So, since “Vaccines only work if everybody is protected” and we all know there is absolutely no way to ensure that everyone always receives it, then all that money we’re spending giving (and telling) people to get a shot is wasted?

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-risk-of-natural.html#comment-89703 Anonymous Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:39:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-the-risk-of-natural-immunity.html#comment-89703 I fail to understand why 'a concerned parent' would want their children to contract any disease for which a vaccine is available. The anti-vaccine advocates/spokespeople all seem to be wealthy actresses with no science education and little logic. <br/><br/>There are vaccines that need to be administered in multiple doses (like measles), others that need to be given again during one's life to maintain immunity (tetanus), and some that change annually (flu). I would rather have a vaccination than have flu, hepatitis, whatever! <br/><br/>My 4 sisters and I were born before the chicken pox and mumps vaccines became available. All 5 of us were nasty, cranky sick kids when we had chicken pox together, and we were nasty, cranky sick kids when we all had mumps together. Definitely not "treasured childhood memories"! I fail to understand why ‘a concerned parent’ would want their children to contract any disease for which a vaccine is available. The anti-vaccine advocates/spokespeople all seem to be wealthy actresses with no science education and little logic.

There are vaccines that need to be administered in multiple doses (like measles), others that need to be given again during one’s life to maintain immunity (tetanus), and some that change annually (flu). I would rather have a vaccination than have flu, hepatitis, whatever!

My 4 sisters and I were born before the chicken pox and mumps vaccines became available. All 5 of us were nasty, cranky sick kids when we had chicken pox together, and we were nasty, cranky sick kids when we all had mumps together. Definitely not “treasured childhood memories”!

]]> By: Kipperhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-risk-of-natural.html#comment-89699 Kipper Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:06:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-the-risk-of-natural-immunity.html#comment-89699 @Anonymous 10:07 - Quite a few vaccines lose effectiveness with time. I feel that failing to inform adults about this is one of the big errors in preventative medicine right now. It particularly bothered me that I didn't know until I happened to read it in the waiting room at my then-new doctor's office last year that I could easily have been spreading pertussis around my community without knowing it during some past "really bad cold". Lovely. <br/><br/>That said, I have seen an upward trend in even women who had a natural chicken pox infection as a child receiving the vaccine before trying to get pregnant. @Anonymous 10:07 – Quite a few vaccines lose effectiveness with time. I feel that failing to inform adults about this is one of the big errors in preventative medicine right now. It particularly bothered me that I didn’t know until I happened to read it in the waiting room at my then-new doctor’s office last year that I could easily have been spreading pertussis around my community without knowing it during some past “really bad cold”. Lovely.

That said, I have seen an upward trend in even women who had a natural chicken pox infection as a child receiving the vaccine before trying to get pregnant.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-risk-of-natural.html#comment-89696 Anonymous Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:11:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/02/chickenpox-parties-and-the-risk-of-natural-immunity.html#comment-89696 i don't know about you, but i think my doctor is a better authority on the subject than jenny mccarthy. i don’t know about you, but i think my doctor is a better authority on the subject than jenny mccarthy.

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