Guest guest Posted April 1, 2004 Report Share Posted April 1, 2004 ---- Educate 04/01/04 00:33:15 dadelp Ask the Experts Mothering magazine has a great section titled "Ask the Experts" This URL is a question and answer section on vaccines and alternative medicine. Questions are answered by Sherri J. Tenpenny DO http://mothering.com/experts/tenpenny-archive.shtml#travel Ask The Experts Use of our experts advice Question Archive: Sherri J. Tenpenny, D.O. Vaccinations, Alternative Medicine What is the percentage of children affected by vaccine damage? When was this information gathered? Do all vaccines have the potential for damage? What ages can the damage effect? Babies, children and even college kids? Does the damage show up right away or can it show up after time? Are there tests that can be performed to see if your child is more at risk for adverse reactions? How can you tell if your child has or had a bad reaction to vaccines? What do you do if you think your child has been affected? Are the effects irreversible? Why does the government push so hard for vaccination if they know they are so bad for you? How or where can I get my child tested to see if she has mercury in her (from vaccines or otherwise)? I have been reluctant to give my 2 1/2 year old the MMR because of the controversy surrounding it. What other options do I have? I have not vaccinated my children at all, but pertussis really scares me. What kind of treatment and prevention alternatives are there? If my son gets a "vaccine preventable disease" and I go to a local doctor who discovers I did not choose to vaccinate, could I be held liable? What do I say to a parent who asks if my unvaccinated 1 & 3 year old children pose a health risk to her 3 month old? When I told my doctor that I was considering not vaccinating my 6 month old girl, he told me that I should absolutely get the DTaP, the MMR and Hib. He also had me sign a paper which frees him from all responsibility in case my baby is sick or dies; He told me I was putting my child at risk by choosing not to vaccinate her and that there were death risks before the ages of one year; He really scared me. How can I find answers which help me make the right choice? Our eight year old has the opportunity to visit the Galapagos Islands and Equador with his grandparents. He had one MMR as an infant and nothing since. He is currently a big healthy kid and we would consider vaccinating him appropriately for this trip. Do you have any thoughts on what might be appropriate in this situation? We also don't have much time and wouldn't be able to the second round of certain vaccinations. Our local travel clinic has said that those vaccinations requiring follow ups would be of no use after only the first one. Is this true? What is the percentage of children affected by vaccine damage? When was this information gathered? The answer to this is "technically" complex, because it depends on how you define "vaccine damage." Conventional medicine considers vaccine damage as "death" or "serious injury--such as seizure". If that is all that is considered, then the numbers are small---up to 5-10 in a million. However, if you consider the possibility that "vaccine damage" can include problems such as ADD/ADHD, allergies, asthma, eczema, diabetes and cancer, then the actual number will be hundreds of thousands of kids...a much higher percentage. There is a government site called the VAERS database, (for Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System). This site--which can be accessed by anyone--is the only place where vaccine injuries are "tabulated." There are hundreds of thousands reports of vaccine injuries. The reported injury can be anything from a sore arm to a death. In 1998 alone: VAERS received more than 11,000 complaints in from doctors and/or parents. And it is estimated that only between 1-10% of events are reported (reported by David Kessler in JAMA - June 2, 1993. Vol.269, No.21. p.2785)---meaning, there may have realisticallly been >110,000 vaccine reactions. I have always wondered how many reports of an adverse drug reaction have to occur before they remove a drug from a market Do all vaccines have the potential for damage? Yes. There is no such thing as "safe" vaccine. What ages can the damage effect? Babies, children and even college kids? Yes, and even adults. There are many vaccine-injured adults that are total disability because of vaccine injury. The most common vaccines in adults that cause problems are the HepB and tetanus. there have been many deaths reported after the Flu shot in the elderly population. Does the damage show up right away or can it show up after time? There can be an immediate reaction. The problems that occur due to imbalances created in the immune system can take weeks to months to show up. I would say that the "average" is somewhere between a few days to 3-4 months to see...that is why doctors rarely, if ever, "connect the dots." They are only looking for immediate reactions. Most vaccine studies only track the development of problems for up to 14 days after a vaccine is given. This is an arbitrary time line, but certainly cuts out any problems that develop down the road. Are there tests that can be performed to see if your child is more at risk for adverse reactions? Unfortunately, not at this time. These types of tests are under development. However, once available, will be a "double-edged" sword. Tests are never 100% accurate. If your child tests that s/he is NOT at risk, is that a "guarantee"? What if your child test that s/he is NOT at risk, but you don't want to vaccinate them? Will you be forced to vaccinate him? What if s/he still has a reaction? Who will be liable? Who will accept the responsibilty? How can you tell if your child has or had a bad reaction to vaccines? Most parents recognize when something is "not right" with their child. Some common serious reactions are: high pitched screaming/crying; prolonged somulence; high fever; inconsolability; restlessness; seizures. What do you do if you think your child has been affected? You should have an evaluation by your pediatrician and/or a neurologist. However, these conventional docs will most likely only "diagnose" the problem, but offer no solutions...and very little hope for recovery. We have solutions and offer hope at OsteoMed II. That is why more and more kids are finding their way to the Clinic. Are the effects irreversible? Unfortuantely, they are often irreversible. However, OM2 can offer hope for at least a partial recovery...and in some cases, complete recovery. Why does the government push so hard for vaccination if they know they are so bad for you? This would require a long answer to a very political question. It has to do with money, politics, big business and big government. It has to do with the narrowness of medical education--even tho they THINK that they know it all!!---and the unwillingness of those in medicine to look outside what they have been "taught." The vaccine industry is a $7BILLION/yr market...and more being developed all the time. If the person is injured with a vaccine, the pharmacuetical companies have an answer for the created problem: another drug! (imagine that). I could go on and on, but you get the drift. How or where can I get my child tested to see if she has mercury in her (from vaccines or otherwise)? A simple, painless, inexpensive test for the presence of heavy metals is through a hair analysis. Human hair has been selected as one of the important monitoring materials for worldwide biological monitoring in the Global Environmental Monitoring System (GEMS) of the United Nations Environmental Program." (REF: Environmental Protection Agency, Biological Monitoring of Trace Metals, EPA-600/3-80-089). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency supports the use of hair, over blood tests and/or urine tests, as the most effective way to screen for the presence of heavy metals. Basic blood and urine tests inaccurately reflect the amount of metals in the body and are nearly always negative, unless an acute exposure has recently occurred or the total amount of metals in the body is exceptionally high. Heavy metals are poisonous and are quickly eliminated from the body through the liver (passed out through the stool) or through the kidneys (eliminated in the urine.) Metals that are not immediately eliminated become stored in the tissues. The body attempts to eliminate the stored metals through the hair, making a hair analysis a simple way to screen people of all ages for the presence of heavy metals. Because infants and small children are less capable of clearing metals from their blood than adults, the metals are stored more quickly in body tissues. The use of oral antibiotics may also decrease a childÃs ability to eliminate heavy metals. In a study in which rats were given oral antibiotics, the amount of time to excrete a "dose" of mercury increased from 10 days to more than 100 days. If the rat's diet also contained cow's milk, excretion of the dose of mercury took more than 300 days. (Rowland, Archives of Environmental Health 1984: 39(6); 401-408). Therefore, if an infant received mercury-containing vaccines at an early age, was on antibiotics and drinking cow's milk around the time of the vaccines, a large amount of metals could have been deposited in body tissues. Most hair tests measure the following toxic elements: Aluminum, Antimony, Arsenic, Bismuth, Cadmium, Lead, Mercury, Nickel, and Tin, along with a variety of essential minerals including Calcium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Iodine, Magnesium, Manganese, Selenium, Strontium, Sulfur, Zinc. Toxic metals can disrupt many different physiological processes including brain function, kidney blood flow, sleep, and digestion. Some of the minerals in this list - such as magnesium and selenium - are generally considered to be good for you. They are measured in a hair analysis because they can be toxic at high levels. Sources of heavy metals vary from metal to metal. However, in children, mercury (thimerosal) in vaccines is one of the sources for potentially high levels of seen in a hair analysis. Prior to 2000, childhood vaccines contained between 12.5ug and 25ug of thimerosal per shot. Therefore, a fully-vaccinated child could have received up to 237.5ug of thimerosal if all shots were given at the same time. When the manufacturers were told by Congress to remove the thimerosal from the vaccines, a product recall was not enforced. As a result, many thimerosal-containing vaccines remained in doctor's offices, making it critically important to read every package insert prior to the administration of a vaccine. (Note: Thimerosal remains in the following vaccines: dT, DT and most flu shots.) Many companies offer Hair Test Kits through the Internet. A laboratory that I have found very reliable, and will send test kits directly to parents, is Great Smokies Laboratory. However, it is best to work with a healthcare practitioner that is familiar with interpreting a hair analysis to thoroughly understand the results. Another way to estimate the total body burden of heavy metals is through the use of a medication to provoke the excretion of mercury and heavy metals. Provocative testing is performed by administering a chelating agent prior to collection of urine and/or stool for a heavy metal analysis. The agent usually used in children is 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and 2,3-dimercapto-propane-sulfonate (DMPS) is most commonly used for adults. DMSA is safe and approved for use in children. However, blood testing for kidney and liver functions need to be done prior to using these medications. It is my recommendation that chelation needs to be done under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner that is familiar with using this medication. I have been reluctant to give my 2 1/2 year old the MMR because of the controversy surrounding it. I was told by my doctor that receiving the 3 vaccines separately is not an option any longer because the drug companies no longer manufacture separate vaccines. What other options do I have besides not vaccinating Merck & Co., the sole manufacturer of the MMR, is reportedly taking limited orders - 3 boxes per physician, of the single vaccines. Doctors may order the vaccines by contacting their sales rep or by calling Merck at 1-800-422-9675 or 1-800-637-2579. The single vaccines can make the vaccination "safer", but it still in no way makes it "completely safe". In addition, there is no way of knowing how long Merck will continue to manufacture the individual antigen vaccines. There is no doubt that measles can be a serious infection in some children. However, measles occurs in the vast majority of children as an acute febrile illness, lasting for 7-10 days. Nearly all previously health children fully recoveroand have lifetime immunityoafter a bout with the measles. If you choose not to vaccinate, it is important to learn about the infection: Measles, also called rubeola, is primarily a respiratory infection. The first symptoms are irritability, runny nose, eyes that are red and sensitive to light, hacking cough, and a fever that can be as high as 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.6 degrees Celsius). The key diagnostic imarki for measles is called a Koplik spot. This is an area on the inside of the cheek which looks like a bluey-white grain of salt. Most commonly seen on the inside of the cheek near the second upper molar, it can be found anywhere on the gums. The presence of Koplik spots is SPECIFIC for the diagnosis of measles. (Medicine International, 1984, pg 20, Viral Diseases in Man, 83rd Edition, pg 412.) When Koplik spots are present, your child is the MOST contagious. Stay home! After three or four days of fever the characteristic rash appears, which typically begins on the forehead, and spreads downward over the face, neck, and body. The child can appear particularly ill during the first days of the rash. Don't panic! The rash looks like large, flat red to brown blotches that often completely covers the skin, especially on the face and shoulders. The rash fades in the same order that it appeared, forehead first and feet last.*The total time for the rash, from beginning to end, head to toe, is usually 6 days. As the rash disappears, the healing skin may look brown temporarily. In addition, the skin from the palms and the soles usually peels. This is nothing to be concerned about. After the rash disappears, most children recover quickly and will have lifetime immunity to the infection. Support your child with ample fluids, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and cooling baths for the fever. Don't worry if s/he does not have an appetite; fluids is what is important. In addition, you may consider seeking the assistance of a knowledgeable homeopath to support your child's immune system when s/he is experiencing this childhood illness. If you choose to vaccinate, here are some guideline recommendations: Wait until your child is at least two years of age. There really is no irushi to give vaccine at a specific time on the schedule. Give only the MMR at the doctor's visit. Do not allow any other vaccines to be given simultaneously. Be sure that your child has not had type of infection within 3-4 weeks of getting the vaccine and has not taken any antibiotics during that same period. Be sure to read the package insert to ensure that the vaccine your child is receiving is truly thimerosal-free. Since the 1920s, it has been known that giving children with measles Vitamin A greatly improved survival rates. In 1987, the World Health Organization bean advocating the combined administration of Vitamin A with the measles vaccine. When a dose of 100,000 IU of Vitamin A is given with the vaccine, lower rates of side effects occur, and antibodies still develop. Therefore, be sure to give your child is given Vitamin A on the day s/he receives the vaccine. I would also suggest giving powdered Vitamin C (10mg per pound), for 3 days before, the day of, and for 5 days after any vaccine. Vitamin C is a powerful anti-oxidant and can help to decrease the adverse effects of the vaccine. Keep in mind that vaccinated children can still get measles. Even though some children still contract measles, few children actually die from measles. In fact, the death rate from measles in 1955, the death rate from measles was less than 3 per million. (Ref: MMWR. Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999. Impact of Vaccines Universally Recommended for Children -- United States, 1990-1998. April 02, 1999 / 48(12); 243-248.) That was eight years before the measles mass vaccination campaign began, in 1963. I have not vaccinated my children at all, but pertussis really scares me. What kind of treatment and prevention alternatives are there? It is important to understand the infection, pertussis, to decrease the "fear factor". Pertussis, or whooping cough, is an infection involving the respiratory tract. It is caused by a bacterium that can be found in the mouth, nose and throat of an infected person. Pertussis begins as a mild upper respiratory infection with symptoms resembling a common cold: sneezing, runny nose, low-grade fever and a mild cough. Within two weeks, the cough becomes more severe and is characterized by episodes of numerous rapid coughs, followed by a crowing or high pitched "whoop". This occurs as air is forced in through a narrowed trachea (bronchial tube), similar to trying to breathe in through a thin straw. The trachea is narrowed by thick, clear mucus that needs to be suctioned to help the child breathe. The coughing episodes generally are more frequent at night, and may continue for one to two months. Young children have the most severe symptoms. Infants less than six months of age, adolescents and adults often donit have the characteristic whoop. Therefore, a person with a cough that lasts more than a week without improvement should see a health care provider to determine if the cough may be caused by pertussis. Erythromycin, an antibiotic, can be given to treat the infection. If given within the first few weeks of a cough, it may lessen the symptoms. If given later, it has no effect on the course of the infection, but it will decrease the risk of spreading the disease to others. Children can become very ill if they contract pertussis, but they rarely have serious complications. Before the introduction of the vaccine, a steady decline of whooping cough deaths, beginning in 1930, was reported. By the time vaccination began on a national scale in 1957, most deaths from pertussis had ceased. There is no evidence that vaccination played a major role in the decline in incidenc e and mortality in the trend of events. Even more, published studies have not demonstrated a direct correlation between antibody response from the vaccine and protection against pertussis disease. That means that if you get the vaccine, you get all the risks of the vaccine, but perhaps no protection from infection. The best way to prevent against pertussis is the following: Cod liver oil Your grandmother was right. Use 1 tsp. twice daily. A good source for a mercury-free supplement includes products from Kirkman - www.kirkman.com and Nordic Naturals - www.nordicnaturals.com For nursing babies, place a small amount a few times daily in the nipple. These are flavored supplements and the baby will like them. Homeopathics Most homeopathic sarcodes work to build immune resistance to infections. Find a knowledgeable practitioner to work with and recommend the appropriate remedy and dosage for your child. Vitamin C The best immune builder and antioxidant for all ages, even for infants, is Vitamin C. A reasonable dose is 10 mg. per pound, up to 250 mg per day. It is easiest to give in juice if a powdered form is used. Good food sources for getting Vitamin C into your child's diet include calcium-fortified orange juice, strawberries, melons and for older kids, broccoli. You'll know if s/heis is getting too much vitamin C if s/he gets loose diarrhea stools. References: Steward, Gordon T., "Vaccination Against Whooping-Cough Efficacy Versus Risks", The Lancet, January 29, 1977, pp. 234-237 MMWR. March 28, 1997/Vol.46/No. RR-7, pg. 4 www.healthsentinel.com/Vaccines I have decided not to vaccinate until my child is 2. If he gets a "vaccine preventable disease" and I go to a local doctor who discovers I did not choose to vaccinate, could I be held liable? I have heard some nightmare stories about mothers and child protective services. It is the responsibility of your physician to care for your child when s/he is ill. If a pediatrician scolds or threatens you for not vaccinating, I would suggest finding another healthcare provider, perhaps a family practitioner or a nurse practitioner. Keep in mind that a child can become ill, even if s/he has been vaccinated. It may important to point that out to your physician. Here are two examples you can use: "Whooping Cough Cases Spread" New York Times www.nytimes.com 10/26/03 P. N5; by Alice Kenny According to Dr. Michael G. Lasser, a pediatrician in Westchester County, N.Y., who has been treating many of the children involved in an outbreak of whooping cough, the majority of the children have received the vaccine against whooping cough. It is believed that the vaccine is 70- 80 percent effective, meaning that 20- 30 % of immunized children can become infected with whooping cough after serious exposure to the bacterium. Chickenpox vaccine fails at US day care center Dec 19, 2001 (Reuters Health) By Anne Harding An outbreak in Chicago of 23 children began with a child who had been vaccinated, contradicting the belief that such "breakthrough" cases are not contagious. What do I say to a parent who asks if my unvaccinated 1 & 3 year old children pose a health risk to her 3 month old? Unvaccinated children are not "carriers" of disease. Neither are they a "tinderbox" ready to ignite with illness, as the CDC is trying to label them. As a group, unvaccinated children are more healthy than most vaccinated children because they have a completely intact immune system. If your friend is breast feeding-and eating a healthy diet complete with vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids-there is little, if any, risk from your older children. An added protection, have your kids wash their hands before handling her baby. When I told my doctor that I was considering not vaccinating my 6 month old girl, he told me that I should absolutely get the DTaP, the MMR and Hib. He also had me sign a paper which frees him from all responsibility in case my baby is sick or dies; He told me I was putting my child at risk by choosing not to vaccinate her and that there were death risks before the ages of one year; He really scared me. How can I find answers which help me make the right choice? First of all, it is my personal and professional opinion that it is unethical to "scare" ANY patient into making a medical decision, especially when the decision involves an elective procedure (which is what vaccination is). It is even more disconcerting to me when a physician uses threats to force parents to make on-the-spot decisions regarding a procedure that can affect the long-term health of their child. Is this the physician you wish to have care for your child if she became seriously ill? I know that this may be difficult to do, but if signing this release becomes mandatory-and you cannot-or do not wish-to change physicians, I suggest that you politely request your doctor to sign a reciprocal release, one that states he is willing accept full responsibility (and full liability) if your child becomes ill or dies from the vaccines. He is forcing you to do something that may be against your wishes for your child. It is highly doubtful that he will comply. So from here, perhaps you can reach a reasonable compromise. Making the right decision regarding vaccination requires a willingness to do your homework. There is no urgency to vaccinate, so you have time on your side. Here are the websites that I suggest for more information: The National Vaccine Information Center at www.909shot.org; Vaccination Liberation at www.vaclib.org; Vaccination News at www.vaccinationnews.com; Dr Joe Mercola's website at www.mercola.com; Nicholas Regush's scientific site at www.RedFlagsDaily.com and of course, Mothering Magazine's site at www.mothering.com. In addition, I have information in the form of videos, articles and seminars that can be found on my website, www.nmaseminars.com. Information regarding your pediatrician's and the Center for Disease Control's position on vaccination can be found at www.CDC.gov There are dozens of links to hundreds of pages of information supporting vaccines and vaccination. The Journal of Pediatric Infectious Disease contains most of the research studies regarding vaccine clinical trials. That web address is www.PIDJ.com. Abstracts are available for viewing, but to read the entire article, a fee is required. If you chose to vaccinate, I recommend that you wait until your child is at least 6 months of age, preferably older. Do only one vaccine at a time, at least a month apart. The reason that multiple vaccines are given at one time is 1) for doctor convenience, and 2) because most health insurances pay for the 2-4-6 month "well baby visits", but not for additional visits just to receive for vaccines. If you can't afford to pay for these additional visits as an out-of-pocket expense, but wish to only give one vaccine at a time, consider using your local health department. Our eight year old has the opportunity to visit the Galapagos Islands and Equador with his grandparents. He had one MMR as an infant and nothing since. He is currently a big healthy kid and we would consider vaccinating him appropriately for this trip. Do you have any thoughts on what might be appropriate in this situation? We also don't have much time and wouldn't be able to the second round of certain vaccinations. Our local travel clinic has said that those vaccinations requiring follow ups would be of no use after only the first one. Is this true? It is important to recognize that there are no required travel vaccines to the Galapagos Islands or, for that matter, to most countries in the world. Vaccines are only "recommended" so there is no urgency involved in this decision. In addition, you recognize that your son is a "big healthy kid." The likelihood of him contracting measles is extraordinarily small, even if exposed. Since he received one MMR as an infant, he may have some residual anemestic (memory) response, giving him some degree of immunity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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