After vaccines babies get sick like if they took low dosage radiation

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Radiation Reactions and Injuries by Merck ChapterRadiation Reactions and Injuries by Merck Manualhttp://www.lotusbirth.com/doc/FEB2003Lotusbirth-616.htmfor Complete information this is Merck's link: http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/section20/chapter278/278a.jspThese are the concerns of Donna Young, Natural Birth Education. For Reference this url is: www.lotusbirth.com/doc/FEB2003Lotusbirth-616.htm revised March 29, 2004 This radiation reactions is mentioned because, in communication with mothers of sick babies, alleged to be after vaccinations, I noticed that their babies have the same symptoms of a person sick with low dosages of radiation. They do not die, they just are continually sick. I have wondered if the metals used in the vaccinations were radioactive and should be routinely tested, randomly. Today, the drug companies select the lots of vaccinations they want the Food and Drug authorities to inspect. Perhaps the testing should be randomized from community to community. by Donna Young, Natural Birth Education.Here is the information provided by Merck on Radiation exposure, the highlights my own:"Ionizing radiation (eg, x-rays, neutrons, protons, {PRIVATE "TYPE=PICT;ALT=alpha"}or {PRIVATE "TYPE=PICT;ALT=beta"}particles, {PRIVATE "TYPE=PICT;ALT=gamma"}-rays) damages tissue directly or by secondary reactions. High doses of radiation can produce observable somatic effects within days. Many years later, DNA changes due to smaller doses may lead to chronic disease in exposed persons or to a genetic defect in their offspring. Relationships between the degree of damage and the healing or death of a cell are complex. Harmful sources of ionizing radiation include high-energy x-rays used for diagnosis and therapy, radium and other naturally occurring radioactive materials (eg, radon), nuclear reactors, cyclotrons, linear accelerators, alternating gradient synchrotrons, sealed cobalt and cesium sources for cancer therapy, and numerous other artificially produced radioactive materials used in medicine and industry. Large amounts of radiation have accidentally escaped from reactors several times--eg, the well-publicized accidents at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania in 1979 and at Chernobyl in the Ukraine in 1986. .." significant radiation was detected in most of Eastern Europe and in parts of Western Europe, Asia, and the USA. Commonly used units of measurement are the roentgen, gray, and sievert.The roentgen ® is the amount of x or {PRIVATE "TYPE=PICT;ALT=gamma"}ionizing radiation in air.The gray (Gy) is the amount of energy absorbed by a tissue or substance and applies to all types of radiation. The R and the centigray (cGy) are essentially equivalent.The sievert (Sv) equals the Gy adjusted by a quality factor to account for the biologic effect. It is used because different types of radiation have different biologic effects for a given amount of energy; eg, neutrons have a greater effect. For x and {PRIVATE "TYPE=PICT;ALT=gamma"}radiation, the Sv equals the Gy. The Gy and Sv have replaced the rad and rem (Gy = 100 rad; Sv = 100 rem) in current nomenclature. Radiation is often characterized in the lay press as low level (0.2 to 0.3 Gy) or high level (> 0.3 Gy). Medical doses are usually < 0.05 Gy and frequently < 0.01 Gy.The low levels of background radioactivity in the earth and its atmosphere have no detectable effects. Somatic or genetic effects depend on several factors, including total dose and dose rate (radiation dose/unit of time). The probability of measurable effects increases as total dose or dose rate increases. An observable effect is likely after a single rapid dose of several Gy, but the same dose given over weeks or months may be tolerated with little measurable acute effect. Radiation effects also depend on the amount of body area exposed. The entire human body can probably absorb a single dose of up to 2 Gy without death; however, as the whole-body dose approaches 4.5 Gy, the death rate is about 50% (lethal dose [LD]50), and a whole-body dose of > 6 Gy given in a very short time is almost certainly fatal. In contrast, tens of Gy can be tolerated when delivered over a long period to a small area of tissue (eg, for cancer therapy). Distribution of the dose within the body is also important. Generally, the more rapid the turnover of the cell, the greater its sensitivity to radiation. Most sensitive are lymphoid cells , followed by (in descending order) gonads , proliferating bone marrow cells, bowel epithelial cells, epidermis, hepatic cells, epithelium of lung alveoli and biliary passages, kidney epithelial cells, endothelial cells (pleura and peritoneum), nerve cells, bone cells, and muscle and connective tissue cells. During radiation therapy, vulnerable areas (eg, bowel, bone marrow) are shielded so that high whole-body doses, which would otherwise be fatal, can be used.Pathophysiology At sufficiently high doses, cell necrosis occurs. High but sublethal doses may interfere with cell proliferation by decreasing the rate of mitosis, by slowing DNA synthesis, or by causing cells to become polypoid. In tissues that normally undergo continual renewal (eg, bowel epithelium, bone marrow, gonads), radiation produces dose-dependent progressive hypoplasia, atrophy, and eventually fibrosis. Some cells, injured but still capable of mitosis, may pass through one or two generative cycles, producing abnormal progeny (eg, giant metamyelocytes, hypersegmented neutrophils) before dying. The somatic and genetic effects of doses < 100 mGy are usually estimated by linear extrapolation from studies of higher doses, because few objective data on the effects of very low doses are available. Some researchers postulate a threshold effect, which is not fully understood. Studies in which animals exposed to extremely low levels of additional radiation survived longer than animals exposed only to background radiation have been reported.Symptoms and SignsAcute radiation syndromes: Syndromes can be divided into cerebral, GI, and hematopoietic depending on dose, dose rate, body area, and time after exposure.The cerebral syndrome, produced by extremely high whole-body doses of radiation (> 30 Gy), is always fatal. It consists of three phases: a prodromal period of nausea and vomiting; listlessness and drowsiness, ranging from apathy to prostration (possibly due to nonbacterialinflammatory foci in the brain or to radiation-induced toxic products); and tremors, convulsions, ataxia, and death within a few hours to a few days.The GI syndrome is produced by whole-body doses of >= 4 Gy. It is characterized by intractable nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea that lead to severe dehydration, diminished plasma volume, and vascular collapse.The GI syndrome results from tissue necrosis and is perpetuated by progressive atrophy of GI mucosa. Bacteremia due to necrotic bowel also occurs. Ultimately, the intestinal villi are denuded, with massive loss of plasma into the intestine. GI epithelial cells may regenerate after 4 to 6 days if there is massive plasma replacement; antibiotics may keep patients alive during this period. However, hematopoietic failure ensues within 2 or 3 wk and is usually fatal.The hematopoietic syndrome is produced by whole-body doses of 2 to 10 Gy and initially causes anorexia, apathy, nausea, and vomiting.These symptoms may be maximal within 6 to 12 h, subsiding completely within 24 to 36 h after exposure. However, during this period of relative well-being, lymph nodes, spleen, and bone marrow begin to atrophy, leading to pancytopenia. Atrophy results from direct killing of radiosensitive cells and from inhibition of new cell production. In the peripheral blood, lymphopenia develops immediately, becoming maximal within 24 to 36 h. Neutropenia develops more slowly. Thrombocytopenia may be prominent within 3 or 4 wk.In the hematopoietic syndrome, susceptibility to infection (by saprophytic and pathogenic organisms) increases because of a dose-dependentdecrease in circulating granulocytes and lymphocytes, dose-dependent impairment of antibody production, impairment of granulocyte migration and phagocytosis, decreased ability of the reticuloendothelial system to kill phagocytized bacteria, diminished resistance to bacterial spread in subcutaneous tissues, and development of hemorrhagic areas (due mainly to thrombocytopenia) in the skin and bowel, which enable bacteria to enter and grow.Acute radiation sickness: This disorder develops in a small proportion of patients after radiation therapy (particularly to the abdomen). Its cause is not understood. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, headache, malaise, and tachycardia of varying severity typically occur, then subside within a few hours or days.Intermediate delayed effects: Prolonged or repeated exposure at a low-dose rate from internally deposited or external sources of radiation may produce amenorrhea and decreased libido in women and decreased fertility, anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and cataracts in both sexes.Higher doses or highly localized exposure causes loss of hair, skin atrophy and ulceration, keratosis, and telangiectasia. Ultimately, squamous cell carcinomas may develop. Osteosarcomas may appear years after ingestion of radioactive bone-seeking nuclides (eg, radium salts).Extensive radiation therapy for cancer can occasionally cause serious injury to exposed organs.If the kidneys are irradiated, GFR and renal tubular function may decrease.Extremely high doses may result in the acute onset of clinical manifestations (eg, proteinuria, renal insufficiency of varying degree, anemia, hypertension) after a latent period of 6 mo to 1 yr.When cumulative kidney exposure is > 20 Gy in < 5 wk, radiation fibrosis and oliguric renal failure develop in about 37% of patients. In the remainder, various changes develop over a prolonged period.Large accumulated doses to muscles may result in painful myopathy with atrophy and calcification. Very rarely, neoplastic changes (eg, sarcoma) follow.After irradiation for lung cancer, severe radiation pneumonitis and subsequent pulmonary fibrosis may develop and can be fatal after a cumulative dose of > 30 Gy if treatment is not spread over a long enough period. Extensive radiation therapy to the mediastinum can produce radiation pericarditis and myocarditis. Catastrophic myelopathy may develop after a cumulative dose of > 50 Gy to a segment of the spinal cord. However, this risk can be minimized by limiting the dose rate to 2 Gy/day. If the rate is 8 Gy/day, myelopathy may occur at a cumulative dose as low as 16 Gy (after 2 days of treatment).After extensive radiation of abdominal lymph nodes (eg, for seminoma, lymphoma, or ovarian carcinoma), chronic ulceration, fibrosis, and perforation of the bowel may develop.The use of high-energy photons (which penetrate deeply into tissues) in cobalt-60 units and linear accelerators has virtually eliminated the skin erythema and ulceration that occurred when orthovoltage x-ray therapy was used.Late somatic and genetic effects: Radiation of somatic cells may result in diseases--such as cancer (eg, leukemia; thyroid, skin, or bone cancer) and cataracts--or, as suggested by animal models, in nonspecific shortening of life. Thyroid cancer may occur 20 to 30 yr after x-ray therapy for adenoid and tonsillar hypertrophy. Externally delivered radiation appears to have a greater biologic effect than radioiodine.Radiation to germ cells affects the genes, and mutations increase. Procreation perpetuates the mutations, resulting in an increased number of genetic defectives in subsequent generations. The long-term probability of a measurable genetic or somatic effect appearing in a given individual is estimated to be 10-2/Gy.Diagnosis and PrognosisWhen the cerebral or GI syndrome is present, diagnosis is simple, but the prognosis is grave. Death results within hours to a few days in the cerebral syndrome and usually in 3 to 10 days in the GI syndrome. In the hematopoietic syndrome, death may occur in 8 to 50 days, in 2 to 4 wk due to a supervening infection, or in 3 to 6 wk due to massive hemorrhage. GI or hematopoietic malfunction is fatal if the acute whole-body dose is > 6 Gy, but if the dose is < 6 Gy, survival is possible and is inversely related to total dose.For a person who is receiving radiation therapy or has been exposed during a radiation accident, diagnosis is obvious. Prognosis depends on dose, dose rate, and body distribution. Serial hematologic and bone marrow studies to gauge the severity of bone marrow injury provide additional prognostic information.For chronic radiation injury in which external exposure is unknown or overlooked, a diagnosis may be difficult or impossible. Possible occupational exposure must be sought. In institutions licensed by federal or state governments, records of exposure to radiation are maintained. Serial chromosome studies can be performed to detect types and frequency of chromosomal abnormalities likely to occur after significant exposure, but these abnormalities may have preexisted or have other causes.Periodic examination for cataracts is appropriate if the eyes are habitually exposed to radiation, especially neutrons. Exposed patients may be monitored using handheld rate-meter probes or sophisticated whole-body counting. Urine should be analyzed for non-{PRIVATE "TYPE=PICT;ALT=gamma"}-emitting radionuclides if exposure to these agents is suspected. Radon breath analysis can be performed if radium ingestion is suspected.In cases of alleged radiation exposure, exact diagnosis is probably impossible unless the person has received a documented external or internal dose. If hematologic values are normal and no objective clinical disease is found, the patient and others concerned can be reassured.ProphylaxisMany drugs and chemicals (eg, sulfhydryl compounds) increase survival rate in animals if given before irradiation. However, none are practical for humans. The only way to minimize fatal or serious overexposure is to rigorously enforce protective measures and to adhere to maximum permissible dose levels. These levels are described in U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Code of Federal Regulations-Energy, Part 20, Title 10 (10CFR20), Standards for Protection Against Radiation, published by the Office of the Federal Register, U.S. Government Printing Office Superintendent of Documents, Washington, DC 20452.TreatmentRadioactive materials contaminating the skin should be immediately removed using copious water irrigation and special chelating solutions containingethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA--eg, Radiac Wash) when available .Small puncture wounds must be cleaned vigorously, using irrigation and debridement, until the wound is free of radioactivity.Ingested radioactive material should be removed promptly by inducing vomiting or, if exposure is recent, by lavage.If radioiodine is inhaled or ingested in large quantities, the patient should be given Lugol's (strong iodine) solution or saturated solution ofpotassium iodide for days to weeks to block thyroid uptake, and diuresis should be promoted. Patients with an iodine allergy should not be given Lugol's solution.Because the acute cerebral syndrome is fatal, treatment is palliative and includes managing shock and anoxia, relieving pain and anxiety, and giving sedatives to control convulsions.For the GI syndrome, antiemetics, sedatives, and antibiotics may suffice if exposure was modest. If oral feeding can be started, a bland diet is tolerated best. Fluids, electrolytes, and plasma, by appropriate routes, may be required in large amounts. Amount and type are dictated by blood chemistry (especially electrolytes and proteins), BP, pulse, fluid exchange, and skin turgor.For the hematopoietic syndrome, with potentially lethal infection, hemorrhage, and anemia, management is similar to that of marrow hypoplasia and pancytopenia, regardless of cause (see Aplastic Anemia {HYPERLINK "../../section11/chapter127/127c.jsp" \l "A011-127-0124"} in Ch. 127).Antibiotics, fresh blood, and platelet transfusions are the main therapies. Aseptic technique must be used during all skin-puncturing procedures, and the patient must be isolated to prevent exposure to pathogens.Concurrent antineoplastic chemotherapy or use of other marrow-suppressing drugs, unless strongly indicated because of a preexisting disorder or sudden complication, should be avoided because bone marrow may be suppressed further.If a person may have received a dose of > 2 Gy, tissue type should be determined, and a compatible bone marrow donor should be sought. A marrow transplant from an identical twin increases the likelihood of survival. If granulocytes and platelets fall to < 500/µL and < 20,000/µL, respectively, homotransplantation of marrow should be considered, although the likelihood of success is small and transplantation may be followed by a potentially fatal immunologic graft-vs.-host reaction (see Bone Marrow Transplantation{HYPERLINK "../../section12/chapter149/149h.jsp" \l "A012-149-0647"} in Ch. 149).Symptoms of radiation sickness due to radiation therapy of the abdomen can be reduced by an antiemetic (eg, prochlorperazine 5 to 10 mg po or IM qid) and may be prevented by prior administration. Ondansetron and granisetron, used for symptoms caused by chemotherapy, may also help in radiation sickness but are much more expensive. The radiotherapist and referring physician must cooperate closely, giving attention to nutrition and fluid balance. Careful planning of overall management (eg, dose, interval between treatments, supportive therapy) can prevent most problems.For severe chronic exposure, removing the patient from the radiation source is the first step. If radium, thorium, or radiostrontium is deposited in the body, prompt administration of oral and parenteral chelating drugs (eg, EDTA) increases excretion.However, in the late stages, these drugs are useless .Radiation ulcers and cancers require surgical removal and plastic repair. Radiation-induced leukemia is treated in the same way as a similar spontaneous leukemia. Whole-blood transfusion can correct anemia, and platelet transfusions may reduce thrombocytopenic bleeding.However, the value of these measures is only temporary because the probability that extensively damaged bone marrow will regenerate is slight. No effective treatment of sterility or of ovarian and testicular dysfunction, except for hormonal supplementation, is available._____________________Home: www.lotusbirth.comA medical web site to visit: www.cordclamping.comContact: dyoung