[QUOTE=NYMOM07;15299914]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marnica  I do not fear measles. I am well read on the subject, I know what to look out for and how to treat it naturally/homeopathically should it ever come to our house. QUOTE]
marnica, i found this pamphlet http://www.measlesinitiative.org/mi-...20Children.pdf
what do you think since you say your are well versed on the disease and how to treat it? basically this pamphlet scared the sh*t out of me and now i really dont know what to do. i do understand that the severe measles cases are in very poor developing countires, but what if my child for whatever reason is not healthy enough to fight it off? the pamphlet also states that kids are suseptible to secondary infection for a long time after getting the measles, which is also scary.
one last thing, it says in kids over 2 to get 200,000 ius of vitamin a as a treatment. where do you get that much vit. a in a capsule? the doctor? |
Im going to pipe in here as I feel the same way as Marnica.
I have vit. A drops, each drop is 5,000 IU. cant remember where I ordered from but it shouldn't be hard to find in any vitamin catalog. However, in the pdf it was clear to state this large amount was to be used for measles only in the following conditions:
• in areas where measles case fatality is probably more than 1 %
• in areas of known vitamin A deficiency
• in all cases of
severe complicated measles.
If you are living in NY chances are your child is
not going to be one of the ones described in this pamplet which seem to deal with vit. A deficient children (malnourished in many other ways too) in developing countries. I would not feel comfortable giving my child that much vit. A. I would probably supplement a little (with cod liver oil or some drops) but probably nowhere near 200,000 ...unless my child was already diagnosed as having 'severe complicated measles' and then I'd consider it, with drs supervision.. This is a fat soluble vitamin you don't want to overdose on.
I'm guessing the reason the child is susceptible to other infections for a long time afterwards is because having measles wipes out the body stores of vit. A (which is needed for ALL infections not just measles) - eating healthy afterwards should replenish vitamin and mineral levels (unless of course you are starving and malnourished and do not have adequate foods to build and maintain health)
Thanks for the link- I didnt realize they gave this vax as early as 6 months in developing countries. Wow.
This whole thing is written for developing countries. not the U.S. So I don't understand why it alarms you really. The same thing (or similar) could probably be said of influenza, chicken pox, and so many other illnesses. These common infections can KILL young children (or anyone for that matter, I'd guess) if they are malnourished and starving and do not have access to modern medicine (like iv fluids to prevent death from dehydration, for example) Being malnourished weakens the whole body leaving it susceptible to common infections that everyone else would not have a problem with. If you feel your child is malnourished and not getting adequate nutrition then I can understand your fear. Otherwise ?? I don't get it, I read the entire thing and it was not alarming. IF my child for whatever reason was unlucky and got complication, I would be worried as anyone would, but chances are he would get the common complications listed (pneumonia, ear infection, cough, etc) - these are all things children already get, (and some of which he already had before)
This was very interesting though.
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