Measles hysteria - Somewhat of a rant/vent

[SilverMoon010]

Someone please explain this to me.  I'm still not getting the hysteria surrounding measles. (This has been on my mind since I read the other thread about a measles outbreak and it got me all riled up, so forgive me if I am just throwing this out there out of nowhere)

From those in my extended family who have had the measles in the 50s, they all say it was no big deal, and from what I have read and researched, it is very rarely a serious illness, only consisting of serious complications in the most rarest cases.  Of course people can die from complications of measles, but of course people can die of all kinds of complications throughout life. You can die driving a car, flying in a plane, undergoing surgery, from certain medications, vaccines, etc.  The number of measles cases are not all reported because if treated properly and you are a healthy person, you can be treated without medical care and come out fine.  So, we really can't compare apples to apples when comparing the numbers of measles cases per year to the number of deaths from measles. (Have they ever even conducted a study such as that?) You never hear how many people had measles and came out fine.  You only hear about the deaths or complications, and yet, the data is still not 100% clear. The data is never sufficient. Plus, you'd always have to take the consideration of the health of the person involved as well, and vaccinated versus unvaccinated. Not all studies take all of these factors into consideration. (Unless I am missing something.)

Another point is that the MMR vaccine contains live viruses and those vaccinated are known carriers of the virus, thus having the ability to expose others around them to the virus, vaccinated or not.  In addition, ironically enough, the serious complications of the measles virus (which are rare) just about mirror the serious side effects of the MMR vaccine. How is this justified?

People speak of how the vaccine "saved" everyone from measles, yet, there are outbreaks that still pop up.  Everyone is so fast to blame the unvaccinated for these outbreaks, but like someone mentioned in another post (Calm, I believe), how do we know the virus didn't start from the vaccinated since it sheds? We certainly don't know that.  The majority of children are vaccinated, so it is a good argument.

If you have a healthy child whose immune system has not been compromised and has been built up, and you know how to care for measles properly, why is everyone so scared of it? With fear-mongering aside, what is the real issue?  I really want to hear others take on it, vaxers and nonvaxers. Maybe I am missing something.  I am completely open to hearing all sides of the argument, if anyone cares to weigh in.

Edited by SilverMoon010 - 4/11/11 at 7:58am

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by SilverMoon010 

Someone please explain this to me.  I'm still not getting the hysteria surrounding measles. (This has been on my mind since I read the other thread about a measles outbreak and it got me all riled up, so forgive me if I am just throwing this out there out of nowhere)

I'm with you. The fear of measles baffles me. I, and just about every single kid I grew up with, had measles and not one kid had a bad outcome. Measles wasn't a feared disease at all, it was just part of growing up. The only kid I know that didn't get measles was my unvaxed sister (she had one DPT as a baby, had a severe reaction and was never vaxed for anything again). I would really like to understand the measles fear because having lived through it and it being nothing much, I scratch my head over this question and find it difficult to relate to those who do fear it. I am a little sorry than none of my kids have had it. But I am certainly not worried about them getting it even though they are getting older and one is an adult (20, 13 and 11). My eldest did get the MMR , not because I was afraid of measles, but because I didn't have an objection to vaccination at that point and I just followed along, but the younger two are completely unvaccinated.

[Marnica]

Im speaking for others here, but I think some who have posted about the dangers of measles have persoanl experience with measles complications. So coming from their own personal experience - measles is a dangerous illness and can cause death, so therefore they choose to vaccinate. Not so unlike people who don't vaccinate anymore  or never did do not because their child suffered from an adverse reaction or they have a family member who did .Whatever everyone's choices about vaccinating are based on - persoanal experience probably factors into that to some degree or another.

As for measles, I have no personal experience. I have spoken to my parents, my grandmother and others of their generation and they all had measles - did not fear it and fared just fine. Much like Chicken pox has been for my generation. I do think that the measles vaccine is very effiective which is why when outbreaks occur in highly vaccinated populations, that it's either blamed on the unvaccinated or a lack of herd immunity. Personally measles concerns me a bit just like all the other diseases that I have no direct personal experience with concern me. However I do not think that measles would be dangerouos to a otherwise healthy child and our ND has experience treating measles. Ive also done a lot of reading so I would feel prepared should measles ever find our home.

[sosurreal09]

I think it is very viable to compare measles and chicken pox. I am not afraid of either one. I have personally noticed though that now since the CP vax is being pushed I am hearing ridiculous irrational fear of CP (so I am thinking this may be how the measles fear started). the pedi that is the head Dr at my DD's office gave me a huge speech about all the lives the CP vax will save and how dangerous CP is and all the complications ect ect. He claims hundreds of children die every single year from CP and this vax will do amazing things us. I had CP it was hardly anything and I am not afraid of it, when I told him this then I got the whole "you will be out of work for weeks and your baby could get scars all over!" REALLY? Well I am a SAHM and I have no scars to show for mine...again not afraid.

[SilverMoon010]

Thanks for your input guys. 

Edited by SilverMoon010 - 4/13/11 at 5:46am

[TonyaW]

Marnica, I am interested in how you would deal with measles. I haven't been too concerned about it, but then my son always gets respiratory infections when he is sick and that is a common complication of measles right. So I am curious about the best way to deal with measles if we ever have to. I know about vitamin A, but I am not sure in what form. Recently there was measles in Texas, nearby to my home.

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by TonyaW 

Marnica, I am interested in how you would deal with measles. I haven't been too concerned about it, but then my son always gets respiratory infections when he is sick and that is a common complication of measles right. So I am curious about the best way to deal with measles if we ever have to. I know about vitamin A, but I am not sure in what form. Recently there was measles in Texas, nearby to my home.

Personally I would be consulting Kate Birch's book which I have at home http://www.amazon.com/Prevention-Treatment-Infectious-Contagious-Homeopathy/dp/1425118690

and I would be calling our ND who has treated measles before.