Melanies marvellous measles - book controversy

[kathymuggle]

This is a straight steal from the vaccine debate and discussion forum….I figured I would find out what fellow non-vaxxers and selectives think….

http://shop.avn.org.au/melanies-marvellous-measles/

I am going to see if I can find a copy online to read.

[researchaddict]

It sounds like a good book and since we are all going to have to talk to our children about it someday, someone elses story who went through it already could be useful. Let me know if you find it online! Plz

[kathymuggle]

It looks like we can download it here for 3.99.  Still on the hunt for a free version, though!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/117214382/Melanie-s-Marvelous-Measles

[Chloebelle]

Interesting. I don't know that I would want to read it and open up a can of worms unless it became an issue. They are getting used to being "different" than other kids by being vegetarian, still riding around in 5-point harnessed car seats while all their friends barely sit in a booster, never been to places like McDonalds, etc. They've asked questions, but they seem to take it all in stride. I'm not sure how necessary a book like this would be for us, but it would be good to have on hand.

[kathymuggle]

I have failed to find a free book online.

So here are two reviews, chosen for outlining the plot.  1st is from a alternative website, the second is from a skeptic website (with the requisite warning that skeptic sites are not non-vax friendly).

http://naturematters.info/mmmbookreview/

http://www.skepticat.org/2013/01/a-review-of-melanies-marvelous-measles/

They pretty much agree on  the talking points of the book, which are thus (copied from nature matters, as they put it in easy point form for us) :

"Ø two vaccinated school-age children get measles;

Ø the experience of measles in these children mirrors the quality of their daily nutrition prior to disease;

Ø an unvaccinated child, whose family knows the value of proper nutrition and shuns vaccination due to adverse effects experienced by an older sibling, does not develop any measles symptoms despite visiting her friend during illness;

Ø vegetable sources of vitamin A are suggested to prevent or speed up the recovery from measles;

Ø having measles in childhood is suggested to be beneficial due to building the immunity from disease."

Not surprisingly at all, some pro-vaxxers want to ban the book:

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/15801894/fury-over-book-promoting-measles/

In the name of not having a big wall of text, I will give my opinion later.  I am curious as to what other people think. 

Edited by kathymuggle - 2/9/13 at 11:51am

[kathymuggle]

Quick over-view of measles and its complications (UK)

http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Measles.htm

[rachelsmama]

I think that while I would probably agree with many of the book's points (basing this on the summary, I haven't read it), because of the fairly provocative title choice the book is being largely dismissed, and much of the message is being lost except to those people who already agree with it.  Also, even though I can see how a healthy child catching measles  could be a good thing in the long run, I find the title a bit tasteless.  I can understand feeling relieved that a child is developing a natural immunity at a time when they can best handle the illness, I just can't quite bring myself to call it marvelous.

[kathymuggle]

Originally Posted by kathymuggle 

Ø the experience of measles in these children mirrors the quality of their daily nutrition prior to disease;

I think this is true in general - healthier people usually weather illness better, and nutrition is a component of health.  

Ø an unvaccinated child, whose family knows the value of proper nutrition and shuns vaccination due to adverse effects experienced by an older sibling, does not develop any measles symptoms despite visiting her friend during illness;

1/2 true.  Many people whose children experience a vaccine reaction wisely choose to  not vaccinate further children.  Measles is highly contagious though, so I would expect an unvaccinated child to get measles if they are in contact with it.  It would not surprise me if a vaccinated child got it either - take a look at this story out of Quebec where half the measles cases were in people fully vaccinated with 2 doses.  ://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2011/10/20/measles-quebec-vaccine-schedule.html

Ø vegetable sources of vitamin A are suggested to prevent or speed up the recovery from measles;

Vit. A deficiency is linked to higher rates of complications with measles.  I have no idea if supplemental Vit. A helps with measles - but I would certainly take increase Vit. A if I had measles.  It won't harm and may help.

Ø having measles in childhood is suggested to be beneficial due to building the immunity from disease."

True - unless you are one of the unlikely few who do not come through measles unscathed.  I think mounting an immune response to things and recovering from them is good for you.  I also think immunity from the disease is higher if you had the wild disease than if you had a vaccine.  I do not know if breastfed infants get some immunity from breastmilk if there mother was vaccinated for measles: I do think they get some immunity if their mother had measles.

Not surprisingly at all, some pro-vaxxers want to ban the book:

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/15801894/fury-over-book-promoting-measles/

In the name of not having a big wall of text, I will give my opinion later.  I am curious as to what other people think. 

I think this is over the top.  It is a book - if you do not want your kids to have it, do not buy it or take it out of the library.  I don't care if people think there is "erroneous" stuff in it - there is stuff I think is erroneous or questionable in a lot of books - we do not suggest banning them.

I like the idea of trying to normalise or take the scariness out of childhood disease.  I wish they had used a different disease though - flu or chicken pox would have been good ones.  Measles is a little too rare and a has a bit too high of a complication rate (in my eyes, I know opinion varies) for such a book.  Chicken pox would have been better.  

Edited by kathymuggle - 2/9/13 at 4:08pm