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"He'll get scarlet fever and have heart problems if you don't have him vaxed!"  

post #1 of 20
12/31/06 at 3:50pm
Thread Starter 
My aunt (who is a former nurse) decided to say this to me as my whole extended family was sitting around the Christmas dinner table. Grey has a cold right now and was coughing pretty hard and my aunt (who was informed that Grey isn't vaxed by my grandmother : ) said "you know whooping cough is going around here and if he's not up to date on his vaccinations he might end up with scarlet fever and have heart problems the rest of his life!" The tone was so accusatory and my aunt is a very loud, nosy, negative person anyway so I just ignored her comment and continued to eat my food making a noise like "hmmm"

What I wanted to say was:

"you ignorant fool! Scarlet fever is caused by strep, for which there is no vaccine!"

My grandmother keeps making little comments too like "we've got to get this baby his vaccinations, we don't want him to get sick" and I just scowl and say "I will be making the decisions for Grey thank you very much"

My family is very ignorant and they see me as just a hippie trying to be different by not vaxing, not circing, breastfeeding, etc. I think I'll just have to put together a big binder of information for them to read and tell them that until they have that the issue of vaccination is off limits.

whew....if you made it this far, thanks for listening! Had to get that off my chest!
post #2 of 20
12/31/06 at 3:55pm


Some day they will see that you have the healthiest, brightest, nicest kids in the family. Just you wait....

Hang in there, you are a super mom. Don't let anyone discourage you. Least of all an old nurse. They are just simply brainwashed and never learned to think for themselves.

We have several exceptions here on MDC of moms who are RN's and know what it's all about. But they are rare.
post #3 of 20
12/31/06 at 5:29pm
You could tell her you know someone (ME) who had Scarlet fever and is just fine.
post #4 of 20
12/31/06 at 5:54pm
you SHOULD have said that. stop them in their tracks!

THEY are being ignorant, not you.

s

rach
post #5 of 20
12/31/06 at 7:18pm
doublepost. sorry.
post #6 of 20
12/31/06 at 7:26pm
Yes, you should have said that. Or at least laughed
post #7 of 20
12/31/06 at 8:36pm
Yeah, I definitely would've told her very nicely that there is no vaccine to prevent scarlet fever. That way, everyone would at least know that you do know something about the issue. I wouldn't fight if it happened again, but I would inform... just when someone has little factoids wrong.
post #8 of 20
12/31/06 at 9:25pm
Thread Starter 
thanks you guys! I do wish I had simply informed her of her misinformation, but knowing my aunt, it would have just snowballed into a "let's pick on Jen"-fest.
post #9 of 20
12/31/06 at 10:17pm
I don't know how much good the following would do, if any, but depending on the age of your grandmother, you can ask her what shots SHE had and then let her know what they are getting today.

Many say they had the shots and they are fine, but often times they are sporting far fewer than today's children!
post #10 of 20
12/31/06 at 11:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LoveChild421 View Post
thanks you guys! I do wish I had simply informed her of her misinformation, but knowing my aunt, it would have just snowballed into a "let's pick on Jen"-fest.
I can definitely understand wanting to avoid that!!! Some people...:
post #11 of 20
1/1/07 at 12:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LoveChild421 View Post
thanks you guys! I do wish I had simply informed her of her misinformation, but knowing my aunt, it would have just snowballed into a "let's pick on Jen"-fest.
Jen, I just watched the video of your little family. I can't imagine your aunt wanting to pick on you with such a beautiful and healthy looking little son. There is something wrong with that women. :
post #12 of 20
1/1/07 at 12:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LoveChild421 View Post
My aunt (who is a former nurse) decided to say this to me as my whole extended family was sitting around the Christmas dinner table. Grey has a cold right now and was coughing pretty hard and my aunt (who was informed that Grey isn't vaxed by my grandmother : ) said "you know whooping cough is going around here and if he's not up to date on his vaccinations he might end up with scarlet fever and have heart problems the rest of his life!"
My reply would have been Oh right (cough, cough) I think you were a nurse after they first brought out the Scarlet fever vaccine. I read a medical article about that not so long ago. How they used it in USA in the late 20's and through to the 30's, then when they realised that it killed and maimed far more children than the disease itself, they quietly stopped using it. And guess what? We still don't have a vaccine for Scarlet Fever today. Now, auntie, what year was it you did your nursing training in?
post #13 of 20
1/1/07 at 12:24am
What in the world does whooping cough have to do with scarlet fever

And your aunt was a nurse?!
post #14 of 20
1/1/07 at 12:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by momto l&a View Post
What in the world does whooping cough have to do with scarlet fever

And your aunt was a nurse?!
I thought that too, but I thought that might be seen as being a bit on the nose.
post #15 of 20
1/1/07 at 12:36am
Yeah, Scarlet Fever is no big whoop (sorry , I couldn't resist, having survived both. Years apart & croup was worse than both put together! Where's that croup vax?)
post #16 of 20
1/1/07 at 12:46am
I hear ya, we get the same from both sides of our family. I, too, had scarlet fever and no worse the wear. Actually, my worse was the tonsillectomy! As for the outcome for your son, I hope that he grows up to be a healthy and resilient child, but don't forget to be confident in your decision no matter what the future brings...it is the best decision for your family today and that is the best you can do.
post #17 of 20
1/1/07 at 1:19am
Yes, where is that vaccination for scarlet fever?

Why has scarlet fever disappeared without mass vaccinations against it?

Where did scarlet fever go if there is no specific vaccine against it?

Time to get out the Velveteen Rabbit and read it to your Dear Child, within earshot of your favorite aunt.
post #18 of 20
1/1/07 at 1:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by suschi View Post
I don't know how much good the following would do, if any, but depending on the age of your grandmother, you can ask her what shots SHE had and then let her know what they are getting today.

Many say they had the shots and they are fine, but often times they are sporting far fewer than today's children!
Your aunt probably has a big scar on her upper arm from the smallpox vaccine which has not been given officially since 1975.
post #19 of 20
1/1/07 at 1:31pm
where did she come up with that load of bull???
post #20 of 20
1/2/07 at 3:34am
"Thank you so much for being concerned! Please do print out or copy any information you have. I am very opeen minded and always looking for more knowledge."

I haven't had anyone give me any "information" yet : but it does make me sound agreeable.
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Mothering › Forums › Health › Vaccinations › "He'll get scarlet fever and have heart problems if you don't have him vaxed!"