Tag Archives: immunization

Chelation and Autism

Most parents of young children with autism are constantly looking for answers, reasons and solutions for their child’s autism. A controversial treatment for autism is chelation therapy. Chelating agents are administered to children to remove any mercury in the blood, mercury that many parents believe is the cause or at least a contributing factor to autism. The thought is that removing the mercury from the child will improve the autistic symptoms. While there are no proven studies for this treatment, many parents seek it out anyway, figuring that it won’t hurt to try. But in fact, I believe that it … Continue reading →

Vaccines Not the Cause of Autism, Rules the Court

There is a lot of debate out there whether or not to vaccinate children. Some folks are big believers in vaccines (such as myself), while others fear them and a possible link to autism. Whichever side of the issue you are on, you’ll want to make note of this news. A special court ruled yesterday that there is no reason to blame shots on children’s autism, siting years of scientific evidence that showed no increase risk of autism from receiving vaccination. The special court, made up of special masters that serve on the U.S. Court of Claims, received evidence from … Continue reading →

Why Vaccinations May Fail

I’m a big fan of vaccinating pets. Immunization has successfully prevented disease in millions of pets for years. But once in a while, a vaccine doesn’t work for a particular animal. Vaccine failure is pretty rare, but it can happen. Here are a few reasons why: Different strains of the same disease. Most of the time, the strain of a disease used in a vaccine protects your pet against other strains of the same disease. Sometimes, a new strain evolves that is resistant to the vaccine. (Drug-resistant diseases are a problem for humans, too.) The vaccine was spoiled. Many vaccines … Continue reading →

Baby Blog Week in Review: November 17th Through November 23rd

Are you having a quiet Thanksgiving with your baby, or will the whole extended family be there? Babies just add a special spark to the holidays, don’t they? Here is the Baby Blog week in review for November 17th through 23rd November 17th Baby Blog Week in Review: November 10th Through November 16th Here is the Baby Blog week in review for November 10th through November 16th. November 18th Your Special Baby Lyrics Do you have a special song that you shared with your baby? There are certain songs that are special to me for each of my children. These … Continue reading →

Preparing for Shots

No one thinks going to the pediatrician is fun, whether it is for a sick visit or a well visit. If you are prepared, though, things can go a bit more smoothly, especially when it comes to your child getting shots. You’ll also be able to bring up topics of concern and get your questions answered, despite holding on to a squirming baby, toddler or preschooler. Here are some ways to be prepared for the pediatrician when it comes to shots. Dress your child appropriately. This will make the visit so much easier. Forget about impressing the staff or the … Continue reading →

New Five-in-One Vaccine Approved

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new combination vaccine for children. The combination vaccine covers five different diseases — and could reduce the number of shots needed for infants by as much as a third. The combination vaccine is known as Pentacel and is manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur. It is a four-dose vaccine series that protects against five different diseases: Diphtheria Tetanus Whooping cough (also known as pertussis) Polio Influenza type B Pentacel is safe for children two months of age and older. Most childhood vaccines are completed before the age of eighteen months. The U.S. Food … Continue reading →

Vaccines That Grown-Ups May Miss

Immunization isn’t just for childhood. In fact, immunization experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control say that some childhood vaccines may not last a lifetime. Here are a few vaccinations that may need a booster. Tetanus — you should be getting a tetanus booster every year. Now you also have the option of extra protection in the form of the Tdap booster, which also includes protection against whooping cough and diphtheria. Pertussis (whooping cough) has been making a comeback over the last twenty years — more than twenty-five thousand cases were reported in the U.S. in 2005. CDC experts … Continue reading →

Chickenpox Vaccine

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Raise your hand if you’ve had chickenpox. I sort of had it twice — my father had it when I was a baby, and my parents tell me I had the rash on my rump. I had it again a few years later, and suffered through the itching by getting painted with calamine lotion. Chickenpox (varicella) is a very common childhood disease; it seems to get harder to deal with as the patient gets older. The disease is most dangerous to infants and adults — as many as 100 people die because of chickenpox here in the U.S. Around twelve … Continue reading →