Are Vaccinations Safe?

The 2014-2015 flu vaccine or flu jab offers protection from currently circulating H1N1 and H3N2 flu strains. As well it offers protection from two strains of influenza B.

Should I have my child vaccinated?

Childhood vaccines protect children from a variety of serious or potentially fatal diseases. These include diphtheria, measles, meningitis, polio, tetanus and whooping cough. Still, you may wonder about the benefits and risks of childhood vaccines – and rightly so.

Vaccines and Immunisations – 10 Facts

1. To answer the question – should I have my child vaccinated? – we need to fully understand that vaccination prevents deaths every year in all age groups from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), and measles. It is one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions.
2. In 2010, an estimated 109 million children under the age of one were vaccinated with three doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP3) vaccine. These children are protected against infectious diseases that can have serious consequences like illness, disability or death.
3. An estimated 19.3 million children under the age of of one did not receive DTP3 vaccine. Seventy percent of these children live in ten countries, and more than half of them live in WHO’s Africa and South-East Asia regions.
4. Over 1 million infants and young children die every year from pneumococcal disease and rotavirus diarrhoea. A large number of these deaths can be prevented through vaccination. Public-private partnerships facilitate the development and introduction of vaccines & the supply of vaccines has been significantly expanded.
5. Global measles has declined by 74% thanks to intensified vaccination campaigns. Polio cases have decreased by over 99% & annual deaths by neonatal tetanus have fallen
   

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   Are childhood vaccinations safe?

   Susannah is interested in this topic because when you come to see her in clinic you are unwell or sick. There is a medical history or story to this illness – starting from birth. This story is told by your body’s defence mechanisms or immunity. The way your body identifies and then responds to pathogens changes your treatment from PHASE ONE – FOUR. Which of those pathogens also changes your treatment with Susannah.

   The Body Youth Code supports the unique expression of health and vitality for each individual. PHASE ONE: It is important to understand this following. The microbiome plays its role, ensuring your gut health is optimal. This is a foundation upon which the subsequent PHASES 2-4 are built.

   Chronic illness

   You will not feel better from chronic illness unless this (his)story is understood. Susannah’s treatment addresses the cause or causes of health concern. This might be chronic illness, weakness, tiredness, chronic pain. It may be your general inability to improve your health by losing weight. You may want to improve skin health and subsequent appearance. Similarly, creating optimal conditions for fertility, regaining your hair health.

   What is a vaccination and immunisation?

   Adaptive immune systems or non-speciifc immunity are natural unless or until they are provoked. This is by injecting a small amount of weak or dead infectious agent through our skin to trigger a immune response. You are unique and your body will react differently today as it did in the past but how your body will react to treatment today is product of many such factors, that we enquire about at consultation. You can subscribe to Susannah Makram TV to learn a bit more about this process.

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6. Immunisation not only protects children from vaccine-preventable diseases. It also serves as an opportunity to deliver other life-saving measures, such as vitamin A supplements to prevent malnutrition, insecticide-treated nets for protection against malaria and deworming medicine for intestinal worms.

7. There Are Suspicions That vaccines Cause Autism

   Suspicions that vaccines cause autism exist even though the original study by Andrew Wakefield  that posed this hypothesis has been debunked in many subsequent studies. There are suspicions that the vaccines are poisonous and harmful, rather than protective. There’s also a lack of concern for the diseases the vaccines protect against. Despite much controversy on the topic, researchers have not found a connection between autism and childhood vaccines. In fact, the original study that ignited the debate years ago has been retracted. Although signs of autism may appear at about the same time children receive certain vaccines — such as the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine — this is simply a coincidence.

8. To fully understand the studies on the reproduction of the wild chicken pox virus compared to the vaccine virus in the body, or the data on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, one would need expertise on microbiology, immunology and statistics.
9. The vaccination debate isn’t even as simple as to vaccinate or not. Among those who decide to vaccinate their children there are conversations about the recommended vaccine schedule, and if it is too taxing for a child’s young body.
10. So you are still likely asking the question: should I Have My Child Vaccinated? After all, if vaccines truly worked, then why would the parents of vaccinated children be concerned of risk by exposure to un-vaccinated children? The World Health Organisation  (WHO) underscored this fact in their report titled, Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals. They wrote that, “Children under two years of age do not consistently develop immunity following vaccination.” Therefore, vaccines can fly “below the radar” of our immune system.

Summary. Should I have my child vaccinated?

Depending on your child’s age and health, you might be able to choose between a flu jab and the nasal spray vaccine:

• Nasal spray The nasal spray flu vaccine can be given to children 2 years and older. It’s recommended for healthy children ages 2 through 8 years. If the nasal spray is not immediately available, the flu shot should be used. Side effects of the nasal spray might include runny nose, cough, fever, wheezing, headache and muscle aches.
• Flu jab Flu jabs can be given to children 6 months and older. Side effects might include soreness, redness or swelling where the shot was given, low-grade fever, or muscle aches.

It is also important to consider how many doses of flu vaccine your child needs:

• 2 doses. If your child has not had the flu vaccine before and he or she is younger than 9, plan for two doses. these 2 doses are given at least four weeks apart. Begin the process as early as possible. If your child is exposed to the flu before the second dose or isn’t able to get the second dose, he or she is more likely to get the flu.
• 1 dose. If your child has had the flu vaccine before — or your child gets the flu vaccine for the first time at 9 or older — one dose is enough. Timing is still important, though. It takes up to two weeks after vaccination for a child to be fully protected from the flu.
  

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Vaccinations – Protection For Children And The Elderly

Does the flu jab or flu shot or flu or influenza vaccine really protect my child, or even the elderly i.e. vulnerable populations? If you are a parent you are asking again: should I have my child vaccinated? This review is saying there is not enough evidence either way to say anything about the efficacy of vaccines in this vulnerable population. This study seems to suggest that the influenza vaccine is not an evidence-based recommendation but rather a recommendation based on a belief system.

Firstly, if you have made the decision to vaccinate (influenza vaccine specific) your child you should note the following and query your paediatrician or family doctor if:

• Your child is not feeling well.
• Your child recently had other vaccines.
• Your child has any medical conditions. The doctor will likely recommend a flu shot rather than the nasal spray vaccine if your child is younger than 5 and has asthma or a history of wheezing. Similarly, the nasal spray flu vaccine isn’t recommended for children on long-term aspirin treatment or those who have nerve disorders, a weak immune system or certain other medical conditions.
• Your child is allergic to eggs. The flu vaccine contains tiny amounts of egg protein. If your child has an egg allergy or sensitivity, he or she will likely be able to receive a flu vaccine. However, you might need to take special precautions. This means waiting in the doctor’s office for at least 30 minutes after vaccination in case of a reaction.
• Your child had a severe reaction to a previous flu vaccine.The flu vaccine is not recommended for anyone who had a severe reaction to a previous flu vaccine. Check with your child’s doctor first, though. Some reactions might not be related to the vaccine.

You should be registered with a GP if you are a resident in the UK. They can offer this vaccination or immunisation service. Yearly flu vaccines are also recommended for adults — especially those who have close contact with young children.