WARNING - Measles

[SammyD]

Possibly many of you are not aware that there have been several cases of measles identified across the country in the past few weeks, in unimmunised children.

Due to high immunisation rates, measles is now a rare disease in Australia...but it is very dangerous. For those of you with newborns too young to be immunised, or for those who choose not to have their children immunised, please be cautious and be on the lookout for any symptoms in your own kids or those in contact with your kids.

[jessgray]

i read about that in the paper about 2 weeks ago. its spread to almost every capital city :eek: i honestly have never seen what measles look like do they look worse then chicken pox?:confused:

[SammyD]

Here is an info leaflet (http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/public-health/pdf/measles.pdf)from NSW Health on Measles.

Similar at the start I think to chickenpox (fever, cough etc for a few days before the rash appears) but where chickenpox is spotty, measles is a fine red rash.

[annsam]

Our daycare director told me the other day 5 cases have been reported in associated daycares in the area in the past 2 weeks and all in immunised children so everybody who has not had the virus is at risk be them unvaccinated or vaccinated or old or young.

[Jinglebells]

umm this is probably a stupid question, but why is measles dangerous?

[reAllytee]

umm this is probably a stupid question, but why is measles dangerous?
In an unvaccinated child or adult it can be life threatening or disabling.
It can go to the brain causing complications etc.

" Normally caught in childhood, the illness usually shows up with a high temperature, harsh cough, runny nose, red sore eyes and a widespread blotchy red rash. The patient is often very sick for a few days, and tragically, occasional deaths still occur through complications such as meningitis or pneumonia. "

Of course not all children have complications but it does happen.
Most kids who are vaccinated that do contract it get a milder effect which doesnt lead to complications.

[Funkychicken]

umm this is probably a stupid question, but why is measles dangerous?

My SIL, who is now 42, had measles as a 2 year old and developed encephalitis. The results of this were severe epilepsy, which 5 years ago required major brain surgery as she was fitting up to 12 times/day and her emotional age never really got past that of a teenager. The surgery involved cutting the main nerve which links the left and right sides of the brain as it is the only way to reduce seizures.
I know this is an extreme case of What If's but when it's close to home it seems so much realer.

[CarolineF]

I wonder how many people reading all of this will be saying:

"That will never happen to us" :no:

It has to happen to someone...why not any of us?

Are we reaching that lowered level of immunisation in this country that finally allows these diseases to prosper again?:detective:

I am just thankful I chose not to take the risk.:smiliedance:

[Jinglebells]

Thanks guys for that, i've got my son immunised so its all good, I just remember when younger kids having the measels and don't remember anything bad happening to them, but i did know that measels in a adult was really bad

[Jinglebells]

I would think he has just got a cold, but if in doubt get him checked out

[Milis]

This is scary :eek:

We had a doctor come to the Early Childhood clinic where I go and give us a talk the other day and she recommended that all adults who have not been immunised get immunised pronto. Has anyone else heard this?

[brooke]

i am all worried now cause my little princess is too young to be immunised yet for that!
she has a runny nose and a small cough..... dont think she has a high temp though... now I am being paranoid I know it!

has anyone heard of any cases in SA?

[reAllytee]

Ok i have just heard this on the news.
The reason they are calling all parents to vaccinate immediately is because there have been 38 cases since March unlike this time last year when through the entire autumn period there was only 3 ! HUGE increase ! The reason for the outbreak was due to a religious leader visiting !!!!!
So sorry what has happened is what my fear always is that these diseases can be brought into our country which has wiped them out so to speak to cause outbreaks !

[Funkychicken]

Just thought I would add that if you are an immunised adult and you are breastfeeding, your bub will have some protection-not necessarily immunity but a higher chance of protection.
I also think that as a society we need to be careful not to blow this right out of proportion and go into panic mode. The media do enough of this to frighten anyone. If you have concerns the best place to start research would be your GP. Go and talk to him/her and get a drs prospective on the issue. I'm certainly not trying to be blase about this, I just don't think our children need to see us panicing about something they don't understand-it can frighten them to hear adults discussing these topics with panic in their voices.:)

[CarolineF]

Don't you have the first MMR vax at 3 months here?:detective: You do in the UK. I'd be amazed if babies were left that long without the possibility of Vax cover. :thumbsdown:

[annsam]

Don't you have the first MMR vax at 3 months here?:detective: You do in the UK. I'd be amazed if babies were left that long without the possibility of Vax cover. :thumbsdown:

No, its 12 months for MMR and its also personal choice. You dont have to vax here which I believe you do in the UK??

[jessgray]

yep 12 months i thought it was earlier but i checked DS's records just then.

[CarolineF]

Vaccs are not compulsory in the UK, although you are likely to get a lot of grief from your health visitor and your GP, as well as schools etc if you do not vaccs. There has been a drop in vaccs rates in the UK over the past few years due to the concerns over autism and the MMR vaccs. Some clinics have introduced single vaccines in order to counter this as it has been argued that it is the triple aspect of the drug that carries the risk rather than the individual vaccines themselves.

The UK's vaccs rates have dropped by about 15 % with the result that there has been a recurrence of measles and mumps in particular. One child, from a travelling community, died of measles recently in the UK.

All I know is that my little girl has had all her vaccines. She's now 6 and there is absolutely nothing wrong with her.

[Miaow]

One of my friends dropped in a couple of weeks ago and there was a case at her sons school - in the secondary part though so spereate from where her son is so she wasnt worried- they sent out a warning to everyone in the school. As its an Alternative style school she was saying a lot of people wouldnt be vaxed which would be worrying their parents.

She actually had measles when she was a little girl and got really sick i can remeber visiting her at the time (i lived next door), She said that she got it after the vacination if i remeber rightly.

[bumpsmum]

I had to take my DS to A&E a couple of weeks ago and got a call 2 days later to say there had been a case of measles in the hosp at the same time. The kids were fine as had been immunised but I needed to go in as I was pregnant.

The upshot was if you have ever been immunised even as a child then the health authority stated there was no need for further immunisation or immunoglobulin( which is what would be given as it would be too late to immunise once in contact.

I didn't need to be treated but s advised that if I was unsure of having had the MMR as a child I should have either the immunoglobulin now or get immunised once not pregnant.

The main problem is a combination of people coming into the country with these diseases and the falling number of people immunising their children. The link between autism and the MMR was never conclusively proven as the age autism would present itself coincided with the age the MMR was given. As pointed out the 3 immunisations can be given seperately but I don't know if this is available here.