News Moms Need

When was the last time you ever heard of someone getting the mumps? While most of us can say it’s been a while (if not, never), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reporting the largest outbreak of mumps in three years. Most of these outbreaks took place in New York and New Jersey.

Friendly reminder – the best way to protect kids from getting the mumps is by getting kids vaccinated. The combination measles-mumps-rubella immunization helps protect kids against these illnesses, which are less common thanks to the large number of kids and people who’ve been vaccinated over the years. Women who aren’t sure if they’ve been vaccinated against the mumps can also talk to their health providers about getting this vaccine before getting pregnant (this vaccine cannot be given during pregnancy). It’s important that the immunization rates in our population stay at high levels to avoid the opportunity for this and other diseases to return with full force.

Learn more about other important immunizations for your child.

Some H1N1 flu vaccines have a preservative called thimerosal. Although some people have suggested a link between thimerosal and autism,  medical experts from the Institutes of Medicine (IOM) have thoroughly researched the issue and concluded that thimerosal-containing vaccines are NOT associated with autism. However, if you’re still concerned, a thimerosal-free version of the H1N1 vaccine is available.

The 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines that FDA is licensing (approving) will be manufactured in several formulations. Some will come in multi-dose vials and will contain thimerosal as a preservative. Multi-dose vials of seasonal influenza vaccine also contain thimerosal to prevent potential contamination after the vial is opened.

Some vaccine manufacturers will be producing 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine in single-dose units, which will not require the use of thimerosal as a preservative. In addition, the live-attenuated version of the vaccine, which is administered intranasally (through the nose), is produced in single-units and will not contain thimerosal.  The nasal spray version, however, is not recommended for pregnant women.

The flu season will be here before you know it. Health experts believe the swine flu will be back along with the regular seasonal flu.

To help pregnant women and new moms learn more, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aired a Webcast last Thursday. It’s now archived on the CDC Web site.

By the way, swine flu is now also called H1N1 flu. And the vaccine is expected in October. Pregnant women are one of the top-priority groups for receiving the vaccine.  News Moms Need will let you know as soon as the vaccine is ready.

Also, pregnant women should be vaccinated against seasonal flu. That vaccine is already available. So if you’re pregnant, ask your health care provider about it now.

Today the U.S. government reported that the outbreak of swine flu (also known as H1N1 flu) is continuing and may get worse in the fall.  Scientists are currently working on a vaccine, which may be ready in time for the fall flu season.

For more, read the March of Dimes article on swine flu. It includes information about this illness and pregnant women, infants, children and breastfeeding women.

Right now there is no vaccine for the swine flu that has been spreading in the United States and around the world. Because this is a new strain of the swine flu, there is currently no vaccine to prevent the disease.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is determining whether a vaccine can be produced in time to address the current disease.

A sad note: A young child in Texas has died from swine flu. All of us feel sympathy for the family. It is a tragic loss.

This child’s death reminds us that all types of flu can be very serious and even deadly. So please once again: Go go the CDC Web site and learn how you and your family can help prevent the spread of this disease.

It’s important for babies to get three doses of the vaccine Hib. On March 18, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory reminding us about this.

Hib stands for Haemophilus influenzae Type B, a type of bacteria. Hib can cause pneumonia and meningitis (a serious infection of the brain and spinal cord). Meningitis can lead to brain damage and even death.

FYI: Hib is not what causes the disease we call the flu. It’s a different bug altogether.

The CDC has learned that five young children in Minnesota got Hib. One of them died. None of the children had received the recommended three doses of the vaccine. Three of the children had not received a single dose.

So check with your child’s health care provider today, and find out if your baby is up-to-date on his Hib vaccine.

The March of Dimes has an article on immunizations for your baby. CDC has more on Hib.

Yesterday, a U.S. federal court dismissed cases from parents who claimed that vaccinations caused their children’s autism. According to NBC Nightly News, ”the parents failed to show that vaccinations played any role at all in causing autism.”

While some families still fear that there may be a connection between autism and vaccines, a large body of well-done research has found no link. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the March of Dimes all recommend that children be vaccinated.

While expressing concern for children with autism and their parents, the court said the research used to support the claims was severely inadequate. In the court’s view, the medical experts testifying for the parents were poorly qualified and lacked sufficient experience. In making its decision, the court reviewed over 5,000 pages of expert testimony and 939 medical articles.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and other organizations continue to support research to better understand the causes of autism. In a statement, DHHS said that it hoped the court’s decision “will help reassure parents that vaccines do not cause autism.”

To see an earlier post and discussion on this topic, click here.

At a checkup before pregnancy, your provider can do a blood test to find out if you’re immune to certain illnesses such as rubella (German measles) and chickenpox. If you’re not, you can safely be vaccinated before pregnancy. After you’re vaccinated, you should wait for one month before trying to conceive. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend these vaccines during pregnancy.

A while back I wrote a post about my “before-baby” check up. I discovered that my immunity to chickenpox was borderline so I received a booster. I always assumed I was immune because I had the chicken pox as a kid. I’m so glad I got that shot! A few months later I was exposed to a friend’s daughter who had the illness and I was newly pregnant.

For many years now, some families have been worried about a possible connection between autism and childhood immunizations. One small study many years ago raised the question. But since then, better-designed and more extensive research has found no connection between autism and immunizations.

This is how science works. One study leads to another and then another, until we have a better understanding of what’s going on.

Despite the newer studies, the debate continues. Meanwhile, if children aren’t immunized, they and their communities face the risk of very serious, even life-threatening diseases like diphtheria and measles.

The actress and mother Amanda Peet is speaking out, urging parents to immunize their kids. She’s joined forces with Dr. Paul Offit, chief of infectious diseases at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

On December 11, Ms. Peet and Dr. Offit spoke to National Public Radio. Give a listen. To learn more about autism and what scientists know about the causes, read the March of Dimes fact sheet.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the March of Dimes recommend that children be immunized.

Measles, Mumps, Polio – Not too far back, these diseases threatened the lives of our parents.  But, thanks to the advances made in health and science, these illnesses and many others are nearly wiped out in the U.S. today. 

Vaccines play a huge role in keeping our kids safe from infectious diseases.  Unfortunately, there is a growing movement against vaccinating children and more than 1 in 5 of the nation’s two-year-olds are NOT being fully vaccinated. 

This trend should alarm all parents.  Without maintaining high vaccination rates in our population, we could very soon see the day when these diseases return with full force.  Every child needs to be vaccinated to avoid this threat.

While, in rare cases, a child may have an allergic reaction to a vaccine, the benefits of vaccination far outweigh any risks. When vaccinated, children are protected against very serious and life-threatening diseases.  Learn more about vaccinations or contact your health care provider with any questions you may have.