Latest Wakefield MMR Scandal

[twiglett]

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That is shocking Croak.

The only "class" issue that is relevant here is that if as a parent you are lucky enough to be well-educated and articulate, you may - stress may - find it easier to get somewhere with the professionals when you try and sound the alarm bell about yoru child.

If you do not have these advantages then it is even harder to be believed. You may even find yourself being accused of having Munchhausen's by proxy (happened to a woman in West London being advised by a lawyer friend of mine).

True dinosaur- the mum I mentioned below with a profoundly disabled child is well educated, middle class, and quite able to stand up for herself. If she had been from a different background I dread to think what would have happened.

And another example (how many of these are there?). A family my mother knows have a boy of about 6 who has been diagnosed by a paediatrician (the accuser mentioned below in fact!) of having an autistic spectrum disorder and verbal dyspraxia. He was sent to the head SALT for speech therapy, who turned round and said- to the family- "your child isn't autistic you've just all traumatised him by getting upset when his uncle died and now he's too upset to speak". WFF? They are not educated, and not middle class and thier son isn't getting seech therapy now.

Katierocket, I'm hoping that he will eventually creep up the list. But mumps really isn't a serious illness in children - no more than chickenpox - and yes, I do know that in a very few cases chickenpox can have complications, but that's very unusual. So I suppose we are just still waiting. It's irritating, but I certainly don't feel I'm putting ds at risk of anything terrible.

I can never work out why Odone was given that column. She can be relied on to be reactionary, misogynistic and intolerant. Even more oddly, she writes for the New Statesman. I would be surprised if her 'research' amounted to anything more than reciting her prejudices. But then the Observer is getting more lazy and trivial by the week, mainly reheating the previous week's news from the dailies. What a contrast with the Guardian, especially Madeleine Bunting, who does her homework and is always thought-provoking. For example, her column today - here

Sorry, Bunting article is here

chickenpox will become a killer disease when varivax is introduced though.......

Just looked up mumps for you in my 1980's family health book thingy

"Mumps is a very common acute viral infection". It goes onto say it is more painful in adults and complications are more common in adults although "it is rare for mumps to be dangerous". It also says that "sterility after mumps is extremely rare. The virus can cause inflammation in the testicles and ovary, but damage so severe that it destroys all sperm and egg production is extremely unlikely". It finishes by saying "The outlook for cases of uncompicated mumps is excellent.... Even severe swelling rarely lasts more than 3 or 4 days and within a week there is complete recovery".

jimjams that's useful thanks.
sorry for ignorance but what is varivax?

chickenpox vaccine katierocket- watch what happens when its introduced. Chickenpox will turn into a killer disease.

BTW just to add- the book alos says this about mumps:

"Q. My friend's dd had meningitis as a complication of mumps. Is this a common occurrence? A. Mild meningitis can occur in about 1% of cases of mumps......The patient experiences neck stiffness, headache and sometimes vomiting. These symptoms usually clear up within 3 or 4 days and complete recovery is usual".

Important as the dept of H often omit that meningitis following mumps is aseptic, NOT meningococcal.

BTW the editor of this book is Dr Trevor Weston MD, MRCGP

I mean chickenpox will turn into a killer disease according to the dept of health. And those who refuse varivax will be "putting children's lives at risk".

god sometimes I think I must go round with my head in the sand. Chickenpox vaccine? I didn't know that had plans to introduce one? Why?

I ahd mumps when I was about 4 - was fairly mild and no after effects. My brother also had it - also no after effects. I think it was quite common in my day (1960'and no-one worried about it

How did that winky get there?

Have a look here katierocket. Varivax is comulsary in the States- see how dangerous chickenpox is- bet you didn't know that when your child caught it!

Yet according to Dr Trevor again "Because chickenpox is such a relatively harmless infection, a vaccine has never been developed". (although his book must have overlapped with the introduction of it to the States if the link is correct).

The cynics say that varivax was develped because american parents were taking too much time off work to lok after children with chickenpox- it was costing the economy too many $$$$

Yes, I've always wondered when it was that measles acquired its dangerous disease status.

The first time I asked a GP about it (admittedly the same GP who dismissed my concerns about Adam being autistic) she said that measles is a killer disease in crowded, insanitary conditions where children may already be unhealthy e.g. South African townships, but did not pose much risk to Western children not living in slums or shanty towns.

I had it aged 3 and though I was quite poorly (it's my first memory, sadly) I don't think it was regarded as "serious". My siblings had it too, although they weren't as ill with it.

that is bizarre - i just never thought of chickenpox as dangerous although I have to say that the DS (10 months) of a friend of mine is currently in hospital due to serious complications from chickenpox (obviously rare though).

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Great article, Oldiemum.
I had mumps when I was 4, too. I had measles at about 7, and german measles & chicken pox later.

flu, relatively harmless for most people, left my dh with a heart condition. doesnt mean everyone should be vaccinated. his condition to be caused by flu is rare.

chickenpox vaccine? so no kids are going to have the compulsory chixen pox scar which uget after your mums told you not to scratch.

Can't stand Christina Odone but you would think she of all people would be a little more understanding of frustrated parents battling the medical profession being the sister of Lorenzo (of Lorenzo's Oil)

Just a word for thought in the 1960's I was given a hormone growth extract due to the fact the doctors thought I was short for my age.
I was about three or four years at the time I reacted very badly to the drug and lost the use of my legs temporary. They decided not to give me this drug again - thank god!
Years later the truth came out the hormone extract was taken from dead corpses. Young adults were experiencing pains in the legs etc and unable to walk and even death. Drugs they had used caused side effects and they are now sueing the the Drug/health authorites for this.
The thing is I was never going to be really tall and didn't warrant the drug anyway. Also they wiped it off my medical record- Human experiments no doubt.
What I'm trying to say, will we ever know the real truth. Is this a cover up and will it cost the government and all those concerned too much money to say the truth.
What really concerns me is that Tony Blair has not send his child has had the triple jab.Which makes me think he hasn't.

Sorry that was mean't to say 'said' and not 'send'. Busy tired working mum Lars xx.

Interesting Lars.

The ST said yesterday that Leo Blair has had MMR, but he had it very late. Apparantly, Cherie is anti-vaccine, which must make for a fun household.

OK this is hilarious. I had noticed this as well- but someone sent me an email which said this:

Dr Penelope Elphinstone - who is she? She writes letters every time the MMR issue comes up.

This for instance from yesterday's Sunday Times:

LEGAL FIGHT: The legally-aided MMR vaccine litigation has cost 15 million and endangers children by promoting the unsubstantiated health scare that MMR causes autism.
Legal liability is based on evidence, not belief.
Dr Penelope Elphinstone
London NW1

Or Daily Telegraph, Tuesday, February 24th:

SIR - The legally aided MMR vaccine litigation has cost 15 million and endangers children by promoting the unsubstantiated health scare that MMR causes autism ( report, Feb 21 ).
Legal liability is based on evidence, not belief. The success rate of legally aided pharmaceutical litigation is near zero - these funds would be better spent on children than lawyers.
Dr Penelope Elphinstone
London NW1

Or Sunday Telegraph, February 22nd:

You published two items concerning autism (News & International News, February 15), one reporting "politics and lawyers trumping science and medicine" and the other on the possible dangers t5o pregnant women of mercury in fish leading to autism in their child. Many autistic children have been granted legal aid to sue vaccine companies despite no published evidence to prove their claims. Are autistic children now to receive legal aid to sue the seafood companies?
(Dr) Penelpope Elphinstone
Londan NW1

Anyway couldn't resist a GOOGLE on her. And found this from Private Eye in 2002. Hilarious! Now surely THAT'S a conflict of interest!