Re: Meningitis & Titers

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I can really understand your worry. When you have a baby you have all

sorts of worries in your mind.

From my research as a breastfeeding counsellor I know that breastmilk

protects against meningitis and that meniningitis is usually csused by

other vaccines that will weaken the immune system and then allow these

harmless bacteria in our throuts to become dangerous.

The only way you can loose your fear over this disease is to read lots

of information about how breastmillk protects and how you can actually

make it worse and increase the risk by letting your baby have the

prevnar and pneumococcal vaccines.

I have seen so many babies and children develop meningitis shortly

after one of their baby or toddler vaccines, even teenagers have died

here shortly after the meningitis vaccine.

A strong immune system is the best way you can make sure your baby

never gets these diseases.

I think meningitis is quite a new disease anyway and I have noticed an

increase since more and more vaccines have been introduced, especially

the meningitis ones.

Also, bottlefed babies with vaccinations are much more likely to are

at rish from meningitis, especially with all the new ones being

introduced almost yearly now.

Here is some info about the pneumococcla vaccine and prevnar from the

VRAN website.

http://www.vran.org/vaccines/pneumococcal/pne-info.htm

http://www.alive.com/457a2a2.php?subject_bread_cramb=184

And here is some info about breastmilk and how it protects agains

meningitis.

Can Breastfeeding Prevent Illnesses?

Breastfeeding has been shown to be protective against many illnesses,

including painful ear infections, upper and lower respiratory

ailments, allergies, intestinal disorders, colds, viruses, staph,

strep and e coli infections, diabetes, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis,

many childhood cancers, meningitis, pneumonia, urinary tract

infections, salmonella, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(SIDS) as well as

lifetime protection from Crohn's Disease, ulcerative colitis, some

lymphomas, insulin dependent diabetes, and for girls, breast and

ovarian cancer.

One way breast feeding protects your newborn from illnesses is the

immune molecules, called antibodies, that are present in breast milk.

Antibodies are made by your body's immune system and are very specific

molecules that help you fight each illness. When babies are born,

their immune systems are very immature and they have less ability to

fight illness-causing germs. Through your breast milk, you give your

baby immunities to illnesses to which you are immune and also those to

which you have been exposed. Nursing also allows your baby to give

germs to you so that your immune system can respond and can synthesize

antibodies! This means that if your baby has come in contact with

something which you have not, (s)he will pass these germs to you at

the next nursing; during that feeding, your body will start to

manufacture antibodies for that particular germ. By the time the next

feeding arrives, your entire immune system will be working to provide

immunities for you and your baby. If you are exposed to any bacteria

or viruses, your body will be making antibodies against them and these

will be in your milk. Breast milk also contains a host of other immune

molecules that also help protect your baby from germs. It's an awesome

system!

Research shows your child's immune system will not be fully mature for

many years. While it is developing, he will be protected by being

breastfed. His own immune system also develops more rapidly than does

baby who is fed formula.

Does this mean breastfed babies never get sick? No, they can and do.

However, the illness is generally less severe and lengthy than if the

baby were not receiving his mother's milk.

Breastmilk is liquid gold, and it's yours to give!

# Breastfeeding protects baby against bacterial meningitis

Meningitis is an infection which causes the inflammation of the

membrane covering the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by a

type of bacteria called Hemophilus influenzae type b (HiB).

Breastfeeding is protective against infections caused by this

bacteria, and the meningitis which may result.

Cochi SL, Fleming DW, Hightower AW, et al. " Primary invasive

Haemophilus influenzae type b disease: a population-based assessment

of risk factors. " J Pediatr. 1986;108:997-896

Istre GR, Conner JS, Broome CV, et al. " Risk factors for primary

invasive Haemophilus influenzae disease: increased risk from day care

attendance and school-aged household members. " J Pediatr. 1985;106:190-198

# Breastfeeding protects baby against respiratory infections

Breastfeeding effectively protects nurslings from many

life-threatening respiratory infection including those caused by

rotaviruses. Studies have shown breastfed babies are less than half as

likely to be hospitalized with pneumonia or bronchiolitis, and have

one-fifth the number of lower respiratory tract infections compared to

formula-fed infants. According to a recent meta-analysis of studies

from developed countries, the risk of severe respiratory tract illness

resulting in hospitalization is more than tripled among infants who

are not breastfed, compared with those who are exclusively breastfed

for four months.

Oddy, WH et al " Breast feeding and respiratory morbidity in infancy: a

birth cohort study " Archives of Disease in Childhood 2003;88:224-228

Galton Bachrach et al (2003) Breastfeeding and the Risk of

Hospitalization for Respiratory Disease in Infancy " Arch Pediatr

Adolesc Med 157:237-243

Grover M et al " Effect of human milk prostaglandins and lactoferrin on

respiratory syncytial virus and rotavirus " Acta Paediatr. 1997; 86:

315-316

Cunningham, Allan S. MD " Breastfeeding, Bottle-feeding and Illness -

An Annotated Bibliography " , 1996.

AL, Holberg CH, Taussig LM, et al. " Relationship of infant

feeding to recurrent wheezing at age 6 years. " Arch Pediatr Adolesc

Med. 1995;149:758-763

Piscane A, et al " Breastfeeding and acute lower respiratory

infections " Acta Paediatr. 1994; 83: 714-718

Good luck with your decision.

Maybe Sheri N. will have some good info on the 2 vaccines as well.

Love,

Ingrid

[Guest guest]

At 09:07 PM 4/22/2006 -0400, you wrote:

>Okay so this happens to me ever so often. My son is not vaccinated (9

months). That was a hard decision for me to make but I felt like it was

the right one. Every once in a while I just get sheer panic thinking about

him not havnig the vaccines, particularly those for meningitis. I have

expressed this here before, so thanks everyone for bearing with me as I am

going through this again! So I was fine with all of this until recently

when my son got sick. It was his first illness, and was a virus, complete

with rash, etc. He was quite ill to my standards, he is usually happy and

smiley all the time. But he had a fever and was SOOO sleepy and cranky, he

wasn't even the same person. Anyway, it scared me that this was his first

time getting sick and I was just terrified for him! I don't know how I

would ever cope if he got something more serious, again, particularly

meningitis. So this got me thinking about the HiB and Prevnar vaccines

again, and now I am once again con!

> sidering them. I made an appointment with our pediatrician (she supports

no vaccines if that is what you choose) to discuss this and get them.

>So I guess I am coming here again for reassurance that he doesn't need

these! I don't want to do the vax, but I am just terrified! I can read

til I'm blue in the face on this and I am still scared for him. I am also

terrified of the vaccines, and I don't know what scares me worse.

>Also I wanted to know, are there titers available for meningitis? Do you

guys think titers are a good idea or are they useless?

>

>) ~ mom to Gavin ~ 07.09.05 ~ 9 Months Old ~

http://www.thelucastribe.com

Hi RAchel,

I know its challenging.

Did he get the rash once the fever dropped - probably roseola. I feel so

sorry for parents today who have been raised with this fear.

Sometimes homeopathic treatment for yourself can help.

You can't get titers for meningitis as they are bacterial.

If he is breastfed he is more protected than any child

See my hib and prevnar pages

http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/prevnar.htm

and

http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/hib.htm

It is actually a good thing when your child becomes ill - this is the

body's way of getting rid of toxins and the immune system is strengthened.

I think your fears could really be helped with homeopathic treatment for

yourself.

Are you open to that?

KNowing all that I know, I would never get a vaccine ever for anything.

And it sounds like you still assume the vaccines work. They do not. They

do not give immunity. They give a chroninc case of the illness so you can't

get an acute case of that illnes, but can get another. Vaccines DO NOT

GIVE immunity - the only give ill health and death.

Sheri

>

--------------------------------------------------------

Sheri Nakken, R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

$$ Donations to help in the work - accepted by Paypal account

earthmysteriestours@... voicemail US 530-740-0561

(go to http://www.paypal.com) or by mail

Vaccines - http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/vaccine.htm

Vaccine Dangers On-Line course - http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/vaccineclass.htm

Reality of the Diseases & Treatment -

http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/vaccineclass.htm

Homeopathy On-Line course - http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/homeo.htm

[Guest guest]

Sheri,

Yes you are right, I do still think they work when I have my " panic " times. I

guess I need the research that says vaccines don't work! I thought this as well

til a friend pointed out that even though people get sick when they have the

vaccines, maybe they have been exposed 5 times prior to the same illness and

never gotten sick, but on this occasion their immune system was compromised and

they did get sick. Therefor the vaccine worked the first 5 times, not the 6th.

Does that make sense?

As far as him being sick. Yes the rash did come after the fever was gone and he

had no other symptoms, just fever, irritability, extra tired... which is why I

was more concerned, I think I would have been okay if it looked like a typical

cold or something. We did take him to our pediatrcian once the rash appeared

and she said she didn't think it was roseola because of 2 things. One his rash

was bumpy not flat, and two he did not feel better after the fever was gone and

the rash appeared, which is typical with roseola. So she felt it was just

another type of virus. Oh and I'm also disappointed that I caved and gave him

tylenol while he was sick! I didn't give it to reduce the fever, but to reduce

the pain, he was completely miserable! And it did help that. I also was giving

him chamomillla (sp?) which the pediatrician recommended. She said it would run

a course of about 10 days, and it was about 5.

I am open to homeopathics for me, I probably need it! I am a chronic worrier.

I hate it! I have read your pages. They help, but I still worry!!

Oh and yes he is breastfed... plan for him to be for a while.

) ~ mom to Gavin ~ 07.09.05 ~ 9 Months Old ~

http://www.thelucastribe.com

~ KUSTOMIZED KIDS ~ http://www.cafepress.com/kustomizedkids

Featuring Personalized Baby & Children's Clothing + Natural

Parenting/Breastfeeding Advocacy Products

Hi RAchel,

I know its challenging.

Did he get the rash once the fever dropped - probably roseola. I feel so

sorry for parents today who have been raised with this fear.

Sometimes homeopathic treatment for yourself can help.

You can't get titers for meningitis as they are bacterial.

If he is breastfed he is more protected than any child

See my hib and prevnar pages

http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/prevnar.htm

and

http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/hib.htm

It is actually a good thing when your child becomes ill - this is the

body's way of getting rid of toxins and the immune system is strengthened.

I think your fears could really be helped with homeopathic treatment for

yourself.

Are you open to that?

KNowing all that I know, I would never get a vaccine ever for anything.

And it sounds like you still assume the vaccines work. They do not. They

do not give immunity. They give a chroninc case of the illness so you can't

get an acute case of that illnes, but can get another. Vaccines DO NOT

GIVE immunity - the only give ill health and death.

Sheri

[Guest guest]

At 10:09 AM 4/23/2006 -0400, you wrote:

>Sheri,

>Yes you are right, I do still think they work when I have my " panic "

times. I guess I need the research that says vaccines don't work! I

thought this as well til a friend pointed out that even though people get

sick when they have the vaccines, maybe they have been exposed 5 times

prior to the same illness and never gotten sick, but on this occasion their

immune system was compromised and they did get sick. Therefor the vaccine

worked the first 5 times, not the 6th. Does that make sense?

Yes, but I don't agree.

I never get a vaccine and never get the flu either. And on and on.

You can't buy into their hype that vaccines even work.

>

>As far as him being sick. Yes the rash did come after the fever was gone

and he had no other symptoms, just fever, irritability, extra tired...

which is why I was more concerned, I think I would have been okay if it

looked like a typical cold or something. We did take him to our

pediatrcian once the rash appeared and she said she didn't think it was

roseola because of 2 things. One his rash was bumpy not flat, and two he

did not feel better after the fever was gone and the rash appeared, which

is typical with roseola. So she felt it was just another type of virus.

Oh and I'm also disappointed that I caved and gave him tylenol while he was

sick! I didn't give it to reduce the fever, but to reduce the pain, he was

completely miserable! And it did help that. I also was giving him

chamomillla (sp?) which the pediatrician recommended. She said it would

run a course of about 10 days, and it was about 5.

The right homeopathic remedy will reduce the fever and the pain within minutes

>

>I am open to homeopathics for me, I probably need it! I am a chronic

worrier. I hate it! I have read your pages. They help, but I still worry!!

Tell me if you want a referral.

>>

--------------------------------------------------------

Sheri Nakken, R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

$$ Donations to help in the work - accepted by Paypal account

earthmysteriestours@... voicemail US 530-740-0561

(go to http://www.paypal.com) or by mail

Vaccines - http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/vaccine.htm

Vaccine Dangers On-Line course - http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/vaccineclass.htm

Reality of the Diseases & Treatment -

http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/vaccineclass.htm

Homeopathy On-Line course - http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/homeo.htm

[Guest guest]

Sounds like twisted logic on your friends part . I would be inclined to

point out to her that the vaccine never protected. The body just happened to be

run down and susceptible the sixth time round. My first child is vaccinated up

to 2 years. She is now 7. The only people who get sick in my house are my

partner and I. And I only put that down to stress allowing our bodies to become

susceptible. Both of my children did get what appeared to be a staph infection.

But they were exposed to chicken pox, and I have to wonder if it was just a mild

case they both got. Due to the fact there were no other symptoms but the sores,

and a very slight fever, lasting only a few hours, I had no support in my

chicken pox theory. Personnally, I don't see why chicken pox needs to present

itself as a full set of symptoms. But to me this isn't even relevant. My

children get sick, they get lots of rest and TLC. Vitamin C is the only thing I

treat them with. And then homeopathy

if necessary. But, their own bodies have been able to handle anything they

have got. I still find it hard to understand why people get so scared of these

illnesses. Meningococle (sp), is scary to me, but measles, chicken pox, mumps

etc, just mean what Sheri said. It is the body getting rid of toxins. When I

say that Meningococle is scary, I mean if my child actually contracted the

disease, it would scare me, and probably send me to a doctor. But I honestly

believe my children are not even susceptible to this due to the groundwork I

have done, strengthening their own bodily defences. And if they actually did

contract chicken pox, then it is obvious they did not even suffer.

Fieldman

el Lucas <rachellucas6@...> wrote:

Sheri,

Yes you are right, I do still think they work when I have my " panic " times. I

guess I need the research that says vaccines don't work! I thought this as well

til a friend pointed out that even though people get sick when they have the

vaccines, maybe they have been exposed 5 times prior to the same illness and

never gotten sick, but on this occasion their immune system was compromised and

they did get sick. Therefor the vaccine worked the first 5 times, not the 6th.

Does that make sense?

Send instant messages to your online friends http://au.messenger.

[Guest guest]

Speaking of this about your chicken pox exposure, and then the illness. The girl

that Gavin plays with and sees on a regular basis, as in a few times a week, did

recently get the HiB vaccine. We saw her a few days before he got sick on the

day she got the vax (I didn't know til I got there) and then again a few days

later. Could her vaccine have caused him to get ill (in shedding or

something??) or is that just me being silly? Also, now after he is well, she

has come down with what appears to be a similar illness, but she has worse

symptoms than he did. She is selectively vaxxed, she is 10 months and has had 3

shots total, but still.

) ~ mom to Gavin ~ 07.09.05 ~ 9 Months Old ~

http://www.thelucastribe.com

~ KUSTOMIZED KIDS ~ http://www.cafepress.com/kustomizedkids

Featuring Personalized Baby & Children's Clothing + Natural

Parenting/Breastfeeding Advocacy Products

Both of my children did get what appeared to be a staph infection. But they

were exposed to chicken pox, and I have to wonder if it was just a mild case

they both got.

[Guest guest]

I personally can't see why not . But I am far from an expert. My

knowledge comes from the wonderful people on this list, and personal experience.

Another thing that happened was that my partner and I both got what seemed to be

a case of shingles. Now they say that you can catch chicken pox from shingles,

but not vice versa. I was also led to believe that you could only catch chicken

pox once in a lifetime. I have since learnt that is not entirely true. So, the

only thing I find I believe is personal experience. Mine and others. I do know

that there are some vaccines that can cause others to catch the virus. But I

can't tell you if Hib is one of them. I am certain there will be others that

can give you an answer to this. I never bothered going to a doctor for any

diagnosis. Didn't see much point, except maybe to pinpoint exactly what it was.

And that wouldnt have made any difference as far as treatment goes, except to

add the pressure of the doctors

opinion.

Fieldman

Lucas <rachellucas6@...> wrote:

Speaking of this about your chicken pox exposure, and then the illness. The

girl that Gavin plays with and sees on a regular basis, as in a few times a

week, did recently get the HiB vaccine. We saw her a few days before he got

sick on the day she got the vax (I didn't know til I got there) and then again a

few days later. Could her vaccine have caused him to get ill (in shedding or

something??) or is that just me being silly? Also, now after he is well, she

has come down with what appears to be a similar illness, but she has worse

symptoms than he did. She is selectively vaxxed, she is 10 months and has had 3

shots total, but still.

) ~ mom to Gavin ~ 07.09.05 ~ 9 Months Old ~

http://www.thelucastribe.com

~ KUSTOMIZED KIDS ~ http://www.cafepress.com/kustomizedkids

Featuring Personalized Baby & Children's Clothing + Natural

Parenting/Breastfeeding Advocacy Products

Both of my children did get what appeared to be a staph infection. But they

were exposed to chicken pox, and I have to wonder if it was just a mild case

they both got.

[Guest guest]

At 07:06 PM 4/23/2006 -0400, you wrote:

>Speaking of this about your chicken pox exposure, and then the illness.

The girl that Gavin plays with and sees on a regular basis, as in a few

times a week, did recently get the HiB vaccine. We saw her a few days

before he got sick on the day she got the vax (I didn't know til I got

there) and then again a few days later. Could her vaccine have caused him

to get ill (in shedding or something??) or is that just me being silly?

No, in my opinion it is very possible - was the vaccine not totally killed?

Who knows.

>>>Also, now after he is well, she has come down with what appears to be a

similar illness, but she has worse symptoms than he did. She is

selectively vaxxed, she is 10 months and has had 3 shots total, but still.

no way to figure it out

Sheri

>

>) ~ mom to Gavin ~ 07.09.05 ~ 9 Months Old ~

http://www.thelucastribe.com

>

>~ KUSTOMIZED KIDS ~ http://www.cafepress.com/kustomizedkids

>Featuring Personalized Baby & Children's Clothing + Natural

Parenting/Breastfeeding Advocacy Products

> Both of my children did get what appeared to be a staph infection.

But they were exposed to chicken pox, and I have to wonder if it was just a

mild case they both got.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hmmm how do you tell if its killed? I have the vaccine insert right here of the

one she got (we use the same pedi). It's called ActHIB - Haemophilus b

Conjugate Vaccine (Tetanus Toxoid Conjugate) ActHIB ® and its made by Aventis

Pasteur.

) ~ mom to Gavin ~ 07.09.05 ~ 9 Months Old ~

http://www.thelucastribe.com

~ KUSTOMIZED KIDS ~ http://www.cafepress.com/kustomizedkids

Featuring Personalized Baby & Children's Clothing + Natural

Parenting/Breastfeeding Advocacy Products

No, in my opinion it is very possible - was the vaccine not totally killed?

Who knows.

[Guest guest]

, are you talking about the Hib? When I was going through

this decision, I told my pediatrician I wanted to wait until my son

was at least a year old before vaccinating him, and she said " There

isn't any point in getting the Hib after a year old. " So if you

waited three months, even the doctors would not be as concerned

about the Hib.

Also, after my first son's bad reaction to the DPT, his doctor

decided to omit the pertussis part on his next vaccines, because

pertussis was " not as big of a deal after age one. " So that's

ANOTHER you could cross off the Worry List in three months.

If you haven't yet been through the vaccination process, don't

use " I can't stand to watch him suffer " as a reason to vaccinate.

As hard as it is to watch a sick baby, at least you can comfort

yourself with the knowledge that illness is a natural thing, it is

strengthening his immune system, and your comfort and knowledge as a

mother will help him through it.

When you take your child for vaccines, you will be instructed to

hold that happy, joyful baby in your lap, just like cuddling... and

pin his arms and legs while the nurses unexpectantly (for him) jab

him several times (and from bitter experience, the look on those

babies' faces is pure betrayal and hurt), and then, with any luck,

spend the next couple of days nursing him through a " mild " fever and

illness, similar to what you've already gone through.

Not trying to make your decision for you, but wanted you to be aware

of some things to think about...