I HATE DOCTORS!!!

[audrinasmommy88]

Ok, so I posted a few days ago that I had to take Audrina to the doctor. They diagnosed her with hand, foot, and mouth disease. Well, I've been watching these blisters and bumps and they have progressively gotten worse and spread. So I took her back to the doctor today. They did a skin scrape and come to find out, she DOES NOT have hand, foot, and mouth disease. She has CHICKEN POX!!! And because it was not caught in the first 24 hours after the first blister showed up, the medication for it is ineffective!!!!! So pretty much, we have to let it run its course and try to keep her comfortable. Im so mad:X. the doctor said he can see why the first doctor said hand, foot, and mouth because both illnesses look exactly the same. If they would've done the skin scrape the first time, she would've been almost better by now! BUt NOOOOO now I have to deal with a miserable 3 year old who doesn't understand what is going on and why we cant go anywhere. Any suggestions from parents who have dealt with chicken pox please post them. I have been doing oatmeal baths since the blisters started and calamine but they aren't helping with itching. So i dont know what else to do. I am one angry pregnant mommy right now

 

[missyscove]

I never had the chicken pox so I was vaccinated against it when I was 5 and again when I was 17. I had to have a titer run before starting vet school and my titer came back too low so I had to be vaccinated two more times (at $150.00 per vaccine).
I would much rather have had the chicken pox as a child.

 

[audrinasmommy88]

She had the vaccination at 12 months old. But the doctor said it is only 80% effective. I didnt know that until today. Also, if your child has been vaccinated and gets the chicken pox, it is harder to diagnose because the blisters show up irregularly and unusually. She doesnt have them on her stomach or back. But she has them on her face, scalp, arms, hands, legs and feet.

Its funny you say you would have rather had them when you were a child. People around here will have what we call "chicken pox parties". If one of the kids in a group of friends gets it, everyone will expose their children to it so they can go ahead and get the illness over with while the child is young.

 

[agnesthelion]

missyscove wrote:

I never had the chicken pox so I was vaccinated against it when I was 5 and again when I was 17. I had to have a titer run before starting vet school and my titer came back too low so I had to be vaccinated two more times (at $150.00 per vaccine).
I would much rather have had the chicken pox as a child.

^this. It's hard to probably agree with this now but think of it this way, she will get over this and then have 100% immunity for life. Hang in thereray: I think the best treatment is spoiling and mommys love. Ice cream, popsicles, jello, movies and snuggled. I've heard warm baths help a bit. I just hope it's over soon.

I actually elected not to get the vaccine for my child because of this reason. He has not had chicken pox yet but part of me wants him to get them! He will be tested at age 5 like Missy and if no antibody for it he will get vaccinated then.

 

[LakeCondo]

I had chickenpox when I was a kid, so don't remember about treatment. I was in kindergarten & clearly remember going into my parents' room complaining of itching. Back then people knew right away what it was, but still I passed it along to my younger sister & also to Mom, who somehow hadn't had it as a child.

Recently I read about similar cases of diseases that can be vaccinated for making comebacks. Because the vaccines aren't 100%, they rely partly on a community effect. This means that if "everyone" gets immunized, even those whose immunization didn't 'take', are too young to be vaccinated, or whatever will not get it because they won't be in contact with someone who has it.

This all started with the now-discredited medical researcher who said that vaccinations caused autism. So lots of people think their children should be spared from the shots & to h*ll with every other kid.

Measles was the worst of the illnesses that children used to get, with some bad long-term results. I had it in 6th grade & know I had to stay in the dark for a week so it wouldn't affect my eyes.

I would say the main thing with chicken pox is that it leaves you susceptible to shingles when you're older. My dad had it in his 70s & it was very painful. But at least he recovered, while some people have nerve pain the rest of their lives. There now is a shingles vaccine that is available for people 60+.

 

[Blue eyes]

It's much better ( I know it doesn't seem so now) to let your child have them now and have lifetime immunity. Just hang in there.

Lisa, I'd encourage you to look for some chicken pox parties! Even if he goes to age 7 or 8. That'd be way better than the vaccine. Like others have said, it's only 80% effective (at best) anyway and then it only lasts for so many years. Then one has to keep getting boosters possibly for the rest of your life.

 

[audrinasmommy88]

Lisa, the only good thing about the vaccine is it keeps the chicken pox from getting severely bad if/when they get it. So for that, I am thankful. I had a really bad case of it that was killing children. The doctors thought I had the chicken pox, measles and mumps all at the same time because it was so bad. They said I would have over 2,000 blisters on my body. I had over 2,000 on just one arm. So, I'm thankful that she doesnt have it bad. My mother in law just brought over more calamine, oatmeal and shea butter body wash (which im not sure if i should use because I have read online that soap isnt good for the pox), triple antibiotic pain relief neosporin, anti itch spray, and benadryl cream. Hopefully something will give her some relief.

Orlena, let me tell you. When that doctor came out saying vaccines caused autism, all of my friends quit vaccinating their kids. I did not. I kept her vaccines up to date and on time. They gave me so much crap for it. "You're a bad mom because you are subjecting your child to autism, blah blah blah" Needless to say, they aren't my friends anymore and a lot of them wish they would have kept the shots up to date. Sorry, Im not going to run the risk of my child getting polio, measles, mumps, WHATEVER because some doctor thinks he has a clue what he is talking about and has nothing valuable to back it up.

 

[audrinasmommy88]

This is strictly my opinion and i hope I dont offend anybody with that comment about the vaccines and autism being related...just saying

 

[agnesthelion]

Oh yes totally agree. I'm not anti vaccine by any means. I follow an alternate schedule is all. My son will get the vaccine when he is a little older and his body can handle it better. My decisions have nothing to do with the autism theory. I researched every single vaccine, when they are scheduled to get it and talked extensively with my doctor on what schedule he supports. I didn't just blindly follow the recommended schedule be because "that's what everyone does". I empowered myself as a mother and learned what every vaccine prevents, what the risks were and when they were given. For example, hep b is given to newborn babies. Hep b is transmitted by dirty needles or sexual intercourse. I did not have hep b so there is no medical necessary reason to give it to my son at 1 day old because he was not going to be having sex or doing drugs the general adult population isnt even vaccinated for hep b! Unless you are in the medical industry or have a progression or lifestyle that puts you at higher risk. Doctors also don't push to have adults vaccinated and we would be at a higher risk than a newborn. So why don't they? Probably a money factor.
Anyway, that's just one example. As I said I simply follow a different schedule that my doctor and I feel is safer for my son. The current vaccine schedule has 3 times more vaccines on it now than when I was a child (aprx 10 when I was little and 30 now) none of which have been around long enough to be tested to see if there is any danger to inject into small baby bodies all at once. So that was my only point to the chickenpox vaccine. I will give it to him but later on. The chicken pox is not a deadly disease. Of course there are cases where a child has died from it and that is HORRIBLE but the majority the child is already sick with something else. The side effects of the vaccine and the effectiveness not working is greater than me waiting to give it to my child at age 5.
And no offense taken at all. I respect your choice to give all vaccines on time etc just know there is a LOT more into the decision for some parents to either partially vax or delay and the parents that do their research know it has nothing to do with autism.

 

[Imbrium]

isn't autism something you have to be born with anyway? what a crock.

I had no idea you had to get boosters for the chicken pox vaccine how often do you have to get them?

when I was 4 or 5, my best friend had chicken pox and my mom deliberately let me play with her while she was super contagious anyway, but I never got it. when I was maybe 17 or 18, I got tested and found out I wasn't actually immune to it (god only knows why I didn't catch it as a kid), so I got the vaccine since it's supposed to be so much worse if you get it as an adult.

isn't the hand, foot and mouth thing way more rare than chicken pox? (I'm not sure I'd ever really heard of it before this thread) why would the stupid doctor just assume that's what it was instead of assuming it was the much more common disease (or better yet, testing)? what BS. I'd be venting and ranting too if I were in your shoes!

 

[agnesthelion]

Imbrium wrote:

isn't autism something you have to be born with anyway? what a crock.

shoes!

Actually not one doctor today has proven or knows how autism comes about. There are many theories but again the point is no one knows. Some think it happens in utero, some think it's genetics, some think it's environment and processed food etc, there are endless studies being done.

The doctor whose theory was debunked linked autism to the MMR vaccine specifically. Although his specific theory has been discredited, there are still several studies about vaccines being done. It's most interesting that, for example, the Amish do not vaccinate at all because of their beliefs and they have the lowest autism rate in the world with just a few documented cases. Again, no proof that it's vaccine connected but they also live a very pure lifestyle as far as diet and such.

Point is no one knows so until then every theory should be looked at.

 

[whitelop]

I'll be honest, I can't remember if my son was vaccinated for chicken pox when he was 12 months. haha. Its on the paperwork from the doctor, but just thinking back, I have no idea.

I did shots when they were scheduled, my son has a really good doctor. But, I did break it up on one occasion. They wanted to give him 5 shots at one time! Can you imagine that? 5 shots in a 1 year old's little legs! They didn't give him the 5 at once.

I had a very mild case of chicken pox when I was like 5. I had very few blisters and I'm surprised it even counted as chicken pox. (I'm a little scared for when/if my son gets chicken pox, I might get them too!) I think I would rather him have chicken pox though, just to get it out of the way.
We do the 'chicken pox parties' here too. haha.

I know where we are, you have to have vaccinations to be in school. When I was in high school, we had a mumps out break and everyone who wasn't vaccinated for it got suspended from school until they got the shots.
Also when I was in middle school, they gave us the Hep shots IN school. They school paid for them, but they vaccinated us all for A, B and C. Crazy right?
I don't know if its just my area thats crazy about vaccines in school, but it makes sense to me!

 

[whitelop]

And autism comes up when kids are around 2 or 3.
I had a conversation about it with my sons doctor. She told me that there are some signs of it when they're under 2 that kind of give them an idea of what could be going on.
But I also think that autism is one of the most over diagnosed things, along with ADHD. Sometimes I feel like people just want to put a label on their kids, when they have some kind of behavioral problem. Not that autism isn't real, but you know what I'm saying.

As for the Amish, think about the life style they live. No processed food, no bad things like what we eat. They eat the way everyone should eat, and they way we're supposed to eat!

 

[audrinasmommy88]

Oh Lisa, I wasnt talking about you. I have decided with Liam I will follow the alterante schedule. i hated audrina getting 6 shots at one time. I meant, with my friends, they scolded me and berated me for getting her vaccines done on schedule and done at all. i completely agree with the alternate schedule. Its less stressful and less side effects that way. Sorry, when I go on a rant i tend to not explain myself. I just didnt want anyone to get mad at me for my opinion on the autism/vaccine situation.

 

[whitelop]

They gave Audrina 6 shots at a time? OMG. Thats a lot of shots! The most they gave my son was 3.

 

[agnesthelion]

audrinasmommy88 wrote:

Oh Lisa, I wasnt talking about you. I have decided with Liam I will follow the alterante schedule. i hated audrina getting 6 shots at one time. I meant, with my friends, they scolded me and berated me for getting her vaccines done on schedule and done at all. i completely agree with the alternate schedule. Its less stressful and less side effects that way. Sorry, when I go on a rant i tend to not explain myself. I just didnt want anyone to get mad at me for my opinion on the autism/vaccine situation.

Oh no problem I didn't necessarily think you were speaking directly to me just wanted to give voice to the alternate schedule side. But even if you were totally not offended and completely understand where you were coming from

 

[littl3red]

whitelop wrote:

But I also think that autism is one of the most over diagnosed things, along with ADHD. Sometimes I feel like people just want to put a label on their kids, when they have some kind of behavioral problem. Not that autism isn't real, but you know what I'm saying.

This. One of my best friends was diagnosed with autism when he was like 5 and his parents say he's autistic. I don't buy it. He's just extremely gifted and extremely socially awkward, just like me and the rest of my friends in our gifted program. Maybe a bit more extreme, but a lot of it I think has to do with his parents making him skip like 2 grades. (He's a year younger than me but a freshman in college now for video game design/programming.)

 

[audrinasmommy88]

Yes, I think audrina was 3 months old and she got six shots (3 in each leg) and some junk they shot up her nose like nasal spray...i cried terribly. Dont want to go through that again

 

[Blue eyes]

I think the entire vaccines subject is something where each parent should make an informed choice and decide what they feel is in the best interest of their child(ren).

I've spoken with too many moms who followed the recommended schedule and several said that within days of a shot series, they saw a dramatic change in their child's behavior and awareness. These moms were convinced that these shots changed their child for the worse. I won't stand in judgement and say they are wrong. I know too well that no one knows their child better than mom.

I am VERY suspect of vaccine studies. For example, my firstborn did have a mild reaction to one of his shot series. I knew in my mother's heart that it was a reaction. I told our pediatrician and he dismissed it as coincidence. (I wonder just how many "coincidences" go completely unreported.) I knew that serious adverse reactions are usually preceded by a mild reaction to an earlier shot. I did refuse to get the next series. (He's an adult now)

As Lisa pointed out, the number of vaccines being pumped into infants and toddlers nowadays is waay more than it used to be. This concerns me.

But, again, the bottom line I think is that each parent should make that decision. It is a serious decision and belongs rightly in the hands of parents who love their children like no one else.

 

[agnesthelion]

Well said Suzette, couldn't have said it better.

And this part:

I am VERY suspect of vaccine studies. For example, my firstborn did have a mild reaction to one of his shot series. I knew in my mother's heart that it was a reaction. I told our pediatrician and he dismissed it as coincidence. (I wonder just how many "coincidences" go completely unreported.) I knew that serious adverse reactions are usually preceded by a mild reaction to an earlier shot. I did refuse to get the next series. (He's an adult now)

^^^could not be more correct. My pediatrician has confirmed this to be MORE than true. The studies done on adverse reactions are not only not done correctly (ie usually governed by the drug companies themselves who create the vaccine, hmm conflict of interest much?) but reports of side effects are often dismissed by pediatricians, blamed on another cause and then never reported.