Measles
 

I've just read this comment in the news, since they are getting in a flap about kids getting measles:

Measles, which can be life threatening and cause severe disabilities, is most common among children aged one to four who have not been immunised

Now, my memory as a kid in the early 60's, and confirmed by my parents, is that you had to get measles asap, you were sent round to play with a spotty kid until you caught it. It certainly wasn't life threatening back in them days, just a week off with spots and lucazade.
Has measles become well hard in the last 40 years, or is it due to modern kids not eating dirt and worms anymore and having rubbish immune systems?

Re: Measles
 

Measles is OK when your a kid, its when you get it in later life its in the life threatening/damaging strain

Re: Measles
 

I had measels very badly when I was 8..................damn near blinded me, and affected my inner ears very badly. I've had to wear glasses ever since, and can't wear earplugs. That was the more evil 'measels' though, not German measels which is a much milder form of the disease, but still unpleasant.

Re: Measles
 

Yes we still send our kids round to play with a spotty kid!! Measles is bad very bad...to those kids who don't get immunised. Most people think it isn't bad because most kids are immunised and the attacks aren't life threatening....I think parents that don't get their children immunisd play a very dangerous game with there childs life.

Re: Measles
 

:smt045 I concur

Re: Measles
 

I didn't have my daughter immunised against whooping cough, as at the time there were suggestions that it could cause problems if there was a possibility of the child inheriting epilepsy. As Rebecca's Dad was epileptic, I didn't take the risk.

She got whooping cough. I then understood why the Chinese called it the 100day cough. I think I slept even less than she did until she got over it. I didn't even think twice when it came time for her to have the MMR.............I wasn't putting her through anything again that could be prevented.

Re: Measles
 

As brilliant as modern day medicine is, it can be quite confusing for parents. It seems for every research carried out, there's always another that contradicts it. Parents nowadays have access to a lot of information in helping them to make decisions, unlike in the past, where they 'did as they were told'.

Too much information can be confusing and misleading and parents are making what they hope are good decisions for their children, when infact sometimes, its the exact opposite.

Personally, I think if there's a vaccine, get it.

Measles can be extremely unpleasant.

Re: Measles
 

Despite being immunised against them, my eldest son got measles 12 years ago when he was 9. The doctors made quite a fuss about it, and fetched some of their colleagues in to have look, cos you rarely see it nowadays cos of the immunisations.

Re: Measles
 

You not thinking of chicken pox? Measles is pretty nasty!

Re: Measles
 

i was also really ill with measles when i was 4 - had hallucinations and everything, and hey i know some people pay good money for that but it wasn't nice at the time! may also have had something to do with my eyesight, but they never managed to establish for sure

oh and Tigersaw - i did eat lots of mud so i say take the vaccine, the mud doesn't work ;)

Re: Measles
 

Nope, had measles and chicken pox, my parents never found anyone with mumps to expose me to. In fact at junior school it was like top trumps - who could get the set first. 'ooping cough' was another one, few had suffered that mind. Anyone else remember the sun lamps? We used to have to sit round this big purple sun lamp thing in just our pants with goggles on every now and then.

Re: Measles
 

It wasn't "Uncle" George, the overly friendly neighbourhood Priest, who got you to do this was it? He didn't take photos did he?

New one on me (child of the seventies mind), perhaps a jaundice treatment?

Re: Measles
 

I remember it quite well, we all enjoyed it. A quick look on google suggests it was for the prevention of rickets. (?)

Re: Measles
 

Measles are blamed for my youngest brother being deaf. Unfortunately when we were kids there was no vaccination.

I know of teachers who encourage kids to be sent to school with Chickenpox. that way all the kids get it. and then there is no further disruption as individuals all take time out in dribs and drabs as it slowly passes though a community. Having suffered Shingles which I am told is related to the aforementioned chickenpox, I am now wary of the virus.

Mumps used to be a good one. Thankfully I had it as a child. Supposed to be nasty for grown up fellas

Re: Measles
 

This gets me extremely angry with the media. There is one paper linking MMR jab to autism (the author of which is currently under investigation) and 1000 papers proving there is no link. So why did the news reports bang on about the apparent danger for a good year!? Parents can't all read medical journals for information, they have to rely on media and GPs for advice. The media sensationalisation of this has caused this measles resurgence, has caused unnecessary suffering of more people, and has caused one death as well so far. Why can't they report the facts instead of trying to find contentious news stories. Atrocious.

Re: Measles
 

I think children are too clean these days and dont build up much of a natural immunity; compared to years ago - hardly any (at least where I live) play outside or anything. Most are just stuck indoors playing on their X-boxes/playstations/computers/wii etc etc etc. Im not saying that this applies to all kids mind.

Personally, I would have the MMR vaccine because it is there for a reason. You will always have conflicting information and someone else saying "this is bad" - that is the nature of everything. You could turn it all around and say "well no-one should take depression drugs because they give you suicidal thoughts"

Maria