Child receiving the oral polio vaccine in Nigeria. Credit: UN Today is World Polio Day. Now most of you will go to work, try to resist the Halloween candy or otherwise go about your business without thinking about polio again. You don’t have to. You don’t need to. You like me and so many fortunate parents today have …
Childhood obesity, peanut allergies, attention deficit disorder, autism. So many questions. So much drama. We still don’t know how to fully explain let alone prevent the occurrence of these disorders to name just a few of the uncertainties plaguing both public health authorities and parents alike. This uncertainty comes amidst …
Here’s one for those of you who never made it to med school (i.e. most of us). Identify the disease pictured below….and no, it’s not one of my kids or relatives. Not this time. Chicken Pox?Mumps? Contact dermatitis? Aggressive Ringworm?Elephant Man’s Disease?Shingles? Well it rhymes with…. Okay, it’s measles. By the way, in 2000 measles was eliminated from the United …
Take a guess how much money is in your wallet right now. It might be enough to save a child from measles or polio. You could buy one vaccine for the same price as:a) A quarter-pounder with cheese meal at McDonaldsb) A tank of gasc) The sandals in your Zappos shopping cartd) The amount of money you spent finding the perfect nail polish …
Who do parents trust for advice about immunizations? The professionals. A recent study found 81.7% percent of American parents with kids 6 and younger say their doctor or nurse is an important source of information in their decision to vaccinate. Who else do they describe as important sources of advice …