kim

heveritt1 I just wanted to make sure that you're aware of the potential for tendon problems assoc. with cipro. It now has a black box warning regarding it. I have taken cipro for UTI and had no problem. It was prescribed for my oldest son for a staph infection. The Ped had given us Bactrum, then called and said the lab recommended cipro after the culture. There was a note of "what ever," in Peds voice (I got the impression that he didn't really feel cipro was necessary). I read about cipro's side effects which listed seizures as one, among others that I didn't feel were great for a child with a neuro issue. I decided we would stick with the Bactrum after speaking with a pharmacist who said he didn't think there was any significant danger of MRSA complications by using bac, instead of cipro. He did say not to throw away the filled cipro script as it's a very expensive drug. I guess I'm getting a little off topic here, but I do feel with possible autoimmune problem in the family (connective tissue problems in some cases?) probably a good idea to be aware of this. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_sh...-joins-the.html

Guy, I think I first read of psyc. drugs having powerful anti oxidant properties from Dr. Walsh of Pfieffer Institute. You can search this topic and get quite a few idea's. Just wanted to point out that there may be a connection there too. I just copied this one quickly. Behavioural Pharmacology - Fulltext: Volume 19(7) October 2008 p ...Recent evidence suggests that antidepressants may have antioxidant properties. However, the therapeutic potential of antioxidants as antidepressant drugs ...

Carolyn have you tried this site? Just click on your state on the map just a little way down the page. It will give you all of the "rules and regulations ." http://www.909shot.com/state-site/state-exemptions.htm keep us updated on what you find please.

Sarah, Funny you posted this just about the same time I was reading article below. Thought you might want to read thru it. I'm so happy for the improvements that you're seeing. I've read good things about HBOT. Can you say what you're chelating with... DMSA, DMPS, EDTA? One line discussion about lyme/antibiotics http://www.neurology.org/cgi/eletters/70/13/986#17012

footballguy, Ooooh the thought of clonidine and alcohol spooks me. I think you should just forget the spirits. (ohoh, it's late and I'm in one of my moods, forgive me ) Maybe call a pharmacist and ask? You might read a site like this before hand for some background info. http://www.rxlist.com/catapres-drug.htm Catapres (Clonidine) Drug Information: Uses, Side Effects, Drug ...The plasma level of clonidine peaks in approximately 3 to 5 hours and the plasma half-life ranges from 12 to 16 hours. The half-life increases up to 41 You be careful and stay safe!

Afluria does come in both a thimerosal containing and thimerosal free version, so please make sure that it is a prefilled syringe and not drawn from a multidose vial. If it's more expensive and you have specifically asked, you should be ok, but I would ask to see an insert anyway. Ok, so I'm not exactly trusting anymore http://74.125.95.104/search?q=cache:JNT1fZ...;cd=1&gl=us

Guy, You might want to get familiar with Andy Cutler's idea's on mercury/chelation. You can also google his name and get more info besides the link below. I have not read the book, but have visited a web group where his protocol is followed and he posts also. I think the idea's on the safest, most effective methods of getting rid of these metals is still emerging and can vary from person to person depending on where the block is in the detox pathway. There may be varying degree's of invasivness. From the info that myrose has been posting, it appears this theory deals with metals that are more or less outside of the cells? I guess I would encourage you to look at as much info as you can. It's a big subject! http://www.noamalgam.com/ Andrew Hall Cutler, PhD, PE Boyd Hayley vidoe http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4115912987954370615

df77, This article will give you a lot of clickable links to reseach in relationship to sydenham chorea, PANDAS, tourettes. http://www.medlink.com/medlinkcontent.asp I know ANA have been found in some of these studies but were not necessarily conclusive as they are found in people without these conditions also. Do you have a family history of any other types of autoimmune conditions? Do you remember any particular illness that the onset of your TS was associated with? You might want to post your question on the PANDAS forum here too. Some people with a lot of knowledge there on suspected immune involvement. http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showforum=17

Caryn, I thought you might find this first article interesting. bolding mine http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal...=1&SRETRY=0 Conclusions We postulate that celiac disease patients may have a significant predisposition to hepatitis B vaccine nonresponse. Both celiac disease and hepatitis B vaccine nonresponse is genetically mediated. Celiac disease patients may have a failure of induction of humoral immune response needed for development of long term immunity; the mechanism for this is unclear. http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi.../full/38/10/978 Conclusions. Hepatitis B vaccine might be followed by various rheumatic conditions and might trigger the onset of underlying inflammatory or autoimmune rheumatic diseases. However, a causal relationship between hepatitis B vaccination and the observed rheumatic manifestations cannot be easily established. Further epidemiological studies are needed to establish whether hepatitis B vaccination is associated or not with an incidence of rheumatic disorders higher than normal.

along thesse lines, thought I'd share Seems when they experimented on my newborn with mercury and aluminum and an immature BBB for a disease that he had virtually no chance of contracting as an infant/toddler/adolescent, they may have accomplished absoutely nothing. Informed concent forms are a JOKE http://uk.reuters.com/article/healthNewsMo...E49M86P20081023 Hepatitis B vaccine protection may wane in teens For parents who may be being pressured about the HPV vax, here's just one of almost daily articles questioning the safety of this vax http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles...ne-dangers.aspx

Greg, You mentioned the flu shot in one of your posts. Did you see any increase in symptoms after that shot? Do you have any idea if it was a thimerosal/mercury containing vaccine? My boys had tons of strep, positive swabs with no symptoms (mostly youngest son) was said to be a carrier. Sometimes 2 or 3 rounds of anti biotics to get a negative culture, etc. I do not really consider them PANDAS. I have seen the "demon" behaviors that others have described, however only twice. Once with each son. This is not normal "I don't feel good, so I'm acting up," stuff, it's totally out of character scarey behaviors. The one time this happened with my oldest son, however was not strep related that I know of, altho I wish I would have had him cultured at the time, it was when I believe his histamine levels were off the charts. He has sensitivities to wheat and many seasonal allergies. Zyrtec helped him greatly. My youngest son has also had the frequent peeing thing sometimes with, sometimes without strep. Recently, he had "bothersome thoughts" during a round of strep with what we think was a horrible explosive stomach virus at the same time. My oldest son also had a pretty bad tic flair up of headshaking and teeth tonge tics, after a staph infection (hospital acquired and more than likely MRSA-altho the culture didn't specify). I think it's a good idea for you to keep track of your son's symptoms in relationship to virus, any known allergies (seasonal), etc. not just strep. I feel for some kids the strep connection IS explosive, abrupt and undeniable, with my boys (ages 12 and almost 16) the abrupt and explosive criteria isn't there in a striking way. Greg, you said that you and your son are picky eaters. That's an area that I have seen very little progress in with my youngest son. He would still exist on crackers and pizza (as another mom recently posted about her son) and anything sweet that he can get his hands on. He is very content and compliant when he gets his sugar/carb fix, but he has gut problems if we aren't pretty diligent with supplements and limiting his junk foods. He avoids protein foods. Currently he eats steamed shrimp and moz cheeze and a little milk (souces of protein). NO meat, eggs, etc. Drives me crazy. Also, I'm wondering if your son is a gagger? I have been trying to figure out for years if my sons eating habits are sensory related, a biological thing, or a combination. Any thoughts?

I heard a commercial for the flu vaccine before I was even fully awake this morning. They were spewing the 36,000 deaths # again. I ran into this article today, just skimmed it as it's info that I have read before, but thought it may be helpful to someone else. Looks like good links are included http://vaccineawakening.blogspot.com/2008/...nd-freedom.html October 2008 has been a busy month for those who want to force all Americans - especially children - to get a flu shot every year. It doesn't matter if scientific studies have failed to prove that influenza vaccine is effective in children or many adults. It doesn't matter that flu vaccines during the past few years have been essentially worthless because they have not matched circulating strains of Type A and B influenza viruses. And apparently it also doesn't matter if the mortality statistic the flu police cling to - "36,000 annual deaths from influenza" - is scientifically correct or just hype, especially in light of the fact that only about 20 percent of all flu-like illness is actually caused by "influenza."

Michelle, I haven't but would love to have this testing done eventually. It is well worth joining (easy) and reading the 2nd page/link. You will see info on so many pathways that we discuss in regards to these conditions. http://www.holisticheal.com/store/product....=124&page=1 Methylation Pathway Analysis 625.00 This page will give you info on genetics 101 http://www.ch3nutrigenomics.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2800 ++ means homozygous and you have 2 copies of the mutations one from each parent +- Heterozygous and you have one copy of the mutation -- No Mutation Seems he's listed on all 4 of the studies. He may be a great person for you to see. I'm pretty sure one of the Mom's called Dr. Sharpe. I think he came to the phone. Maybe you could get some info on Dr Gilbert from him and see if there is anything offered in the way of genetic testing or treatments, other than the standard drugs that are currently recommended. http://biosci2.ucdavis.edu/FacultyProfiles...searcherID=2098 Frank Sharp Professor Neurology (School of Medicine) MIND Institute - UCD Medical Center - Sacramento MIND BLDG 2805 50th St/UCDMC Office +1 916 703 0368 Lab frsharp@ucdavis.edu; frank.sharp@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu

Char, Just wanted to say welcome! this statement made me think of a paper that you might want to read. I'm assuming that you mean that he doesn't look directly at the TV? http://www.megson.com/readings.php

myrose, Many times heavy metals will only show up in urine if a challenging agent is used. My understanding, it will only show in blood for a short time also. Metals settle in tissue, i.e. bone (lead too, it will only show in blood if the source is ongoing), brain, kidney etc. I was asked by one Dr. if I wanted the boys to have a urine challenge. I had every intention of having that done, until I came to the conclusion that removal of metals (even the amt. that would be pulled with that type of test) was tricky business. The body needs to be in a state where it can be escorted out of the body. Pulling it from tissue, without everything else in place and functioning properly can result in redisposition. I would not want it pulled from bone or kidney and ending up in the brain. I know there has been discussion of apples on another thread. Amy Yasko feels that the metals are holding onto intercellular bacteria like strep. She talks a lot about aluminum in this respect. I think it's the pectin in apples that is supposed to help in removal of aluminum. These metals are in so many things that we encounter everyday, however, ingested as opposed to injected is normally not as bad, in regards to a alum at least. I know I have read that mercury, as in the type that may be ingested by eating fish, is said to be attached to protein, and is more likely to be cleared from the body than unbound mercury. I have come to HATE mercury emitting power plants too. Clean coal technology is not a reality yet. edit to add link to Yasko forum http://www.ch3nutrigenomics.com/phpBB2/ind...69514449e8233c0 EAmom, I was hoping that intranasal vaccines might prove to be a safer administration too, as it seemed more of a natural route of exposure. Then I read some pretty compelling articles against that idea. One concern was that the exposure to the brain may actually be worse. Also, the nasal flu vaccine sheds. It is a live viral vaccine. You can transmit to others. If our fear is autoimmune attack, what is really being accomplished? You still have antibody development. Some vaccines (and I don't know if the flu shot is one or not) can actually suppress the immune system (MMR) making you more susceptable to other illness for at least a period of time. Remember, the strains included in the flu vaccine are not the only ones that can cause "the flu" or "flu like" illness. Please remember, I'm not speaking as any authority here. I will consider (hating it) the 2nd dose of varicella, if my boys don't show immunity. I have a particular fear of varicella at an older age. By giving the vaccine, at least I can control when they get it and make sure that they are in the best shape possible ( I will give a few specific supplements prior to and a very low protein diet for a few days after administration). That is one advantage of a flu vaccine too. You have a little control. It just seems that if we have to fear immune activation on each and every front, we're really in rough shape here. If it not strep or the flu or pneumonnia, or staph, etc. what will it be that causes a big problem. Can we avoid ALL illness for our kids? What about the common cold, which the same virus can cause flu like illness. How about injuries and allergies? Would love to hear any opposing views that you may have, and I mean that in all sincerity!

Myrose, I'm not all that up on this because the flu vaccines were not a big push back when my kids were younger (not that I knew one thing about ANY of the vaccines back then). My limited understanding tho is that 2 doses are initially recommended the first time a child recieves the flu vaccine. One is thought to be a primer dose, the 2nd prompts a stronger response since the body has "seen" the antigen before. I believe it's the same vaccine, the 2nd may just be referred to as the "booster" dose. I'm not clear how that is supposed to work when they change strains each year? Anyway here is something from the current schedule http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules...chedule_pss.pdf This gives some pub med studies that help explain what they found when dosing with different strains. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?c...t_uids=16950948

Iss, I guess what I'm really trying to point out is that since we don't really know what's going on with the immune system in children with Tourette's or PANDAS, there had better be a very good reason to inject them with these vaccines and in many cases, PERSONALLY, the evidence that I see is not as compelling for many many of the vaccines as what my uneducated thoughts were. With the plans for many more in the pipelines, I feel it's urgent that parents become at least a little educated in this area. Many Dr.s don't seem to have any critical thinking skills what so ever where vaccines/neuro problems are concerned. We have children with evidence of neurological and in many cases digestive problems to begin with. I feel there is ample reason to suspect that the immune system is involved in a subset, at the very least. The idea of vaccinating on schedule in children (or adults for that matter) with family history of MANY disorders, not just PANDAS/TS does NOT MAKE SENSE to me. Just good old common sense. I doubt that the Dr. the Michelle spoke with has ever read a study like this in his/her life. Can anyone justify injecting a child with 3, 5, 9 etc antigens along with the wholly unnatural immune stimulants and other junk into a child with evidence of a movement disorder? INSANE, but I do want to add that we can't be sure how kids that may be genetically predisposed might react to the natural illness either (or the medications/treatments). All of these studies involve a researcher who has a child affected by TS. Interesting that he is looking at something other than dopamine BOLDING MINE http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1848536...Pubmed_RVDocSum Age-related gene expression in Tourette syndrome.Lit L, Enstrom A, Sharp FR, Gilbert DL. M.I.N.D. Institute, Department of Neurology, University of California at Davis, 2805, 50th Street, Room 2420, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States. Because infection and immune responses have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Tourette syndrome (TS), we hypothesized that children with TS would have altered gene expression in blood compared to controls. In addition, because TS symptoms in childhood vary with age, we tested whether gene expression changes that occur with age in TS differ from normal control children. Whole blood was obtained from 30 children and adolescents with TS and 28 healthy children and adolescents matched for age, race, and gender. Gene expression (RNA) was assessed using whole genome Affymetrix microarrays. Age was analyzed as a continuous covariate and also stratified into three groups: 5-9 (common age for tic onset), 10-12 (when tics often peak), and 13-16 (tics may begin to wane). No global differences were found between TS and controls. However, expression of many genes and multiple pathways differed between TS and controls within each age group (5-9, 10-12, and 13-16), including genes involved in the immune-synapse, and proteasome- and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis pathways. Notably, across age strata, expression of interferon response, viral processing, natural killer and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte cell genes differed. Our findings suggest age-related interferon, immune and protein degradation gene expression differences between TS and controls. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1750347...Pubmed_RVDocSum Lit L, Gilbert DL, Walker W, Sharp FR. Genetics Graduate Group, Department of Neurology, M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California at Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA. Llit@ucdavis.edu Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a heritable, neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by motor and vocal tics. As no single gene or region has emerged from standard linkage approaches, TS may result from several as-yet-unidentified genetic factors, and may also occur due to infection-triggered, autoimmune processes. Etiological or pathogenic differences might result in clinically indistinguishable TS subgroups. We have previously used whole genome human oligonucleotide microarrays in an attempt to identify patterns of gene expression in blood linked with TS. In this proof-of-principle study, we applied Principal Components Analysis to a previously collected set of 16 familial TS and 16 control blood samples to identify subgroups. Fourteen genes, primarily Natural Killer Cell (NK) genes, discriminated between TS and all controls. Granzyme B and NKG7 were confirmed using RT-PCR. Five probesets (four genes) reside in chromosomal regions previously linked to familial TS or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Using the 14 genes, a Principal Components Analysis as well as a cluster analysis identified a TS subgroup (n = 10/16) that overexpressed the NK genes. 7/10 subjects within this subgroup were diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), suggesting that this expression profile might be associated with TS and co-morbid ADHD. Principal Components Analysis of gene expression in blood may be useful for identifying subgroups of other complex neurodevelopmental diseases, and the gene expression profile identified in this study may provide a biomarker for at least one subgroup of heritable TS. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1710182...Pubmed_RVDocSum The future of genomic profiling of neurological diseases using blood.Sharp FR, Xu H, Lit L, Walker W, Apperson M, Gilbert DL, Glauser TA, Wong B, Hershey A, Liu DZ, Pinter J, Zhan X, Liu X, Ran R. Department of Neurology and Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute, University of California-Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA. frank.sharp@ucdmc.ucadavis.edu Sequencing of the human genome and new microarray technology make it possible to assess all genes on a single chip or array. Recent studies show different patterns of gene expression related to different tissues and diseases, and these patterns of gene expression are beginning to be used for diagnosis and treatment decisions in various types of lymphoid and solid malignancies. Because of obvious problems obtaining brain tissue, progress in genomics of neurological diseases has been slow. To address this, we demonstrated that different types of acute injury in rodent brain produced different patterns of gene expression in peripheral blood. These animal studies have now been extended to human studies. Two groups have shown that there are specific genomic profiles in the blood of patients after ischemic stroke that are highly sensitive and specific for predicting stroke. Other recent studies demonstrate specific genomic profiles in the blood of patients with Down syndrome, neurofibromatosis, tuberous sclerosis, Huntington disease, multiple sclerosis, Tourette syndrome, and others. In addition, data demonstrate specific profiles of gene expression in the blood related to different drugs, toxins, and infections. Although all of these studies are still preliminary basic scientific endeavors, they suggest that this approach will have clinical applications to neurological diseases in humans. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1571084...Pubmed_RVDocSum Blood gene expression profiling of neurologic diseases: a pilot microarray study.Tang Y, Gilbert DL, Glauser TA, Hershey AD, Sharp FR. Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Program, University of Cincinnati, OH, USA. BACKGROUND: Tissue gene expression profiling with arrays measures the transcription of thousands of genes. However, this approach cannot be readily used to guide clinical neurologic practice. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether clinical neurologic diseases are associated with unique patterns of up- and down-regulated genes in whole blood and to explore the possibility of using peripheral blood as a surrogate tissue in these diseases. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: University-based pediatric and adult neurology clinics. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with neurofibromatosis type 1, epilepsy, or Tourette syndrome diagnosed using traditional clinical criteria; controls without disease; and controls with neurologic disease. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Blood gene expression levels of greater than 12,000 genes, measured using U95A arrays. RESULTS: Neurofibromatosis type 1 and childhood epilepsy treated with carbamazepine or valproic acid are associated with distinct patterns of blood gene expression. Patients with valproic acid-responsive vs valproic acid-refractory epilepsy formed distinct subclusters. Tourette syndrome was characterized by several gene expression clusters. In 1 cluster, 6 genes-all associated with immune cell function-were overexpressed. CONCLUSION: Blood gene expression profiling can provide surrogate markers for neurologic diseases without obvious blood phenotypes.

http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/10/13/ped...min-d-for-kids/ The case for plenty of vitamin D continues to grow. The American Academy of Pediatrics is now doubling its recommendation of the amount of the vitamin that kids should get. The new recommendation comes amid a steady stream of reports about the benefits of Vitamin D. There’s been discussion of its ability to help prevent heart disease, cancer and mortality risk. For instance, research has suggested that women with low levels of vitamin D when they’re diagnosed with breast cancer are more likely to die from the disease than those who have higher levels. Be sure to click on parts 2 and 3 found at the bottom of article http://www.nj.com/forums/statehouse/index.ssf?artid=191155 The Independent - London 09-15-06 Every winter, as the nights draw in and the weather grows cold, people start to cough, sniffle and run a fever. Patients crowd doctors' surgeries and sales of painkillers, hot lemon drinks and cough syrup soar. Flu is back. But why? What is it about flu that means outbreaks only occur in the winter? Isolated cases occur throughout the year, as reported to the Royal College of GPs' Flu Monitoring Unit in Birmingham, proving that the virus is in constant circulation year-round.

Oldest son had a hard time deciding. We thought he was going to be a lefty. Up to about age 4 he would change back and forth with coloring, eating etc. He ended up being right handed, but also shoots a bow, gun and I think golfs more like a lefter. My husband has some of those right/left interchangable traits too. Youngest son is left handed.

Michelle, that is reported frequently. Parents request NO HEP B and it's done anyway. Other parents who have been through this, recommend not letting the baby outta your site in the hospital. Dad or other family member should go with the baby anytime it's away from Mom. That didn't seem very practical to me (never know how long mom or baby might remain in hospital). It was really odd when my niece had her daughter 2 1/2 years ago, I called the hospital and asked what the procedure was for making sure that there was documentation in place so that her baby would not receive the HEP B birth dose. They said that the hospital had nothing to do with it, it was the Peds call. I called her OB doc's office. They said since there was really no patient yet (baby hadn't been born) they could not sign anything. Soooo, when niece went into labor she hand wrote "Baby NOT TO RECIEVE HEP B" on everything that she signed. I reminded them at the nurses station, and talked to the attending Doc. We (several family memebers) went with the baby to the newborn nursery as she was cleaned up, weighed, etc. I reminded them in the nursery again and watched like a hawk . I SO strongly believe (when mom is HEB B negative) that the HEP B birth dose is nothing short of criminal. In order to back up a statement like that, they would have to know exactly what was causing your son's neuro issues and then conduct a long term study of immunized against unimmunized children and look at the difference in outcome. That is a lame statement that has been used to reassure ignorant parents for TOO long. Next time you get that line, ask them how many hours of education that they have on the principle's of vaccination. Ask them if the vaccine contains and adjuvant. Ask them what their view is in regards to aluminum being present in nodules found at the injection site of some immunized children months after injection, when it was always generally accepted that it cleared the body quickly. Ask if they are aware of the published study that Chris Shaw did, showing neuronal death in relationship to vaccines, or if they are aware that the former head of the NIH, Dr. Bernadine Healy, is now saying that she thinks vaccines warrant further investigation in relationship to neuro issues. Ask what they know about serotype replacement and what their long term views on it are. http://www.injuryboard.com/national-news/n...googleid=239032 That stunning admission from the former director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Bernadine Healy, as the federal vaccine court listens to two more cases linking autism and vaccines. Public Health Too Quick To Dismiss Autism Parents, NIH Director Says Posted by Jane Akre May 13, 2008 12:31 PM In a shocking break with the medical community, Dr. Bernadine Healy, former head of the NIH, says the medical community has been too quick to dismiss parents concerns of an autism-vaccine link. It deserves study she says and was concerned by a 2004 report that said look no further. Some children should be included in a sub-set that never get vaccines or receive them on an alternate schedule, she believes. If it's a thimerosal flu vaccine or TD booster that still contains mercury, ask if they are aware that the current head of the CDC, Julie Gerberding is now saying that a major study showing no relationship to thimerosal and autism spectrum disorders are flawed. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/...udy-design_b_... CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding has delivered a potentially explosive report to the powerful House Appropriations Committee, in which she admits to a startling string of errors in the design and methods used in the CDC's landmark 2003 study that found no link between mercury in vaccines and autism, ADHD, speech delay or tics. I would love to see parents start asking these Dr.s just what the incidence of tetnus was in the US prior to widespread use of the vaccine (one of the vax inserts says something like 567 cases. The rare cases are found mostly in OLDER people with impaired circulation (in the US) where umbilical cords are NOT PACKED with dung containing soil. I would luv to see them ask how Hep B is trasmitted in the VAST majority of cases (sex and injected drug use) and remind them that your child is not expected to attend a preschool in an area with high rates of herion use and prostitution (some of these area's have a high rate of HEP B infection and there is light evidence that RARELY it can be transmitted more casually). Ask them if your child is safe from pertussis infection after the first vaccine is given at 2 mos. or if the level of antibody that is thought to be protective is only achieved after the full series. If the answer is the later, ask what age bracket pertussis is most dangerous in. Take notes, and then take them YOUR research. I can almost guarantee you that they will not score a A on this type of questioning unless they are a whole lot more informed than the Dr.s that I have spoken with! Whoa, I better stop now. I'll be deleting this post if I don't. Michelle, you follow your instincts and do your homework. Don't be intimidated into something that you are going to wonder about. Again, depending on the family history, there may be a vax or vax's that you feel would be beneficial. Parent's weren't supposed to be in this situation, but unfortunetly we are. When there are all of these questions surrounding vaccines/genetics, I think you can only weigh them one at a time and say your prayers! some interesting reading http://www.whale.to/a/tet2.html It was a beautiful fall day, the Friday after Thanksgiving 2000, and the holiday was very enjoyable. A few months earlier, I moved to a small town in California to be closer to my family. I started a new job and purchased a small cabin. Most of my weekends were spent camping, hiking, working on my house, or volunteering at the local animal shelter. At age 54, I was very active and healthy. My hobbies included singing, dancing, and cooking. http://www.relfe.com/vaccine.html When my son began his routine vaccination series at age 2 months, I did not know there were any risks associated with immunizations. But the clinic's literature contained a contradiction: the chances of a serious adverse reaction to the DPT vaccine were 1 in 1750, while his chances of dying from pertussis each year were 1 in several million. When I pointed this out to the physician, he angrily disagreed, and stormed out of the room mumbling, "I guess I should read that sometime http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburgh...h/s_536338.html Elena Neil's oldest daughter already showed symptoms of autism by the time Neil learned that Pennsylvania allowed parents to claim a religious exemption from mandatory vaccinations of their children. http://educate-yourself.org/vcd/vaccinatio...ll22nov02.shtml http://www.telluridenews.com/lifestyle/x17...3/Health-Column In a letter to the editor in the quarterly journal Wise Traditions, put out by the Weston A. Price Foundation, a mother tells of her very healthy 13-year-old son being taken in for mandatory vaccines for his participation in a Boy Scout program. After his vaccination he became very sick, feverish, shaking uncontrollably, his back arching in pain — an often-reported response by parents to a child’s vaccination. The parents took him to the emergency room, letting the ER doctors know several times that this response came on after a vaccination. The ER made light of it, saying he must have ‘picked up a bug’ while at the doctor’s office. The ER release papers never mentioned the correlation so it was never reported. The parents’ testimony is that their son’s health has not been the same since the incident.

edit- to remove double post

Vajra, I don't know what your child's medical history is, so there may be a reason that you are concerned about the flu? My boys have never had the flu vaccine so I can't really comment on tics. I would encourage you to do a little research on the flu vaccine though, just so you have a realistic risk/reward ratio to base your decision on. Here's an article that you might want to read. I just pulled it up quickly. There a TONS more. Just pay attention to the phrase "flu like illness," read from several sources (CDC website too). You might try to find the actual Cochran review of the flu vaccine. I think you may be surprised at what you find. http://www.medicalconsumers.org/pages/FluV...yEffective.html 2004 lot's of thread here on flu vaccines, you might have to go back a few pages or use the search feature, not sure if it's being discussed as I haven't been there in quite a while http://www.mothering.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?f=47

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/14/health/14vacc.html Worrisome Infection Eludes a Leading Children’s Vaccine Tom's Mom, I had to respond to this remark, even if I'm a little late! I really don't think many Dr.s spend a lot of time researching vaccines. They are conditioned to think that they are a very good thing, and if it's your child that becomes severely ill or dies from a illness that is supposedly "vaccine preventable," well, the Ped would be in a very bad position if he had done anything but encourage it, without a very good reason for anything contrary (an example of a good reason, might be something like death from a previous vaccine ) I actually feel sorry for any pediatrician who has doubts about the wisdom of the vaccine program. I just want to reiterate, I am npt trying to disuade anyone from vaccinating. I'm only sharing info that I think parents should consider when looking at the bigger picture. So many of us are unsure how the immune system fits into these disorders and struggle with the vaccine decisions. For me, these articles help me remember that getting every vaccine recommended is not going to guarantee my child will never have a problem. In some cases we may be kicking up a sleeping monster.

http://www.eymj.org/2008/pdf/021.pdf

Thanks for the replies Patty and Chemar. My Mom was asking what the mark was under youngest son's eye. I told her it had been there forever. She acted like I should have it checked. I got on good old google and thought, "yep, that's it." It said something like 10 to 15% of kids get these. Sometimes they just disappear. Patty, very easy to confuse that name with an actual spider bite, but Cheri had it right, as in more of a tiny hemangioma. Cheri, I have a few of those little spider veins on the backs of my legs (behind the knee) too. I think we get those along with our more mature beauty don't you, lol?