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Ear Infections
Children's Ear
Infections Soar Despite Medical 'Treatment'
Dr. Lehnert concluded
form his study on the role of antibiotic therapy in cases of Otitis Media
that antibiotics really only need to be administered in 5 to 10 percent of
cases. Another available and overly popular treatment is the insertion of
tympanotomy tubes into the ear. Though this procedure was used over
670,000 times in 1988, there is evidence that 25% of So what are parents doing in light of all this? They are focusing on Natural Health Care, on behavior modification, and on diet to help their children use their own bodies and body resources to stay well. Vaccines What are the risks of vaccines? Dr. Robert Mendelsohnnn is author of Confessions of a Medical Heretic and past head of the Illinois State Board of Licensing for physicians. In the newsletter The People’s Doctor, Vol.2. No. 4, be wrote:
Smallpox: The U.S. finally has abandoned smallpox immunization because the risk of serious complications, leading to death in one per million vaccinations, was higher from the vaccine that from the risk of smallpox itself. The risks of a person being hospitalized with encephalitis or with conditions known as eczema vaccinatum and progressive vaccinia were about 10 per million vaccinations. Diphtheria: This form of immunization often is of questionable value. For example, during a 1969 outbreak of diphtheria in Chicago, four of the 16 victims (according to a Chicago Board of Health Report) had been fully immunized against the disease, and five others had received one or more doses of the vaccine. In another report of three fatal diphtheria cases, one individual who dies and 14 of the 23 carriers had been fully immunized. Whopping Cough: Whopping cough (pertussis)
vaccine is hotly debated, both because of its Measles: Contrary to popular belief, measles cannot cause blindness; it can cause a condition known as phtotophbia which parents years ago treated by simply pulling down the window shades. Measles vaccine is designed primarily to prevent measles encephalitis, which is said to occur in one out of 1000 cases of measles. Any of us who had decades of experience with measles must question this statistic: the incidence of 1/1000 may be accurate for children who live in conditions of poverty and malnutrition, but if one excluded simple sleepiness from the measles itself, the incidence of true encephalitis probably is more like 1/10,000 or 1/100,0000. Meanwhile, the vaccine itself is associated with encephalopathy in one per million and with a series of other complications such as SSPE (subacute sclerosing panencephaliitis). Other neurological and sometimes fatal conditions associated with the measles vaccine include ataxia, retardation, learning disability or hyperactivity, aseptic meningitis, seizure disorders and hemiparesis. I wonder whether the current epidemic of hyperactivity in children may have its origin, at least in part, in the measles vaccines
Mandated Childhood Vaccines
The American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Academy of Pediatric (AAP) consider serious adverse vaccine events to be rare. If a reaction does occur in a healthy child, many doctors suggest the event was due to an underlying condition within the child and not as a reaction to the vaccine or combination of vaccines. Parents must become educated and make an informed decision. Immunizations are very serious. Some health professionals warn parents about a slight fever and crankiness, but not prolonged high pitch screaming, excessive sleepiness, seizure activity, shock collapse, etc. that can cause permanent damage and death. These latter conditions are a sample of acknowledged vaccine reactions in The National Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, PL 99-660. Under some circumstances, adults may also be required to receive immunizations. Adverse reactions have been reported and confirmed, but little study has been dome and the true extent of adult vaccine reactions is uncertain. As parents become educated, they
realize there are specific contraindications in which a child should not
receive a particular vaccine at all, and this could help prevent the child
from The most complete source about warnings, side effects, and vaccine schedules (which vaccines should be given when and it what combination) is the package insert for each vaccine. This information is compiled by the manufacturer under the supervision of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The same information is available in the Physicians Desk Reference (PDR), universally available in libraries, doctor’s offices and pharmacies. Be sure to compare any other information you might be given about vaccines to this reference. Depending on which shot is given, reactions may begin immediately or up to several weeks or months later. Parents should observe their child closely for any unusual behavior or reaction during this time period. If a reaction is suspected, keep a diary of observations and contacts with your doctor. Parents should insist their doctor or hospital emergency room see their child and help their child if they have concerns. In addition, make sure the doctor enters the vaccine manufacturer and lot number in the child’s permanent medical record and the event is reported to the Centers for Disease.
States which do not require vaccination against pertussis for pre-requisite to school entry include AZ, MO, OR, PA, RI, WA, TX and ID. All fifty states require diphtheria, measles, rubella, and polio vaccination. All states except AZ, MO and NY require tetanus vaccination and all states except AK, AZ, AR, IA, KY, MD, MO, NM, SC, VT and WV require mumps vaccination. All states except MS and WV allow a religious exemption to vaccination. Philosophical objection too vaccination is allowed in AZ, CA, CO, ID, IN, LA, ME, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, UT, VT, WA, and WI.
A Shot in the Dark by Harris Coulter and Barbara Loe Ficsher, is an excellent source of information about the pertussis vaccine. This book, now in its second edition, is available through the NVIC/DPT. The NVIC/DPT also offers a wide range of educational materials, including copies of the PDR free for members upon request and the NVIC/DPT Resource List for further study. Whooping Cough, the DPT Vaccine and Reducing Vaccine Reactions is available for $5 and A Shot in the Dark is available for $13 (VA residents add 45 cents state tax). Although most children do not suffer serious problems from the vaccinations, when it happens to your child, the risks are 100%. Dr. Lehnert concluded
form his study on the role of antibiotic therapy in cases of Otitis Media
that antibiotics really only need to be administered in 5 to 10 percent of
cases. Another So what are parents doing in light of all this? They are focusing on Natural Health Care, on behavior modification, and on diet to help their children use their own bodies and body resources to stay well. Survey Shows Link
between Antibiotics and Developmental Delays in Children A new nationwide survey of nearly 700 children is showing a disturbing link between children with developmental delays and the amount of antibiotics they have taken,
The 9 month survey began in June 1994 by the Developmental delay Registry, a multi-national database of 800 families, most of whom who have children with developmental delays. The survey's other
findings: The incidence of children
in the United States with developmental, behavioral, and mental disorders
is dramatically increasing. Conservative estimates show that in the last
four years The ICPA for a number of years has talked about the abuse of antibiotics. This is another study which verifies our concerns. A majority of the above article was reprinted from the publications of the Developmental Delay Registry. Overuse of Antibiotics
real threat "Crazy" overuse of antibiotics is one reason drug-resistant diseases such as TB, staph and pneumonia is on the rise, say experts in today's New England Journal of Medicine.
"There's vast overuse", he says, "It's completely crazy." Among germs resisting
conventional treatments: Another problem: use of antibiotics in the food chain - to stop diseases among cattle, fish or other animals - enables germs to build resistance. Though it may keep both animals and humans from getting sick now, it raises the risk that bacteria will develop antibiotic-resistant genes, says Tomasz. Over time,"the resistant gene shows up where it can cause trouble," he says. The experts call for: But "hand in hand with meticulous infection control must go reductions in the inappropriate use of antibiotics," says Dr. Barbara Murray, University of Texas Medical School. Worldwide health implications of the problem are the topic at a meeting this week in Prague, the Czech Republic. Parents give
Kids useless, risky drugs
A survey of 8,145 mothers of 3-year olds found 53.7% of the kids had been given an OTC drug in the previous 30 days, mostly cold medicine and Tylenol, says Michael Kogan of the National Center for Health Statistics. In today's Journal of the American Medical Association:
FDA's Dr. Michael Weintraub says side effects are generally not serious, but there is potential for adverse reactions and over sedation.
From 1985-89, 670,000 reports were made to poison control centers involving over-the-counter drugs and children under age 6. The truth, she says, is preschool kids experience 4 to 8 upper respiratory tract infections a year that are caused by viruses, and there is no cure for these infections. They commonly go away by themselves in 5 to 7 days. Attention Deficit
Disorder Do you know a child who is easily distracted by outside stimuli? What about a c child who blurts out answers to unfinished questions or talks excessively? How about one that fidgets or squirms in his seat? If so, that child may be diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) and be prescribed a dangerous drug called Ritalin. ADHD is a so-called "illness"
described in the Diagnosis and Statistical Manula of Mental The manufacturer of
Ritalin, CIBA-GEIGY, warns that the drug must not be used on children
under the age of six. The long term effects of Ritalin have not been
established and the mechanism of how Ritalin have not been established and
the mechanism of how Ritalin works in the body is not understood. There
are also many other warnings that should be known about the side effects
of Ritalin. Among these are stunting growth, depression, insomnia,
nervousness, skin rash, anorexia, nausea, dizziness, headache, abdominal
pain, blood pressure, and pulse change, and development of Tourette's
syndrome. Tourette's syndrome is a permanent and irreversible condition
characterized by body ticks, spasms, barking sounds, and screaming
obscenities. Chronic usage of Ritalin is also known to produce psychosis
No child deserves to be drugged in order to make them conform to someone else's idea of what it is to be "good"; to sit still, to await his/her turn in games, etc. No child deserves to be placed on a drug with such dangerous side effects as Tourette's syndrome and withdrawal symptoms of paranoia and suicide. There are alternatives to the behavior modifying drugging which is occurring to children all across this country. Many successful non-medicinal alternatives to Ritalin exist today. For further information on Ritalin or alternative solutions for handling children diagnosed with ADHD, contact the Citizens Commission on Human Rights at one of the following addresses: 6362 Hollywood Blvd. Suite b, Los Angeles, CA 90028; 1-800-869-CCHR or P.O. Box 1561, Snellville, GA 30278 1-404-518-8868. Pregnancy Chiropractic in the 9th Month of Pregnancy The 9th Month. William Sears, MD, Martha Sears, RN. Parenting, June/July 1997. "As your baby descends
into your pelvic cavity, you may feel sharp, stabbing pains at the The 9th Month. William Sears, MD, Martha Sears, RN. Parenting, June/July 1997.
Caesarean Under Fire Researchers report that half of all C-section deliveries needlessly risk the mother’s life or health without benefit to the baby.
An analysis published in the Journal Obstetrics and Gynecology revealed that 36 percent of C-sections are now done because the woman had a previous caesarean. As many as 95 percent of the women who have had a C-section and are having another child have a second C-section, despite studies that have shown at least half could safely deliver vaginally. C-section is major surgery that places the mother at 2-4 times the risk of dying in childbirth than if she delivers vaginally. Most likely complications included infection (which occurs in 40-70 percent of C-sections), hemorrhage, blood clots, and injury to the bladder or intestines. The baby can also be endangered by a C-section scheduled in advance of labor because mistakes are commonly made about the due date, which often results in the delivery of a premature baby. Preliminary studies also suggest that babies delivered by C-section may miss the action of certain hormones and other substances released during labor that help prepare the baby for life outside the womb. For the optimum delivery it is wise for the expectant mother to be under Chiropractic care during the pregnancy. This allows the structures to be in alignment so that the baby can be delivered naturally.
Is an
Epidural Bad for a Newborn? Researchers at Boston’s Brigham ad Women’s Hospital studied the medical records of more  than
1,600 women who had uncomplicated, normal childbirths. Among the findings:
15 percent of those who had epidurals developed a fever, raising a red
flag about their infants’ health; only 1 percent of new moms who had other
forms of pain relief or none at all had fevers. Newborns with infections rarely develop obvious symptoms (such as a temperature rise), so maternal fever is one of the few signs that a newborn may be ill. And an infection that’s harmless to a new mom, if untreated, can be fatal to her newborn. Some doctors, erring on the side of caution, draw blood from these babies for testing and give them shots of antibiotics, which often prolongs their hospital stay up to three days -–only to find that most are perfectly healthy. In the study, 86 percent of the babies who were tested for infection and 87 percent of those who received antibiotics were born to moms who had epidurals. But of those tested less than 1 percent were actually ill. This puts expectant moms in a quandary; whether to go for the Epidural or to pass on the one pain alleviator that will allow them to experience the ecstasy of childbirth without the agony. Experts caution against forgoing a n epidural solely for this reason, however, because a new mom’s temperature may rise even without it. "if a woman labors in a heated birthing room for many hours, the physical effort alone may result in a slight fever," "says David Birnbach, M.D., director of obstetric anesthesiology at St. Luke’s – Roosevelt Hospital in New York. Besides, experts agree that epidurals are the best labor-pain relief available. So that expectant women won’t have to factor in the possibility of a fever when considering an epidural, researchers hope to find ways other that a mother’s temperature to determine whether a newborn has an infection. Meanwhile, if you’re expecting, your doctor should go over all the pros and cons of having an epidural so that when the time comes you’ll be prepared to make the choice that is best for you. The TAB, May
19, 1992 Mistakenly believed to be merely "'back doctors'" for adults, chiropractors have always realized the benefit children receive from chiropractic care. The spine is the container for the entire nervous system, the system that controls functioning for the entire body. Any obstacles (called vertebral subluxations) to a free flow of energy along those nerves would interrupt normal, healthy, body function.
These pediatric chiropractors are trained to adjust children, even shortly after birth, such that it may take only one, two, or three adjustments to remove subluxations and dramatically affect the future Health of the child. Is there more information about Pediatric Chiropractic Care? For more information, please visit the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association.
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Between 1981 and 1988
there was a 44% increase in the number of preschooler ear infection cases
in the United States. In 1988 the figure had reached 5.9 million, and by
1990 ear infections were the diagnosis arrived at by medical doctors the
second most frequently. Potentially resulting in hearing loss, many
believe that the medical community needs a new approach to treatment for
ear infections. The Ladies Home Journal expresses this view: "'A
child's ear infection offers a classic example of how over-treatment with
antibiotics can lead to the development of drug-resistant strains of
bacteria. For years, amoxicillin - a penicillin-like antibiotic - was the
standard treatment for acute otitis media. However, these infections
usually clear, without treatment, in two or three days...Because
amoxicillin has been so over prescribed, some ear infections that in the
past might have responded to it no longer do. As a result, doctors are
forced to prescribe one after another of stronger - and more expensive -
medications. Furthermore, the stronger antibiotics are the broad-spectrum
ones, which kill the so-called good bacteria as as well as the bad, making
children vulnerable to secondary infections.'"
them should not have been performed, especially not when you consider the
hearing loss and permanent scarring that may result from the procedure
(which has not been found more effective than medicine or other therapy).
" With some
immunizations, the risk of taking the shots may outweigh their benefits.
In 1976, while addressing science writers at a seminar of the American
Cancer Society, Dr. Arobert Simpson of Rutgers University pointed out that
"immunization programs against the flu, measles, mumps, polio, etc.
actually may be seeding humans with RNA to from pro-viruses which will
then become latent cells throughout the body Some of these latent
pro-viruses could cause a variety of diseases including rheumatoid
arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus erythematosus, Parkinson’s disease
and perhaps cancer."
effectiveness rate is only about 50% and because it may cause high fevers
and convulsions as well as encephalopathy (brain damage). This vaccine is
regarded as so dangerous that most public health authorities prohibit its
use after age six. Meanwhile, whooping cough itself has almost completely
disappeared (less than 1000 reported cases in 1976).
Today, when parents
take their child to a doctor’s office, they are facing a difficult and
sometimes terrifying decision about whether or not to vaccinate their
healthy child. Vaccines are supposed to protect against one or more of the
seven contagious childhood diseases. As parents become more educated about
the risks and benefits of disease and vaccines, they realize the decision
is not easy.
becoming a vaccine
injury statistic. Before entering their health care professional’s office,
a parent should prepare the facts for discussion and ask the doctor, "What
is the most serious thing I should be aware of that can happen to my child
from this shot?". A full family medical history should be taken my the
doctor, and if a parent does decide to vaccinate at that time, their child
should be healthy. Consideration should be given to only administering one
shot at a time.
DPT (diphtheria,
pertussis (whooping cough ) tetanus), MMR ( measles, mumps and rubella
(German Measles)), and polio are vaccines mandated in many states and
covered under PL 99-660 in a no-fault compensation system. The pertussis
(whooping cough) vaccine has been the most controversial of all vaccines
and the majority of awards in the compensation system have been for
pertussis vaccine injury and death. IF a parent feels a child has been
permanently injured or died from a vaccine, there must be proof the child
was damaged by the vaccine and not from a pre-existing condition in order
to receive compensation. HIB is not a vaccine included in the compensation
system.
available
and overly popular treatment is the insertion of tympanotomy tubes into
the ear. Though this procedure was used over 670,000 times in 1988, there
is evidence that 25% of them should not have been performed, especially
not when you consider the hearing loss and permanent scarring that may
result from the procedure (which has not been found more effective than
medicine or other therapy).
The survey, which
included youngsters between the ages of one year an 12 years found that
those who have taken more than 20 cycles of antibiotics in their lifetime
are over 50% more likely to suffer developmental delays. Children who have
had three of fewer rounds of antibiotics were half as likely to become
developmentally delayed.
the number of
children under the age of 18 with these disorders has grown from 4.8
million to 7.5 million. Included in these pervasive developmental
disorders are autism, speech and language problems and multi-system
developmental disorders. Symptoms range from skin irritations and sleep
disorders to repetitive behavior and loss of language.
Taking antibiotics "is
not like taking an aspirin", says lead author Alexander Tomasz,
Rockefeller University microbiology professor.
Parents
often give over-the-counter drugs to preschool children to treat colds,
despite the potential for harm and little proof that the drugs are
effective.
Parents feel the need to
do something for a sick child and in the process "become easy prey
to......promotion by drug companies'" says Dr. Anne Gadomski of the
University of Maryland, in an editorial in the same issue.
Disorders 111-R (DSM 111-R) , the handbook of psychiatry. The "symptoms"
described in the DSM-111-R include common forms of childhood activities
such as those described above, failing o finish chores, and difficulty
waiting turns in games (APA 1987). Ritalin, an amphetamine or "speed-lie"
drug, is prescribed to "treat" ADHD in children and adults. However,
when this drug is prescribed most of the data given to parents about
Ritalin is not true. Statements like "Ritalin has no side effects",
"Ritalin is not at all addictive", and "Ritalin will help improve your
child's performance in school" simply are not true. Ritalin has many
dangerous side effects and withdrawal symptoms, it is a highly addictive
substance often accompanied by crime, and, statistically, has not been
shown to improve the literacy of schoolchildren.
One would think that
despite all the harmful side effects, withdrawal symptoms and addictive
effects Ritalin would, in fact, help children to perform better in school.
However, this has not shown to be true. Despite the drastic increase in
Ritalin administration to schoolchildren since its introduction, SAT
scores in the United States have dropped rather than increased over the
past thirty years. Since 1963, SAT scores steadily declined for sixteen
straight years, finally leveling off in the range of 890-900. The former
average SAT score in 1963 was a 980 (Citizens Commission on Human Rights,
1993). Ritalin, which is currently administered to thousands of
schoolchildren, supposedly improves he performance of schoolchildren.
However, the decline of SAT scores and study upon study demonstrate the
opposite.
base of your spine or in the middle of your pelvic bone, making it
uncomfortable twinges of "pains and needles" in the cervix itself. Pain
may radiate down your back or thighs. The increased pelvic aches and pains
are likely due to the relaxation and stretching of your pelvic ligaments
in preparation for labor. You can ease these discomforts by changing
positions. Exercise gently each day; take long, slow walks or ride a
stationary bike. If you cannot exercise without pain, consult your doctor.
He or she may be able to recommend a chiropractor experienced in working
on pregnant bodies, who may be able to give you some gentle pelvic
adjustments to get your hips back in the balance. It is our personal
theory that chiropractic care in pregnancy can held to avoid or relive
back pain and also prepare your back and pelvic structures for the
stresses of labor and delivery.
Today the C-section rate
averages one in four births, and at some hospitals the C-section rate is
above 50 percent. Studies indicate that the babies fare just as well in
areas where the rate is below 20 percent as they do in areas where the
rate is higher.
Though
chiropractic does not treat specific symptoms, the improved immune system
function that results in Children is effective against ear infections,
allergies, asthma, and bed-wetting that emerged when a subluxation
interrupted communication between the brain and the body .