 As the middle of five siblings all born between 1947 and 1957, I was lucky enough (we all were) to get natural measles and lifelong immunity. So did our cousins, friends, classmates, etc., and those of us who became mothers, passed on protection to our children for the first several months of life. When my early vaccine safety research started in 1988, I talked with my own mother, aunts, and friends' mothers to find out what it was like when we kids got measles, mumps, chickenpox, etc. Read more about that here, but basically they all said, "No big deal." A few years ago, I asked my then almost 90 year old aunt what she remembered about measles. She told me when she was young (one of ten children) and got "them", they put a measles quarantine sign on the house. They had to stay inside and no one could come in; but years later, when her own four kids got measles, she told me there was no sign. She laughed and said, "Measles? Never thought much about it. Just waited until they ran through the house and were finished!"
I know that there can be complications with measles. They're listed in five lines on page 1 of the vaccine package insert. However, if you turn to pages 3 through 8 of that same vaccine package insert, you'll find those same complications plus a whole lot more listed under vaccine contraindications, warnings, precautions and adverse reactions. In most cases with rest, good nutrition and adequate Vitamin A (Mom always made us take cod liver oil) measles is a fairly benign illness; and as a reward for your temporary discomfort and inconvenience, you'll have lifelong immunity. I hope the information below will help you put and keep measles in perspective. Read, watch, share; and if you've had a measles experience -- either as a child or more recently -- please post a comment sharing what it was like when measles "ran through your house."  Sharyl Attkisson fact checks 10 statements you may have heard about the 2019 U.S. measles outbreak in a clear, comprehensive way. Measles: Facts and Misconceptions in a Near-Hysterical Media Environment by Investigative Journalist, Sharyl Attkisson You probably know that the U.S. has broken the record for number of measles cases in recent years...Here are some other facts CDC released this week about the 2019 outbreak...Along with the facts, a great deal of propaganda and misreporting are stoking near-hysteria among some... Fact check and sourcing on 10 statements you may have heard about the 2019 U.S. measles outbreak...Read more. The HighWire with Del Bigtree - May 2, 2019  A DOZEN FACTS ABOUT MEASLES that you won’t learn from MSPharmedia 1) Measles is usually a mild, self-limiting childhood illness. 2) Since 2000, there have been nine reported measles deaths in the U.S. Since 1986, there have been 415 deaths associated with the MMR vaccine according to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. Read more.
Enjoy these excerpts from The Donna Reed Show (1959); The Flintstones (1961); and The Brady Bunch (1969). Perhaps these clips will make you or someone you know a bit less terrified of measles.
8 Comments
Barbara Cueter
5/8/2019 12:41:54 pm
I too had measles, when I was age 8, third grade. My first year of school, and promptly passed on to my younger siblings, Arbria, Carolyn, Glenna, Raymond, one or more at time. We also had Chicken Pox later. The worst was for our mother, so many kids, but except for warnings not to scratch, she mostly let childhood diseases let the course. Strangely enough, our brother Ralph, born after Raymond and the first sibling to be vaccinated for anything, died of rheumatic fever under doctor's care. My four children were vaccinated. Two disabled, one from a bundled DPT/polio vaccine, the other has multiple sclerosis. WE truly do not know the long term consequence of vaccines, bundled or singular, and kids grow up with strange psychological INITIALS after their names and endless vaccines. Elderly suffering Alzheimer's cause unknown. My elder relatives died in full control of their faculties from different forms of cancer. Some had been vaccinated as adults, required for travel abroad. One sister had small pox vaccine site that would not heal surgically removed in Europe, leaving a huge scar. Vaccines are like playing roulette. We take a chance of winning the game. Dear Barbara...Thank you so much for your comments. I remember my mother telling me the hardest part about measles, chickenpox, etc., was that since we tended to get the illness two at a time, followed by the straggler, she was stuck inside for quite some time; so I agree with you that it was probably hardest on our mothers! Thank you, too, for sharing your very interesting story of your brother, Ralph; your personal observations about vaccines; and all the vaccine injury your family has personally experienced. I am so very sorry. for the harm and heartache vaccines have caused you and your family. You are in my thoughts and prayers. God bless and take care...
Hannah
5/8/2019 03:23:34 pm
Thank you for this amazing, informative compendium!
MIB
5/8/2019 04:40:09 pm
Great article!! Thank you for putting all of this information together in one place. Very helpful!!
Stacey
5/18/2019 12:35:54 pm
It's funny because I asked my mom if her and her siblings had the measles and she said yes. I said - tell me about it. All she would say is why would you want to know, there is no need for measles anymore with the vaccines. I said - well was it that bad, all 9 of you are fine, any lasting effects? she said no - I don't want to have this conversation. I was trying to get her to see how media is throwing this who thing out of proportion. Everytime there is a measles case in the city she has to text me. The I text back saying okay so that makes 6 in a city of over 1 million - explain to me why it is being called an outbreak??? Why should I be concerned? 6 out of 1 million doesn't seem like that many. Hi Stacey...I'm so sorry that your mom doesn't want to talk about her experience with measles when she was young. I so wish more of my generation (I'm 67) would speak up. We can do so much to allay the fear surrounding measles. When we're gone, so will be the last generation to have had measles, lifelong immunity and the last generation that contributed to true herd immunity. In 1979 when it was time for my oldest daughter's measles vaccine, my pediatrician (who would not give the combined MMR) explained that one measles vaccine would give lifelong immunity, which was what was believed back then. I wasn't afraid of measles but as a young mom, I remember thinking how lucky I was that I wouldn't have to deal with what my mom had to deal with. Of course, at that time, I had no idea what was in the vaccine, thinking it was just a weakened virus and some saline. About 10 years later, I was pregnant with my third child. The vaccine schedule was increasing, and I started asking questions and researching vaccine safety. Around that same time, a notice came home from school advising that the "once only" measles shot would now need a booster. I remember thinking, I didn't sign up for that. All that to say that I think for many mothers in my generation, the measles vaccine sounded like a good idea; and if they never had reason to question it, as I did, perhaps they still feel the same way. I hope your mom will be open to learning more about vaccines, their inferior immunity, and the fact that they can and do cause serious injury and death. Thank you for taking the time to comment. God bless and take care... Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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