| Measles is on the increase due to a | | | | children died in the 1940s. Nobody wanted |
| reluctance by parents to allow their children | | | | their kids to catch measles back in these |
| to have the MMR vaccine. The early stages are | | | | days. I have read that measles parties were |
| similar to many other diseases, yet measles | | | | common then, but I never came across one. We |
| kills children. Part I of this article | | | | were always told to keep away from anyone who |
| explains why measles parties are not a good | | | | had measles - at least until they went back |
| idea, and why measles is a dangerous | | | | to school. Some never went back. |
| infection. Measles | | | | |
| is caused by a virus of the influenza family. | | | | Since the measles vaccine, which became |
| The initial measles symptoms are a bit like a | | | | available in 1963, and MMR which was licensed |
| bad cold or flu, but with a rash! The vast | | | | in the USA in 1971 (1972 in the UK), the |
| majority of parents do not know what measles | | | | disease has become uncommon in developed |
| really is, other than being a childhood | | | | countries, and parents have become blasé |
| illness. They know it has a rash and is | | | | about it. This is the only reason I can think |
| infectious, but that's about it. They have | | | | of for them concluding that measles parties |
| probably never seen it and don't know anyone | | | | are better for their children than the |
| who has had it. Most doctors would not | | | | vaccine. If it does not kill, it can have |
| recognise measles symptoms until the rash | | | | some very nasty side effects. It is without a |
| appeared, never having come across it. This | | | | doubt the most dangerous children's |
| is due to the measles vaccination program | | | | rash-producing disease. |
| which was superseded by the MMR vaccine. | | | | |
| | | | Measles is still one of the major causes of |
| I have even heard of parents arranging | | | | death in children worldwide (over 600,000 |
| measles parties, where young children are | | | | have been reported) and it is almost as |
| sent to visit others who have measles in | | | | contagious as smallpox. Children have around |
| order that they catch it. This is going back | | | | a 99% chance of contracting the disease if |
| to the immediate post World War 2 era when | | | | they come into contacted with an infected |
| immunity was gained by catching the disease. | | | | person. The main cause of death in around 60% |
| I was brought up in the 1950s and early 1960s | | | | of measles cases is pneumonia. |
| and remember mumps parties and German measles | | | | |
| parties so that children would be immune to | | | | If it does not kill your children they have a |
| these diseases as adults, but not measles | | | | high chance of hearing problems, and worse, a |
| parties. | | | | much higher than average chance of |
| | | | contracting meningitis or encephalitis. The |
| The reason for this is that mumps can damage | | | | chances of this are only 1 in a 1000, but you |
| the male reproductive system ( and, not so | | | | don't want your son or daughter to be that |
| well known, the ovaries as well) if | | | | one. I know, because my son was that one. He |
| contracted after puberty, and German measles | | | | contracted meningitis and encaphilitis |
| is very dangerous to the developing fetus. In | | | | shortly after receiving a measles |
| children, however, they are relatively mild | | | | vaccination, but I still prompted my daughter |
| diseases. Painful and uncomfortable, perhaps, | | | | to allow her son to have the MMR vaccine. The |
| but not what you would call killer diseases. | | | | disease is far more dangerous than the |
| German measles is not a type of measles. The | | | | vaccine. He had it and all was well. My son's |
| word 'German' probably comes from a Latin | | | | story is on my website. |
| word, germanus, meaning 'similar' since the | | | | |
| symptoms are similar to those of measles. | | | | In part two of this article, I will explain |
| | | | the symptoms and in what order they can be |
| Measles kill, so we never had measles | | | | expected, to help parents who are unsure what |
| parties. In fact back in the 1940s and 1950s | | | | they should do or when to call a doctor. |
| it was a major killer. In England alone 5,677 | | | | |