Tag Archives: Healthcare

Vaccine Safety – Revisiting Special Parents Confidential 22

Vaccine Safety.

In recent months there’s been a resurgence of concerns about vaccine safety. Claims about this year’s flu shot being ‘not as effective’, has given the anti-vax movement new attention. But, as we noted in 2015 when we posted this episode, those claims are nonsense. So here’s a revisit of  SPC episode 22, in which we interview a real expert on vaccine safety.

What Is The Truth?

 In the last 20 years or so we have seen an increase in popularity of an anti-vaccine movement which is based on some very disturbing claims about vaccine safety. Primarily among them being that the MMR vaccine, which stands for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, causes autism. Others claim all manner of health problems can come from vaccinations and that we, as a society, should stop vaccinating our children in any way.

But are those claims valid? Do they have any real scientific proof? For that matter, how safe are vaccines and immunizations? Who makes them? How are they tested? What kind of research, safeguards, and oversight is done before a vaccine is allowed to be used in public? Are they just thrown together in careless disregard by big pharma corporations for big profits, as the anti-vaccine movement claims, or is there a much more scientific and careful approach with regulations and oversight from medical groups, the CDC, and the FDA?

Hear From A Real Expert.

Our guest on this episode of Special Parents Confidential is going to answer a lot of those questions. Mary Wisinski, RN BSN, is the Supervisor of the Immunization Program at the Kent County Health Department, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and she has graciously agreed to this interview to provide credible and accurate information. And what she has to say is very important for every parent to hear and understand.

More importantly, Mary answers the one question that the anti-vaccine people have never dared to address: Are there documented cases of children who were not vaccinated, yet still developed autism? Listen to this episode to hear the answer for yourself.

Valid Links.

Mary has also supplied a PDF with links to websites that contain accurate, proven, peer-reviewed research that prove the safety and importance of vaccines and immunizations. There is also links to books you can purchase for more information, a toll free number to the Center for Disease Control where you can speak to CDC staff on vaccine safety 24/7, as well as a DVD on vaccine safety.   The website links are listed below and the PDF form link is below them:

American Academy of Pediatrics Immunization Webpage

The Center for Disease Control Vaccine Website

Vaccinate Your Baby – contains a broad array of educational materials and information about vaccines, their safety, vaccine research and science, vaccine misperceptions, and many other topics for clinicians and parents.

Every Child By Two  another site with great information for parents and clinicians.

Immunization Action Coalition and their additional website  Vaccine Information

U.S. Department of Health Website on Vaccine Safety

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Vaccine Information Webpage

Center for Disease Control offers a toll-free number for consumers and healthcare professionals who have questions about immunization and vaccine-preventable diseases. Call (800) CDC-INFO or (800) 232-4636. The Center operates 24/7 in English & Spanish.                   TTY: (888) 232-6348.

Reliable Sources of Immunization Information – Link to downloadable pdf.

Please note, on the PDF form there is a link to a site called the National Network for Immunization Information. That domain has expired and the links are no longer active.

As always a reminder that if you like this episode of Special Parents Confidential or any episode we’ve done, please share our site with your friends, family, and all your connections on social media. You can do this easily with the social media buttons located right below this paragraph. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, add us on Google Plus, Tumbler, Linked In, Pintrest, Stumble Upon, Reddit, or other social media sites that you use. You can also sign up for our email service and have new posts and podcast episodes delivered right to your inbox the moment they’re available online. That form is located to the right of this text.  We’re also on iTunes and Stitcher as a free subscription and if you have a moment, feel free to write a review about our podcast there. Anything you can do to help spread the word about Special Parents Confidential will help us be able to continue these podcasts.
Thanks for your support!

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Special Parents Confidential Episode 22 Vaccine Safety

Vaccine Safety

 In the last 20 years or so we have seen an increase in popularity of an anti-vaccine movement which is based on some very disturbing claims. Primarily among them being that the MMR vaccine, which stands for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, causes autism. Others claim all manner of health problems can come from vaccinations and that we, as a society, should stop vaccinating our children in any way.

But are those claims valid? Do they have any real scientific proof? For that matter, how safe are vaccines and immunizations? Who makes them? How are they tested? What kind of research, safeguards, and oversight is done before a vaccine is allowed to be used in public? Are they just thrown together in careless disregard by big pharma corporations for big profits, as the anti-vaccine movement claims, or is there a much more scientific and careful approach with regulations and oversight from medical groups, the CDC, and the FDA?

Our guest on this episode of Special Parents Confidential is going to answer a lot of those questions. Mary Wisinski, RN BSN, is the Supervisor of the Immunization Program at the Kent County Health Department, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and she has graciously agreed to this interview to provide credible and accurate information. And what she has to say is very important for every parent to hear and understand.

More importantly, Mary answers the one question that the anti-vaccine people have never dared to address: Are there documented cases of children who were not vaccinated, yet still developed autism? Listen to this episode to hear the answer for yourself.

Mary has also supplied a PDF with links to websites that contain accurate, proven, peer-reviewed research that prove the safety and importance of vaccines and immunizations. There is also links to books you can purchase for more information, a toll free number to the Center for Disease Control where you can speak to CDC staff on vaccine safety 24/7, as well as a DVD on vaccine safety.   The website links are listed below and the PDF form link is below them:

American Academy of Pediatrics Immunization Webpage

The Center for Disease Control Vaccine Website

Vaccinate Your Baby – contains a broad array of educational materials and information about vaccines, their safety, vaccine research and science, vaccine misperceptions, and many other topics for clinicians and parents.

Every Child By Two  another site with great information for parents and clinicians.

Immunization Action Coalition and their additional website  Vaccine Information

The U.S. Department of Health Website on Vaccine Safety

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Vaccine Information Webpage

Center for Disease Control offers a toll-free number for consumers and healthcare professionals who have questions about immunization and vaccine-preventable diseases. Call (800) CDC-INFO or (800) 232-4636. The Center operates 24/7 in English & Spanish.                   TTY: (888) 232-6348.

Reliable Sources of Immunization Information – Link to downloadable pdf.

Please note, on the PDF form there is a link to a site called the National Network for Immunization Information. That domain has expired and the links are no longer active.

As always a reminder that if you like this episode of Special Parents Confidential or any episode we’ve done, please share our site with your friends, family, and all your connections on social media. You can do this easily with the social media buttons located right below this paragraph. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, add us on Google Plus, Tumbler, Linked In, Pintrest, Stumble Upon, Reddit, or other social media sites that you use. You can also sign up for our email service and have new posts and podcast episodes delivered right to your inbox the moment they’re available online. That form is located to the right of this text.  We’re also on iTunes and Stitcher as a free subscription and if you have a moment, feel free to write a review about our podcast there. Anything you can do to help spread the word about Special Parents Confidential will help us be able to continue these podcasts.
Thanks for your support!

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Special Parents Confidential Episode 20 Health and Wellness

Health and Wellness.

Perhaps no other subject is a greater concern to a parent than the health of their children. Parents of special needs children have an even greater concern because our kids often have disabilities or disorders that require specialized health care options. Some disabilities or disorders like Downs Syndrome can be diagnosed immediately at birth, if not sooner. Others like Autism or Dyslexia may take a few years. However, the one thing all health care professionals can agree on is the earlier you get a diagnosis for your child, the sooner you can get the right treatments and therapies, and that’s better for your child.

But where do you find the experts on your child’s disabilities or disorders, especially if you’re a first time parent and don’t yet have a family doctor or pediatrician? Often, a child can have more than one special need challenge, which can make medical decisions even harder. 

One place that offers a wide variety of services from medical checkups and advice to doctor referrals to support groups and beyond is your local county or city Health Department. Most Health Departments have a person or a group of people who support parents of special needs children with counseling, advice, and education. They can help you with ongoing support, including finding early on or early intervention programs with your local school district to get your child into special education programs that are the right fit for their challenges.

In this episode of Special Parents Confidential, John talks to Chris Buczek, RN BSN, who is the Public Health Program supervisor for Children’s Special Health Care Services of the Kent County Health Department in Grand Rapids Michigan. She also supervises the Hearing and Vision Screening Program for the Health Department, and runs a support group for parents of special needs children. And, as you’ll find out, she has a personal reason for her involvement in Special Health Services.

During the interview Chris talks about a number of websites for resources. The following are the links to those sites:

MDCH Children’s Special Health Care Services   

MI Family Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs

US DHHS HRSA Maternal and Child Health

CDC Parent Information Infants & Toddlers

CDC Important Milestones For Infants

NCMHI Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs

American Academy of Pediatrics Bright Futures Page

As always a reminder that if you like this episode of Special Parents Confidential or any episode we’ve done, please share our site with your friends, family, and all your connections on social media. You can do this easily with the social media buttons located right below this paragraph. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, add us on Google Plus, or any of the other sites like Tumbler, Linked In, Pintrest, Stumble Upon, Reddit, and others. You can also sign up for our email service and have new posts and podcast episodes delivered right to your inbox the moment they’re available online. That form is located to the right of this text.  We’re also on iTunes and Stitcher and if you have a moment, feel free to write a review about our podcast there. Anything you can do to help spread the word about Special Parents Confidential will help us be able to continue these podcasts.

Thanks for your support!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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