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“Angela admits that she had no idea that chickenpox can cause serious complications including sepsis, pneumonia, brain damage and, as in Alex’s case, even triggering a stroke.
Now aged 14, he remains partially paralysed and struggles to talk. His future is uncertain.”
Mother's shock as child suffers stroke caused by chickenpox infection
Alex Roantree-Roesch, from Gosport, Hampshire suffered a stroke aged seven. He could no longer talk or eat unaided. His mother Angela, 43, said 'it was like having a newborn baby again.'
Waitematā District Health Board
We spoke with Anthony, whose daughter Kaylee recently contracted the measles. The pair were confined to an isolation room at Waitakere Hospital for five days until Kaylee was well enough to head home. 😭
Kaylee and her sister are fully up-to-date with their vaccinations - but with Kaylee being under 15 months at the time she contracted measles, she was yet to have her MMR shots.
It was a frightening time for Anthony, and he's encouraging the public to be proactive with immunising themselves and their whānau.
Having more people immunised helps prevent the spread of measles in the community and minimises the risk of infants too young to be vaccinated contracting this highly infectious disease.
The MMR vaccine is normally given at 15 months and at 4 years. If you or anyone in your whānau hasn't been immunised, it's FREE if you're under 50 years! You can get yours from your GP, practice nurse or student health centre.
Don't assume you're immune! Here's a quick guide to figuring out what immunisations you need - bit.ly/30e2a3t
Being vaccinated for chicken pox reduces your risk of getting shingles by about 70%.
Love•protect•vaccinate
Link to original paper (not news article) here: pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2019/06/06/peds.2018-2917
When kids get the chickenpox vaccine, they're less likely to get shingles
statnews.com
A large new study shows that children who are vaccinated against the virus that causes chickenpox al...“The idea of developing "natural immunity" has huge appeal. Many locals believe that not vaccinating has made the whole community healthier. (This is incorrect: figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show that life expectancy, child mortality and rates of all cancers are worse in this region than the national averages.)”.
“Being able to provide vaccines to even the most remote places is important because no child should lose their life to a preventable disease”
Love•protect•vaccinate
In photos: how vaccines reach the most remote places on earth
unicef.org.au
By boat, plane and camel - UNICEF health teams make it to every child in need.