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Vaccines have been on my mind a lot lately. We seem to be emerging from the flu season with the media-hyped swine flu "epidemic." There has been a lot of talk and misinformation. People are scared to vaccinate, but they're scared not to.
Right now a friend of mine is in school and working on her degree. Her English class is currently working on a Persuasive Argument paper, and she needed a controversial topic to take one side on and defend. Well, vaccines is definitely a hot button topic that is generating a lot of interest among her classmates.
Yes, it's quite the issue. My own personal view on vaccines has shifted in the past couple of years. I was a staunch supporter of the vaccine schedule and had both of my children vaccinated on time. After both of them were diagnosed on the autism spectrum and I began to do a lot of research and reading, I discovered that there was more information out there about vaccines than I previously realized. Although I felt like I already had a firm grasp on the topic, I surprisingly found that I was fairly ignorant about the issue.
Since I started volunteering in the special needs community, I've had the privilege to work with many families. Among them, there is a significant percentage who believe without a shadow of a doubt that their children have been injured by vaccines. The stories I've heard are heartbreaking, and I do not dispute them.
Over time, I have found myself unable to continue supporting the current vaccine schedule. And, it's not just about the mercury preservative, thimerosal! I'll save you the boredom of a lengthy dissertation on the reasons why...at least for now. My poor friend has already been barraged with details while she prepares to complete her paper! At some point when I have more time and energy, I hope to do a more substantial follow up to this topic, and then you'll see my own version of a persuasive argument paper!
Until then, a new online resource for you to check out is a vaccine news site by Dr. Mercola. It's available at: http://vaccines.mercola.com. In my opinion, I think the information he presents on his main site, http://www.mercola.com, is quite valuable and I am very happy that he has launched this site specific to vaccines. He has brought a lot of information together on this one topic, and I think you will find it to be a great resource.
If you have any vaccine site links or other resources you would like to share, feel free to leave a comment. Maybe it will end up on a future blog about this topic! Read More »
As we enter into this holiday season, we turn our attention toward family and giving. With all of the news of financial crisis and recession this year, many families have found themselves in financial turmoil due to loss of employment, loss of their home, medical debt, etc. Having a special needs child invariably adds to the stress level of maintaining financial solvency, particularly when health care costs are going up, and not all needed services may be covered.
This season I find myself in a novel situation. Our family is completely without employment. This isn’t our first experience with being laid off, and I’m sure it won’t be the last either. But, since we now have two boys with autism, my husband and I made the decision several years ago for me to stay home to help coordinate their therapy, schooling and care. So, we went from a single income family making it work month-to-month, to now being a family without income. Fortunately, we are doing alright for now, but this got me to thinking about other families out there who may not be as lucky in this type of situation.
There are actually a lot of resources out there. By no means do I know them all or claim to be an expert, but I thought I would share some that I’ve come across that may be of help to you or someone you know. A good place to start is with State of Washington to determine if you qualify for anything. The website is http://access.wa.gov and you click on “Living in Washington” and then click on “Health and Social Services.” There is an eligibility calculator and information on various state services available for those who need them.
By far, my favorite resource is 2-1-1. It is an all-inclusive service that can provide you with resources for any locale and any need. The website for Washington State is http://www.resourcehouse.com/win211/. Once at the website, you click on the blue “Start a Search” button. You can search by keyword, topic, or location. It’s a fairly comprehensive service that should provide you with lots of valuable information. You can also simply dial 2-1-1 on your phone to be connected with this resource.
The following is a short list of service providers in the Spanaway/Puyallup area, and I found them in the local school district newsletter, “Bethel Pride,” November 2009 issue, page 2.
Bethel Family Center 18020 B St E 253-683-6850 - Toys for kids from babies to children age 18 - New winter clothing - New personal hygiene items - Disposable diapers
Community Care Ministries 13202 224th St E (Old Thrift Community Hall) Fridays 10am to noon 360-832-2360 - Toys for babies to children age 18 - Stocking stuffers - High-protein food items like tuna and peanut butter
First Place for Children 12108 Pacific Ave S 253-531-2009 - Coats, hats and gloves - Children’s underwear
Miracle Makers – A nonprofit organization that helps families in crisis. Mary Wilson, Director 253-875-9587 miraclemakers@msn.com PO Box 1191 Spanaway, WA 98387 - Seeks family financial assistance - Needs groups or individuals who are willing to adopt families
Salvation Army (South Hill) 4009 9th St SW 253-841-1491 - Canned vegetables, turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie filling - Juice - Cash donations
Graham Food Bank 253-846-3805 Open Mon/Wed/Fri, 1:30 to 4pm
Spanaway FISH Food Bank 16001 A St E, Spanaway www.fishfoodbanks.org Call 253-383-1817 for an appointment between 9:15am to noon Open Mon/Wed/Fri, 1 to 2pm
Roy FISH Food Bank 220 1st St, Roy www.fishfoodbanks.org Call 253-843-3033 for an appointment between 9:30am to noon Open Wed/Fri, 1 to 3pm
I would like to encourage families who do not have major struggles to overcome this season, to think about giving in some way to your local community. This can be as simple as making a small donation to a charity or food bank in your neighborhood, volunteering your time, or a beautiful gesture of adopting a family in need for the holidays. If you take a minute to visit the 2-1-1 website listed above, you will find lots of local charities that could use your help in a variety of ways. Don't forget to get your kids involved whenever possible! It is a rewarding experience for the whole family to participate in giving together. Who knows? You might even start a new family tradition for the holidays.
If your family finds itself in need this holiday season, I wish you all the best as you search for and secure assistance. I hope that I may have provided some sort of helpful information to ease your burden. Please take care, and I sincerely wish you a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. Read More »
Well, the allergy-free pies are baked and the kitchen looks like a tornado came through it.Now the house is quiet and my mind is actively figuring out all of the details for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving soiree.Amidst this flurry of thought, I find myself reflecting on Thanksgiving.No, I’m not talking Pilgrims and Indians, or even a chaotic turkey dinner with family.I’m talking about Thanksgiving in terms of personal meaning.Giving thanks.Thankfulness.Reasons to be thankful.Read More »
The U.S. soft drinks industry says it has dramatically cut the number of high-calorie soft drinks sold in schools as part of a drive to tackle obesity. The American Beverage Association said shipments of full-calorie drinks to schools were down 95 percent. Nearly one in three children and teenagers in the U.S. are overweight or obese, and health experts say sugary drinks are part of the problem. Several U.S. states and cities are considering taxing soft drinks. Under voluntary guidelines in place since 2006, full-calorie soft drinks were removed from school canteens and vending machines. However, other drinks, including diet sodas, are being promoted in their place.
Pregnancy-related deaths appear to have risen in the U.S. over the past decade, nearly tripling in California, the state with the most careful count. The maternal mortality rate is four times higher than a goal the federal government set for this year.Maternal mortality gets little public attention in the U.S. Among the leading preventable causes are hemorrhage, DVT-caused pulmonary emboli and uncontrolled blood pressure.It's not clear what's fueling the overall increase, but there are some suspects: A jump in cesarean deliveries that now account for almost a third of births One in five pregnant women is obese, spurring high blood pressure and diabetes More women are having babies in their late 30s and beyond
The World Health Organization global status report on road safety makes for shocking reading. Over 3000 people die on the world's roads every day -- and over 90 percent of the deaths occur in low-income and middle-income countries, which have only 48 percent of the world's registered vehicles.Tens of millions of people are injured or disabled every year. Nearly 1.3 million people are killed each year. If trends continue unabated, deaths will rise to an estimated 2.4 million a year by 2030.The report is the first broad assessment of the road safety situation in 178 countries, using data drawn from a standardized survey.
