Pediatric Perspectives: Measles

CHD.TV recently launched Pediatric Perspectives, with host Dr. Paul Thomas, to provide educational information on important topics that effect children’s health.

Episode 1 is a compelling interview with pediatrician Dr. Larry Palevsky on the topic of measles. Dr. Palevsky believes in healing the whole child naturally by using a holistic approach to both wellness and illness.

Key takeaways from this interview include:

Vaccination does not equal immunity. A measles infection can result from vaccination failure or the live attenuated measles vaccine can actually cause the infection. It is important to determine whether the strain of measles causing the illness is from the vaccine as those cases should not be counted as true cases of measles during an outbreak.

The measles vaccine was not introduced because of deaths. Instead, its intention was to prevent Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE), a very rare and usually fatal brain disorder which can be caused by a latent reactivation of the measles infection. While SSPE is extremely rare, there are millions of children who develop brain inflammation, encephalitis and injury from the measles vaccine itself. 

Dr. Palevsky’s conclusion is that measles is a contained self-limited illness. Vitamin A supplementation, in the form of beta carotene, is an effective treatment for children who do experience complications such as ear infections or pneumonia. The MMR vaccine has never been proven to be safe or effective and there is a very high risk for brain injury based upon the nature of the ingredients. Dr. Palevsky feels that it is critical for parents to evaluate for themselves whether the risks from getting the MMR vaccine outweigh any benefits.

Watch the full episode here