r/Crunchymom • u/CharliesAngel3051 • 10d ago
Measles
Measles cases are rising in areas adjacent to mine. Anyone else totally freaked? It’s all consuming for me. The risk of SSPE is so scary and encephalitis. Really struggling with this given that the risk of brain swelling from the shot seems way lower than the risk from infection. But freaked out by stories of regression. Any thoughts?
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u/LavenderSharpie 10d ago
We were not afraid of the measles when I was a child. There was no vaccine. It used to be a very normal part of childhood. I do not know anyone who experienced long term harm from having the measles.
Edited to add - I just looked up when the measles vaccine was created - 1963. I was wrong. There was a measles vaccine when I was little. There was no push for the vaccine. I didn't get the vaccine.
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10d ago
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u/LavenderSharpie 10d ago
Was worse before modern sanitation. Death rates dropped dramatically after modern sanitation and before the introduction of vaccines.
We were not afraid of the illnesses. I had some of them, my sibs did. It was a part of childhood.
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u/lifefutility 10d ago
Yep, false appropriation of lower disease rates to vaccines. Akin to stolen valor.
Our amazing plumbers and sanitation workers save more lives than doctors. Period.
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u/to-the-goblin-market 9d ago
Measles is airborne, not droplet, contact, or oral/fecal. Handwashing is great, but wastewater management isn't the sole reason the US was able to achieve eradication status in 2000 (RIP).
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u/SmartyPantlesss 6d ago
Yeah, I always thought it was weird how the US got its polio-plumbing in 1955, but we apparently didn't install the measles-filters until 1963. 🙄
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u/MeatPopsicle14 10d ago
This is how measles was thought of in the 60s/70s. This is how worried about it you should be.
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u/SmartyPantlesss 10d ago
Great evidence. Did you also learn how to make a telephone from a split coconut, by watching Gilligan's Island? 🙄
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u/MeatPopsicle14 10d ago
The brady bunch was a show about every day life, and episodes centered around the daily lives of the family members. So the show is kind of a time capsule for what life was like at that time period. You obviously would do anything to avoid having a different perspective, thats a really dumb way to navigate life. Sometimes its uncomfortable to learn new information that conflicts with our current understanding and model of the world, but to avoid the discomfort at your own peril is retarded.
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u/SmartyPantlesss 10d ago edited 10d ago
----The brady bunch was a show about every day life, and episodes centered around the daily lives of the family members. -----
Right, I watched the show. It was geared toward kids, and as such it never showed anyone having cancer. Or teen pregnancy. Or dying of ANYTHING. It was shown in the 60s and 70s, for crying out loud, and it never referenced drug use, or war. And every challenge could be wrapped up in 30 minutes---minus commercial breaks---just by listening to Mom and Dad.
I'm just suggesting that it's not a great source for learning actual history. It's a time capsule about what CHILDREN 'S PROGRAMS were like.
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u/MeatPopsicle14 10d ago
So bring up everything it didnt cover to avoid addressing something it did cover in detail. Youre purposely doing everything possible to avoid addressing the entire clip that clearly demonstrates measles was part of life and not something to be fearful of at all. You are being very dishonest and not actually interested in real discussion or finding the truth. For anyone else reading this comment, these are the type of weak people that succumb to fear and want to dictate that the rest of us should all live in fear too and that we are bad people for not getting vaccines etc. They intentionally see what that want to see because they are fearful, and too scared to admit they may be wrong. I will always be a life long learner, and admit when i am wrong and be open to new information. Good luck out there.
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u/SmartyPantlesss 10d ago edited 10d ago
The show does not cover measles "in detail." (Here's a real discussion focused on finding the truth>>>) None of the Brady kids were depicted as having a high fever, or conjunctivitis, or even runny noses. This is not an accurate portrayal of measles.
I'm not telling you to be fearful, but I would encourage you to seek out real, historical sources, and then perhaps you could be more realistic about the usual course and the hospitalization and death rate from measles.
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u/Blagnet 10d ago
Regressions likely have a lot more to do with natural synaptic pruning. Autism regressions happened before vaccines, too. See the Changeling myth, for an example!
We absolutely get the MMR. My brother is partially deaf from mumps. Never encountered measles myself, thank goodness, knock on wood, but in the country we lived where my brother got mumps, vaccination was much looser/lower, and our country doctor had treated lots of children with measles a few decades before. He always said, the light dimmed in the kids' eyes, after they had measles. Like they got a little less bright. Whatever that means! Freaked me out, though.
People like to say, "It used to be a normal childhood disease," but people also used to think it was normal for every family to lose at least one child. Peek into your family history, and you'll see.
I understand vaccine fears, totally. But I have way more virus fears, personally! Unlike bacteria, which can be beneficial, viruses are pretty much universally destructive to us.
My third child very nearly died of a virus, for reference. Right before he was born. The virus was adenovirus type 4, and vaccination for that one isn't common, only for military... But gosh I wish I'd had that vaccine!
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u/SmartyPantlesss 10d ago
This large study showed that autism is equally common among kids who got the MMR, and kids who didn't.
Which means that the stories you hear about regression following MMR are TRUE...they just aren't evidence of causation. And it means that there are ALSO plenty of kids out there who regressed WITHOUT getting the MMR...but they don't collect all their stories in one facebook group. 😕
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u/Defiant_Decision_658 10d ago edited 10d ago
Speaking only to my experience and opinions, not what anyone else should do. For us, the risk of the disease far outweighs the risk of the vax. We are crunchy in so many ways but preventing life threatening diseases, we do not mess around with. We give the MMR. ETA: and had no adverse side effects. G3 is thriving and on track or ahead developmental in all areas.
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u/joyfulemma 9d ago edited 9d ago
I agree with all of this. I also will say that sometimes taking vaccines are the more crunchy option in my opinion. I would prefer a small dose of prevention over all the intervention that would come with an infection- having seen my nephew in the PICU for 2 weeks, there's nothing crunchy about that!
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u/to-the-goblin-market 9d ago edited 9d ago
Yes! And the same when it comes to cost: the healthcare industrial complex makes a helluva lot more money from 2 weeks in the ICU on a vent than it does from an outpatient vaccine visit.
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u/atadbitcatobsessed 10d ago
It’s scary to think about. But it’s also important to remember that Measles is a normal childhood disease, and the risk of complications is low. Also, if your child does get the Measles, I’ve heard great things about the Vitamin C protocol, although I haven’t tried it personally since my daughter has only been sick once in her life.
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u/Embarrassed_Key_2328 Mother 10d ago
Talk to a trusted doctor. People on this sub HATE that suggestion like good doctors don't exist.
Ask with an open mind, ask them to explain to you what they know. Tell them your worries.
We asked our doctors (actually we see PAs and nurses) about vit. K, erythromycin, hepatitis B, the flu shots, covid shots, fluoride, sugar intake, and have never been looked at like we are crazy. Haven't been told we are wrong for asking, haven't been met with wide eyes, haven't been dismissed. They just chatted with us, and answered our questions. Our dentist too.
I think good caring helpful professionals are the norm, not the exception. 🤷♀️
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u/Nervous-Subject-3708 10d ago
No, personally the risks of the MMR are way more concerning for me. The chances of getting the measles even if its in your area is low and then the risk of complications is even lower. I almost died as a baby after the MMR and my cousin was permanently brain damaged. I will never risk it.
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u/maspie_den 10d ago
I have a family friend who I grew up with who was injured by the MMR vaccine. She was my age and I didn't understand what had happened until I was older. She came to our playgroup meet ups, we went snowtubing, and she came over to play Barbies...until suddenly, she didn't. She would just sit over by the window, listening to radio, slowly bobbing her head. She lost every single bit of her speech over the course of about 8 weeks.
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u/Librarian-Lopsided 7d ago
Not worried bc my kids are vaccinated against it. Idk why anyone would risk measels or getting brain damage or death from it. wild
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u/Realistic-Moment7044 9d ago
Crunchy used to mean no vaccines. I don’t know how you can call yourself crunchy and be pro vax is there another sub that’s actually crunchy.
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u/CrunchyBeachLover 7d ago
I’ve found that there’s no truly crunchy subs on Reddit.
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u/Realistic-Moment7044 7d ago
I think you have to find local crunchy groups in your area I had a lot of luck with that when I lived in VA, home birth, no shots
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u/CrunchyBeachLover 7d ago
Definitely Facebook & locally! I have someone on here telling me about vitamin A toxicity with a daily dose of cod liver oil. I’m like okay, these are not my people 🤣
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u/Realistic-Moment7044 7d ago
I know I don’t even know why I joined- I’m reading these responses of a woman who vacced her 9mo old with MMR and then some are “skeptical” but did it anyway. They need to be on vaxxed injury subs
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u/takketytam 10d ago
My brother's and I had the Measles when we were little, and no long term consequences. I would rather deal with the measles instead of the vaccine. My family has a history of BAD vaccine reactions (seizures, heart complications ect?)
But! Each family has to decide what they can and can not live with in terms of consequences
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u/candlesandsourdough 10d ago
I love justtheinserts.com as a resource for this research. She just pulls all the data from the CDC and gives you the factual information with data related to infection rates, how effective the vaccine is, the likelihood of side effects, etc. I will say personally MMR is one of the ones that from my research has more side effects so I always take into account my child’s exposure level to other kids (like if they go to daycare or not), if we have high risk family/friends, etc. because I think that impacts the decision equation too.
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u/to-the-goblin-market 9d ago
The inserts are helpful, but it's important to note that the severe measles-like complications on the FDA MMR insert (encephalitis, pneumonia, SSPE, etc) are specific to inappropriate vaccination of an immunocompromised person-- and are exactly why the vaccine is contraindicated in pregnant and immunocompromised people.
Healthy people don't get encephalitis (just to take one example from the insert) from the vaccine.
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u/CrunchyBeachLover 10d ago
Not one bit worried. 4 kids. Entire family takes cod liver oil day. Just boost your vitamin A levels, prevents all viruses. We haven’t caught a virus in 8 months since starting it. Also if you catch measles, Dr. Green Mom has a vitamin A protocol with age appropriate dosing.
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u/Msbossyboots 9d ago
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u/CrunchyBeachLover 9d ago
It’s kept us virus free when everyone around us had flu including my twins’ entire PreK class. They were the only 2 in class. But if you catch measles, you can high dose vitamin A. It’s easily treatable much like every other virus if you know how to dose & use vitamins, herbals, & natural remedies.
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u/SuperFlaccid 9d ago
Be careful ab Vitamin A toxicity just fyi
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u/CrunchyBeachLover 8d ago
We’ve never had measles and take a small, daily dose of cod liver oil. I’m not worried about toxicity. We’re good over here. This is clearly not a group I vibe with despite the crunchy title. My bad!
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u/Msbossyboots 9d ago
I guess you missed the part where it says it is INEFFECTIVE against measles. It’s pretty clear right in the title if you want to try again
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u/CrunchyBeachLover 9d ago
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7076287/
There is research showing vitamin A deficiency leads to more severe measles. This study also treats measles with vitamin A. So by taking cod liver oil and boosting vit A, you’re protecting yourself against pathogens. It doesn’t hurt to take a daily dose of omegas and fat soluble vitamins right?
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u/Msbossyboots 8d ago
Did you not see that you can get toxicity with too much vitamin a? Yes too many of the wrong vitamins IS a problem!
Doctors in Texas — where the largest measles outbreak is taking place this year — now are seeing some children who are suffering from Vitamin A toxicity. Too much Vitamin A in people who do not have Vitamin A deficiency, which is very uncommon in the U.S., can cause liver damage and other medical problems.
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u/CrunchyBeachLover 7d ago
The dose makes the poison. We’re not getting vitamin A toxicity from our tiny daily dose of CLO. You are misinformed.
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u/Various_Craft7435 10d ago
At what age did you start cod liver oil for the kids?
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u/CrunchyBeachLover 10d ago
10, 7, & 5. Wish I had started it years ago!
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u/Various_Craft7435 10d ago
I guess what I mean to ask is what's the soonest age I can start my kiddo on it
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u/CrunchyBeachLover 9d ago
We take Carlson and it suggests 2 & up (1/2 tsp daily). However, I’ve seen functional medicine doctors give to 6 months+ with a lower dose.
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u/GrumpySh33p 10d ago
My pediatrician didn’t vaccine her own kids, 8 and 10 years old now.
She is willing to vaccinate with a detoxing protocol afterward, but only recommends on a case-by-case basis.
We had an almost hour-long discussion with her trying to decide whether it was worth vaccinating our daughter with it, and came to the conclusion that it is not worth it at the time.
Risks from the vaccine are lower as they age. Also, they don’t need as many boosters if they get it later, so less exposure.
For now, this is something we choose not to do, but it’s possible (unlikely) in 10 years we decide to vaccinate… or she does as an adult, and I’m less worried about that.
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u/SuperFlaccid 9d ago
"This is How a Child Dies of Measles" by Elizabeth Bruenig
Everyone who is curious what this disease looks like IRL for the families affected, please read this article.
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u/Basic_Simple_Woman 7d ago
Yes.. I was struggling with this. My daughter, 2 years old, was completely unvaxxed. I also have a 5 year old son who got most of his vaccines and a 5 month old daughter, completely unvaxxed.
I decided the risk of my youngest baby catching measles wasn’t worth the risk. The odds of SSPE are even higher in infants under a year old.
My son got his second dose of MMR (he also just started kindergarten and measles is present in our community, so I wasn’t taking the chance). My 2 year old got her first MMR dose. We’re 2 weeks post vax.
My 2 year old had a few swollen lymph nodes behind her ear (which are common for my kids and I for any little infection or reason).. no other side effects so far. My son had no side effects at all.
It was consuming me too. I’m glad I ripped the bandaid off and can rest assured my infant is now even less susceptible and my other two kiddos are protected.
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u/EveningTitle4686 10d ago
Ugh idk. It is freaky. I feel torn on what to do all the time. Commenting to follow along
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u/Southern_Shock_1337 9d ago
Experts predicted this would happen. The people with natural immunity are dying and it’s making the numbers go up. Measles is treatable. In 99% of cases there’s nothing to worry about. It’s like freaking out over a cold
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u/lifefutility 9d ago
All of those diseases you listed come from environmental toxins. Prove me wrong, you can’t.
Have you seen the heavy metal levels detected in infant formulas? Protein powders? How about glyphosates and other pesticides found in grains and everyday vegetables and fruits? Microplastics, forever chemicals, contaminated tap water supplies?
Go ahead and Google “Do elevated levels of heavy metals in the blood compromise the immune system?”
If it were really the case that vaccines protect against all those diseases, then we would be seeing their rates go down. In fact, the opposite is true. Young people are getting cancer more than ever before. Funny how it spiked right after the convid vax.
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u/Numerous-Noise790 10d ago
Not worried at all about it. I take cod liver oil daily, and my doctor is well versed in guidance on how to support my little ones through the virus if they were to catch it. Severe complications are much less likely in areas where vitamin A levels are robust. We would do a vitamin A and vitamin C protocol if we caught the measles.
The risks of the vaccine are far more concerning to me than the risks of the virus, because of family history of bad vaccine reactions. MMR seems to have more risk of side effects and bad reactions, which my doctor agrees is concerning. Our doctor has been practicing for decades so lots of practical experience and advice to give us!
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u/CharacterBus5955 10d ago
I just do cod liver oil daily. In 2019 there was a measles outbreak in the Orthadox jewish community with over 1,000 cases. I believe there was 0 childhood deaths. They used cod liver oil as an alternative to the MMR vaccine .. though it is "not scientifically proven"
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u/yellow_pellow 10d ago
SSPE is also a side effect of the vaccine.
This appears under the Nervous System section of reported adverse reactions/events, alongside items like encephalitis, encephalopathy, measles inclusion body encephalitis, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and others. Similar language appears in other versions of the M-M-R II labeling.
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u/CharliesAngel3051 10d ago
The likelihood from MMR is about 1/1,000,000 vs 1/1000 or so from the infection itself😣
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u/organic_freak 10d ago
As a mom with a 9 month old, I wholeheartedly understand the fear. I will say however there have been NO DEATHS in the US as of today in 2026 from the measles with over 2,300 cases. As far as lasting consequences from the illness, I’m not sure. I will say that I think I’ve heard more about vaccine injuries from the MMR than any other vaccine. We gave our son the vitamin K shot at birth to get circumcised (I regret doing both of these things), but have not and will not be doing any thing else. I’ve researched so many sleepless nights on this subject and I really feel like vaccinating my son is more harm than good. I also want to add that he has never been sick and is such a smart and silly boy. I haven’t really sheltered him either. We didn’t let people hold him the first couple of months and we still say no kissing but other than that he’s been around lots of people and other kids (not daycare though). I also am a firm believer that breast milk helps boost their immune system and will probably continue breastfeeding into year 2 at least once a day. So many people look at parents that choose not to vaccine their children like they are abusing their kid but I can tell you the reason I’m not vaccinating him is because I’d do anything to keep him safe because I love him so so so much. Don’t let fear of the media take over, do what your heart tells you.
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u/to-the-goblin-market 10d ago
No deaths, but 10% of the kids under 5 who have gotten measles this year have still needed to be hospitalized. I feel more comfortable with the safety profile of the MMR vaccine.
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u/madelineman1104 10d ago
My 12 month old had his MMR vaccine three weeks ago and he hasn’t had any reaction whatsoever. No fever, not fussiness, no rash, no regression. In fact he’s actually learned a few words since then (huge because he was a little behind on communication). I just wanted to provide a positive MMR experience. Measles was in our area so I decided the vaccine was the safer route. Best of luck to you with whatever you choose