Please keep this family in your thoughts & prayers

[HollyS]

http://www.natalienortonphoto.com/2010/01/gavin-david-bruce-norton.html

What a heartbreaking week they''ve had; I can''t begin to imagine their grief. May their faith sustain them.

 

[packrat]

Oh my word..I don''t even know what to say. How does a parent go on after losing a child? I know they do, but..My thoughts and prayers to them.

I think I''ll go have some snuggle time with my kids now.

 

[Pandora II]

How terrible for them, I can''t imagine having that perfect baby and seeing them become so ill and then die in such a short space of time.

If ever there was a good reason to immunise your kids then these heartbreaking blog entries are it.

 

[neatfreak]

That poor poor family. My heart goes out to them. I can't even imagine.

I don't mean to start a debate here, but I just want to point out that this baby died of pertussis. A disease that has a vaccine. And he likely caught it from someone who was NOT vaccinated. And as a little baby he hadn't had time to get his shots yet.

So please, even if you don't think YOUR child is at risk, think of other poor children like baby Gavin and get the vaccine.

 

[Mara]

ugh i can't even read stuff like that. i spent the next 20 min googling pertussis in babies. you don't even get them immunized til 8 weeks. so sad.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

How incredibly sad. And unexpected. And sad. Goodness. It''s awesome to see their faith in God through this; amazing to see. They won''t walk this long road of healing alone. Not once.

Their baby''s adorable and gorgeous.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Wow, I''m sitting at work with tears streaming down my face, thank goodness noone else is here...I cannot even imagine their grief right now...and to second NF, pertussis is a disease with a vaccine.

 

[swingirl]

Date: 1/7/2010 6:56:54 PM
Author: neatfreak
That poor poor family. My heart goes out to them. I can''t even imagine.

I don''t mean to start a debate here, but I just want to point out that this baby died of pertussis. A disease that has a vaccine. And he likely caught it from someone who was NOT vaccinated. And as a little baby he hadn''t had time to get his shots yet.

So please, even if you don''t think YOUR child is at risk, think of other poor children like baby Gavin and get the vaccine.

Something to think about for all those people who don''t want to vaccinate.

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 1/7/2010 8:28:32 PM
Author: swingirl

Date: 1/7/2010 6:56:54 PM

Author: neatfreak

That poor poor family. My heart goes out to them. I can''t even imagine.

I don''t mean to start a debate here, but I just want to point out that this baby died of pertussis. A disease that has a vaccine. And he likely caught it from someone who was NOT vaccinated. And as a little baby he hadn''t had time to get his shots yet.

So please, even if you don''t think YOUR child is at risk, think of other poor children like baby Gavin and get the vaccine.

Something to think about for all those people who don''t want to vaccinate.

Ditto. What a terrible thing...even worse is that it was likely preventable.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

This makes me wonder... what would you do, as a parent, if one of your good friends had a child who wasn''t vaccinated and your child was in contact with that child? Would you allow it? One of my best friends is very homeopathic/hippy style and doesn''t believe any medications, and doesn''t vaccinate at all. I''m thinking I''ll likely follow an alternate, more spaced out plan than that which is sometimes used (not several shots at once), but will vaccinate. Does that mean that prior to my child having all of his/her shots, that my child couldn''t safely be around her children? Seriously not something I''d considered an issue until reading this...

I can''t get this family out of my mind tonight...

 

[AmberWaves]

Oh my god, how horrible. I read the posts leading up to that and was just in disbelief, my heart is absolutely breaking for them. I couldn''t stop crying, partly from fear- our baby is only six weeks.

I hope they find peace.

 

[Blackpaw]

They''re in my thoughts and prayers....

I can only hope that this sad event gains some public attention to encourage people to vaccinate themselves and their children.

 

[Kaleigh]

So sad, makes me cry just thinking what they are going through. They will be in my thoughts and my prayers. This kind of thing brings you to your knees. Sigh....

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 1/7/2010 9:55:26 PM
Author: fisherofmengirly
This makes me wonder... what would you do, as a parent, if one of your good friends had a child who wasn''t vaccinated and your child was in contact with that child? Would you allow it? One of my best friends is very homeopathic/hippy style and doesn''t believe any medications, and doesn''t vaccinate at all. I''m thinking I''ll likely follow an alternate, more spaced out plan than that which is sometimes used (not several shots at once), but will vaccinate. Does that mean that prior to my child having all of his/her shots, that my child couldn''t safely be around her children? Seriously not something I''d considered an issue until reading this...


I can''t get this family out of my mind tonight...

Yeah-that''s what it means if you want to be safe.

Herd immunity means that if a certain percentage of the population is vaccinated then the "herd" protects those who cannot be vaccinated or with compromised immune systems. Unfortunately as people choose not to vaccinate our herd immunity is quickly dropping for many diseases which means that those diseases are running around again. And unfortunately often those who are most at risk are those who don''t even have the option of vaccines (i.e., babies who are too young).

So I would certainly at least wait until your child has had their first set of shots before bringing him/her around your friend''s kids. Esp. if her kids are school age-they can carry all kinds of things home from school. JMO of course.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 1/7/2010 11:53:21 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 1/7/2010 9:55:26 PM
Author: fisherofmengirly
This makes me wonder... what would you do, as a parent, if one of your good friends had a child who wasn''t vaccinated and your child was in contact with that child? Would you allow it? One of my best friends is very homeopathic/hippy style and doesn''t believe any medications, and doesn''t vaccinate at all. I''m thinking I''ll likely follow an alternate, more spaced out plan than that which is sometimes used (not several shots at once), but will vaccinate. Does that mean that prior to my child having all of his/her shots, that my child couldn''t safely be around her children? Seriously not something I''d considered an issue until reading this...


I can''t get this family out of my mind tonight...

Yeah-that''s what it means if you want to be safe.

Herd immunity means that if a certain percentage of the population is vaccinated then the ''herd'' protects those who cannot be vaccinated or with compromised immune systems. Unfortunately as people choose not to vaccinate our herd immunity is quickly dropping for many diseases which means that those diseases are running around again. And unfortunately often those who are most at risk are those who don''t even have the option of vaccines (i.e., babies who are too young).

So I would certainly at least wait until your child has had their first set of shots before bringing him/her around your friend''s kids. Esp. if her kids are school age-they can carry all kinds of things home from school. JMO of course.

Ditto.

 

[PrettyBlues]

That is extremely sad, I can''t even begin to fathom what that family is going through. I think it is every parent''s worst nightmare.

However, I thought that pertussis was one of those diseases that most people are vaccinated with as children and only lasts a few years. There are booster vaccines, but I don''t think many people get them, so I think it is far more likely this poor child got it from an adult. One of my best friend''s husband actually had it last year, and it took a few weeks before they even realised what it was, so who knows who he was around or passed it to. For most people it''s not a major issue anyway, just small children. Actually, now that I think of it, I have read a recommendation somewhere for new parents to get the booster vaccine themselves so they don''t give it to their babies. Can''t remember where though.

 

[rhbgirl24]

Ooooooo. I''m sitting here at work, BAWLING. I cannot even comprehend how STRONG this family is. They will be in my thoughts!

 

[jewelz617]

Ugh. I''m sick for this family and the pain they must be feeling. Vaccinations terrify me, but the illnesses babies can contract are so much worse. I hope they are able to find peace, and God bless that poor little boy

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I cannot read this. . .Last week an aquaintance of mine had a stillborn baby and because of that, I do not want to think about this stuff at all.

***Heartbreaking***

 

[ponder]

Date: 1/7/2010 10:30:23 PM
Author: AmberWaves
Oh my god, how horrible. I read the posts leading up to that and was just in disbelief, my heart is absolutely breaking for them. I couldn''t stop crying, partly from fear- our baby is only six weeks.

I hope they find peace.

Amber,

You should inquire with your doctor if you and your DH should recieve booster DTP immunizations. My MD required it of both DH and I. Some hospitals even request you get it before you take the baby home. Also, if your child is in daycare the caregivers should also receive regular boosters. Pertussis is unusually prevalent this year and protecting yourself will help pretect your child.

 

[puffy]

so sad. it just breaks my heart to read about it. i can''t even begin to imagine what they are going through.

 

[HOUMedGal]

Date: 1/7/2010 6:57:15 PM
Author: Mara
ugh i can''t even read stuff like that. i spent the next 20 min googling pertussis in babies. you don''t even get them immunized til 8 weeks. so sad.

Exactly. 8 weeks. And Pertussis is a deadly killer in these tiny babies, who are susceptible during their first, most vulnerable, weeks of life, even if their parents have the best intentions to immunize them at the appropriate time.

Which is why it is SOOOOO important for new parents (and parents-to-be) to ask their own doctors (or their pediatrician...the great majority of pediatrician offices offer it to their parents) for the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis) vaccine. It''s like your regular old tetanus booster shot with pertussis added in. It''s a relatively new vaccine....a few years ago, adults routinely got the Td vaccine (Tetanus and diphtheria) without the pertussis booster portion, but now that the Tdap is available instead, it''s recommended that adults receive Tdap instead of Td....to help protect their own children, and also to help with the "herd immunity" that Linsdey wrote about. As PrettyBlues wrote, it is indeed likely that baby Gavin got Pertussis from an adult, because the immunity to pertussis DOES wane with time, and the Tdap booster is necessary to bring those antibodies back to high enough levels. DH and I both got our as soon as we decided to try to conceive.

Fisher -- unfortunately, yes, it does mean that being around your friend''s unvaccinated children would put your child at higher risk of contracting a vaccine-preventable disease such as pertussis. And also unfortunately, the vaccine-preventable infectious diseases are the ones that make children the sickest, and indeed, are most likely to kill them.

Pertussis in adults just causes a cold with a really annoying cough (so most of the time, adults don''t even know that what they have is indeed Pertussis), but as evidenced by poor baby Gavin''s story, it is a KILLER of newborn babies.

Amber, even though Piper is already 6 weeks now, it''s not too late for you and your DH to provide some protection for her by getting yourselves all booster''ed up with Tdap!!

OK, stepping off my Pediatrician soapbox now.

Soooooooo very sad for baby Gavin and his family. Life is just so unfair sometimes.

They are in my prayers.