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PARENTS OF A 13-month-old boy have admitted to being “unduly” influenced by anti-vaccine information on social media after their son ended up in the intensive care unit of University Hospital Galway with a preventable disease.
The boy had not received his childhood vaccinations because his parents were concerned about a potential link between the MMR vaccine and autism spectrum disorder after seeing reports on social media.
The parents told UHG staff that they were keen to share their experience to help provide a “more balanced argument on social media, which can often be dominated by anti-vaccine material”.
A report by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) details that the boy presented to the resuscitation area in the emergency department in significant respiratory distress. It also notes that he was a previously well child without significant past medical history, not on any medications.
The boy had been infected with a non-typable Haemophilus influenza strain which can cause serious infection in humans, particularly children.
The boy was diagnosed with a H.influenza strain that was non-typable. However, there is another strain called H influenzae type b (Hib), which before the introduction of the Hib vaccine in 1992 accounted for 80-95% of identified strains causing invasive illness.
Writing about the case, Dr Peter Tormey and Dr Edina Moylett said it highlights the potential for a vaccine preventable disease to cause acute, life-threatening illness in an unvaccinated child.
“The fact that this child was infected with a non-typable H influenzae strain is likely owing to ‘herd’ immunity attributable to the success of the Hib vaccine.
The parents, in this case, were unduly influenced by wholly unproven vaccine related concerns on social media and were very disappointed with themselves for putting their child’s life at risk as a result.
Misinformation
“Oxygen saturations were 78% on arrival and the child was very pale with obvious central cyanosis; there was clinical evidence of significant respiratory distress with bilateral crepitations audible without notable wheeze,” the report stated.
Following his examination, the boy was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for three days. A 10 day course of IV ceftriaxone was completed resulting in a full resolution of symptoms.
Both parents were noted by doctors as being “well informed” regarding vaccine-preventable diseases and were aware of the various diseases this child was more susceptible to. The parents have since said that they were keen to pursue catch up vaccinations.
The biggest challenge healthcare professionals and public health organisations face according to Tormey and Moylett is keeping up with the vast amounts of misinformation surrounding vaccines “with more anti-vaccine blogs, tweets and facebook posts being added daily”.
“This case highlights the negative effect social media can have on vaccine uptake rates. It is important that healthcare professionals, public health organisations, parents and the mainstream and social media seek to provide and disseminate balanced and scientific information regarding vaccines, particularly on social media, where an anti-vaccination sentiment can often prevail,” Tormey and Moylett said.
Our country would look like less of a joke with Dustin the turkey at the helm
@pat mustard: It’s a bank holiday. Give it a rest Pat. You’ll have plenty of time next week to mown on the internet
@Tweety McTweeter: *moan
@pat mustard: Another moany post?
@Tweety McTweeter: good that reply was somewhat literate keep doing your best glad to see your learning
@pat mustard: you’re.
@pat mustard: it is you’re – irony.
@William Ryan: @Ed Quigley: no it’s *your. His effort is his collective possession. You wouldn’t say “keep doing you are best”. Idiots the two of you go back to class or get a hobby to fill up your sundays and get off the journal
@pat mustard: big fat Pat custard scuttery pants
@pat mustard: But you would say “you are learning”. Try keep up.
@pat mustard: Did you even bother to get up off your behind to go and vote?
At least we got a Hobbit and not a dragon as president…
either way, we get shafted.
Spoiled my own vote in protest of the farcical selection system in place.At the very least write-in votes should be allowed.
@The Risen: bet you’re proud of yourself. For all your political talk in the comments you’ve made a show of yourself by spoiling your vote
@The Risen:
Ditto.
@The Risen: what waste of energy. Your protest is meaningless.
@Anto Curran: here here
@The Risen: 18,000 spoilt votes for gemma.
@Sean Conway: lol. Nope!
@Anto Curran: My choice was as follows…
(a) Vote despite finding none of the candidates worthy of my support
(b) Spoil my vote in protest at the system which gave us such a poor field to choose from in the first place
(c) Not bother voting
I’m quite comfortable to have chosen (b)
@Sean Conway: source?
@Sean Conway: can you please provide a source for that?
@The Risen: Did you “protest” by writing Gemma O’Doherty on your ballot? That’ll learn ‘em!
@Clifford Brennan: No intention of ‘learning’ anyone. The right to vote includes the right to spoil your vote. I’m satisfied that the abysmal turnout yesterday alludes to how poor the choice of candidate was.
@The Risen: Do you still reckon Gemma should be President?
@The Risen: the amount of people that moan and moan about the government but don’t bother to even vote, atleast you got up, went out and voted, albeit a spoilt vote.
@Clifford Brennan: Still? Good one.
Gemma never got the chance to be part of the debates alongside the other candidates. I would have decided at that stage whether to vote for her or not. I spoiled my vote at the fact that her name was blocked from being on that ballot in the first place.
Don’t worry, I know nuance isn’t your forte,.
@The Risen: No, you already stated you would vote for her when she announced her intention to seek a nomination for the presidency. Or is this a different “the risen”?
The Risen
Aug 19th 2018, 9:15 PM
Right so. Thats my vote decided. Fearless, dogged, determined. Had we a dozen more journalists like her the country wouldn’t be in the mess its in…
@Shaun Gallagher: it’s hear hear
@Clifford Brennan: So, just to clarify, you reckon that I shouldn’t be allowed to change my mind before polling day if I decide I can no longer support a candidate? You do realise that changing poll numbers indicate citizens change their minds all the time about who to support, yes?
@The Risen: But DID you change your mind?
@Unconvertible Rebel: I didn’t get a chance to either way, thanks to a system I then protested by spoiling my ballot.
@The Risen: Regardless. You’re allowed to change your vote as well as spoil it.
@The Risen: you were critical of Higgins when he changed his mind about seeking re-election
@The Risen: I suppose we can agree that an anti-vaxxer, who threatens litigation when asked to defend her statements, wouldn’t necessarily be a great choice for president? For me, her twitter account showed precisely why she wasn’t nominated to run, and reflects very well on the selection process. The profound limitations of the role suggest she should run for election to the Dáil. It struck me as strange that she won’t.
@Dermot Lane: So, politicians should be allowed change their minds about election pledges they make on national TV because the voter can change their mind about who to vote for?
Labour supporters literally stand for nothing, don’t you?
@The Risen: You did the right thing in this case.
@Unconvertible Rebel: except I’m not a labour supporter
@Dermot Lane: And who will you be voting for in the upcoming election?
Inspired by one of the best scenes from father Ted “flight into terror”
“I think I should be president because I’m great.. in fact I think I should be president twice incase I get it wrong the first time”
Beaten by Dana and now spoiled votes. I think his PR company might take a hit.
The election was of no surprise except there were less voters voting this time than last but no one will say a word about that as many thought that there was no real candidate to vote for?
@TamuMassif2019: That has been reported on quite extensively
@Ed Quig I don;t see the sense in taking time to travel to a polling station to spoil a vote.
@Frank McGlynn:
Well I suppose it means that your vote can’t be hijacked by someone else.
@Frank McGlynn: to express your dissatisfaction with candidates and system, maybe.
Spoiling votes is moronic. Either vote, or don’t bother. Spoiling them changes nothing.
@Martin Meyler: It shows engagement with the political process but dissatisfaction with the candidates on offer as opposed to not turning up which would indicate you’re not bothered in the process.
@Rochelle: maybe. Still has no impact. A work colleague is pushing the idea of including ‘none of the above’ as an option on future ballots. Infinitely preferable and could be useful, too.
Does anyone really care ?
The value of your vote is equal to the value of your opinion
@Frank Martin: That’s either very deep or completely meaningless.
It is *you’re* Pat. Ironic that.
The only joy I got was voting YES and spoiling my vote in the ridiculous circus that was the presidential election. There was no suitable candidate so I had fun with my ballot paper. Casey got a Hitler moustache and swastika on his forehead, bigot in the box. The others got “Slay all Dragons” , “Iona groupie”, “establishment lackey”, and “Who?” . Just glad O’Doherty wasn’t on it or I would have needed another page.
I couldn’t bring myself to do a “Best of a bad lot” vote.Yb
@: so edgy!
S-E-R-P-E-N-T
I democratically spoil my vote as an expression of dissatisfaction and opposition to the political system and it’s rules. It would be hypocritical of me to complain about housing, homelessness, the health service crisis and yet endorse the political system that protects politicians once elected. They are unaccountable and untouchable and that’s not good for society. Do you know at both Citizen Assembles (2012 + 2018) the people voted in favour of giving real power to the Irish people using Citizen Initiatives/Direct Democracy? No of course not… It’s the best secret in Ireland. The Government do not what you to know.
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