Measles deaths: How do I protect my (yet) non-vaccinated child?

For the second time within a few weeks, a child who has died in measles has died in the United States. Everything far away, you could think. But in this country, too, the insidious disease is not a sad exception. The number of measles cases in Europe is as high as it has not been in a quarter of a century. The infection is particularly dangerous for the little ones. And since they cannot protect themselves, toddlers and infants rely on adults to protect them from worse.

How does that work? A mother, for example, who is immune to this disease because she has been vaccinated, passes on her own antibodies to her child. These protective substances prevent infection in the first weeks of life. Over time, however, the antibodies are broken down and nest protection ends. Exactly when it is so far cannot be said with certainty. In recent years, however, research has shown that this protection may not be as strong as doctors and researchers once thought. Some children are without protection after only three months, others only after nine, writes that

The first vaccination usually exists at eleven months, so it recommends the constant vaccination commission (STIKO). In the best case, the second follows at the age of around 15 months. In this way, the defense cells of the human body learn to recognize measles viruses and defend themselves against them. The two -time Pieks is important because about eight percent are not yet immune after the first vaccination. But that also means: an infection would be possible before the protective vaccination.

How quickly infections spread under unprotected, when the pathogen is once in circulation, is currently evident in the USA. There have been more than 600 cases in the past few months. Measles are one of the most infectious viruses in the world. Nine out of ten unvaccinated people are infected when they come into contact with an infected person.

It is enough if a baby or toddler just breathe in the room air in the waiting room when an infected person has coughed up or enjoys. Unlike many other viruses, measles viruses remain in the air for up to two hours. No classroom, no supermarket, no bus is then safe. And since the immune system of small children has not yet been trained, they have a higher risk of serious complications and also death. According to the American Health Authority CDC, one of 20 children infected with measles is suffering from pneumonia. About one of 1,000 develops a dangerous swelling of the brain – this is a terrible idea for parents with young children. So what to do when there is an outbreak in the area and you have a toddler at home?

This is difficult with such a contagious disease. In the United States, some pediatricians in affected areas have now started to reserve early morning visit for families with small babies or to examine the small patients in cars in order to avoid exposure to the waiting room. Because sick people are not so easy to identify. They are contagious days before the typical rash shows up. During this time, the little ones just feel sick with a fever and sore throat. So infection cannot really be prevented.

In fact, it is possible to deviate from the recommended start of vaccination. After contacting a person suffering from measles, for example, you can vaccinate as part of a so -called “post -exposure prophylaxis” from the age of six months.

However, because the children’s immune system is still immature at this point, it is probably a little more help to build up full protection. There could also be existing maternal antibodies to build up long -term vaccination protection. In this case, the simple solution is three vaccinations, according to the experts: the first, for example, after six months, the second aged eleven to 14 and the third 15 to 23 months after the birth.

The best way to protect children is herd protection. Pathers have little chance of spreading when a large part of a group is immune to these pathogens. In the case of measles, 95 percent of people should be vaccinated across the board.

Then not only people who are vaccinated are protected, but also those who have no protection because they are too young, too sick or because they have decided against vaccination. You benefit from the willingness of others without your own intervention.

In 1984 the World Health Organization (WHO) set itself the goal of exterminating the measles. It would be possible, but so far this goal has been missed. Vaccinations are often exposed to crises such as covid pandemic, in times of war or if there are no funds for health programs in poor countries. In addition, there are people who have concerns to be vaccinated. There are still rumors that vaccinations could trigger autism, this myth has been refuted several times and clearly by studies. Others simply miss the vaccination date.

In Germany, all children from one year from the one year have to be immunized against measles when entering kindergarten or school. The advance has an effect: The proportion of two -fold children aged 24 months rose from 70 percent (2019) to 77 percent (2023). The proportion of six -year -olds that have been vacated from 89 percent (2019) climbed to 92 percent (2023).

Vitamin A does not protect against measles. However, a vitamin A deficiency may have a negative impact on the course of the disease of the infection. There is indications that the defect can lead to eye damage and blindness and the risk of a severe measles course is greater under a vitamin A deficiency.

In certain cases, infected people are also treated with vitamin A during measles infection. Most studies on this, however, were carried out in Africa south of the Sahara in the 1980s and 1990s, where vitamin A deficiency often occurs in contrast to industrialized nations.

But vitamin A can be easily overdosed. If larger quantities are administered over longer periods of time, this can lead to vomiting, blurred vision, headache and, in severe cases, to liver damage and coma. The situation is similar with liver transc, which contains large amounts of vitamin A.

This is exactly what seems to happen in the United States: After the US Health Minister Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an avowed vacceptic to refer to vitamin A and liver tran in interviews, began to give high doses in West Texas. Doctors soon reported signs of liver damage to some of their young patients.

The only protection against a disease remains vaccination. Before it existed, the disease still demanded about 2.6 million fatalities worldwide. Fortunately, these times are over. But the death of the two children in the USA could also have been prevented.