Snots and Lollies by Mail: Are They for You? MomTalk
Parents who fear vaccines use social networking to infect their children with chicken pox and other infectious diseases.
It's one thing not to have your children vaccinated. But it's a truly different story when parents go in search of bodily fluids from total strangers in an effort to infect their children with chicken pox or a myriad of other infectious diseases like measles, mumps and rubella.
A story broke this week about a Facebook group, "Find a Pox Party in Your Area," in which parents can locate children with the disease and expose their children in an effort to gain natural immunity. What makes this disturbing is that parents on the site are offering to mail bodily fluids from their sick child to other parents across the United States and Canada.
One mother announced on the site that her children had come down with pox. Within 48 hours, lollipops covered with her children's saliva had been shipped from Arizona to Canada, Tennessee, Georgia and California.
Other parents have received wet rags covered with spit as well as clothing worn by infected children.
And what if you're getting more than you bargained for? Hepatitis anyone?
Not only is this gross, it's against the law. It's a federal offense to ship contagions. While chicken pox seems benign, there are complications that can arise from the illness. Skin infections and encephalitis are potential risks. Why anyone would assume this risk and offer up spit that could contain a lot more than just chicken pox is beyond me.
What do you think? Is this a dangerous practice? Would you participate?
Deb Melchert
12:25 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Heather, this is just more proof that just because you can have children, doesn't mean you should. I can't imagine anything more disgusting than soliciting infected body fluids to give to my children. These parents should be evaluated to ensure the safety of their kids.
Denise Du Vernay
12:54 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
I heard a physician speak about this yesterday on NPR and he mentioned that the virus that causes chicken pox would probably die before it reached its destination by mail, but stronger viruses like hepatitis would likely survive. This practice is reckless, illegal, and disturbing.
I also have concerns about purposely infecting children with chicken pox (or any illness) in general. The concept of a "pox party" seems anathema to caring parenting. Isn't our first requirement as parents and guardians to protect children from harm? Why would someone want to purposely make their child sick? I remember having chicken pox; it was miserable. I remember the body aches, pain, and itching, and, vain as I am, I would prefer not to have pox marks today. Imagine how I'd feel if I knew my own parents gave that to me!
The doctor on NPR yesterday said that since the vaccine has been introduced in the U.S., chicken-pox related deaths have gone down 97%. This stat, and the fact that people have to actively seek out children infected with the virus shows that it's less and less common. It also shows that chicken pox is sometimes deadly. No one should purposely be infected with a potentially fatal disease! Parents should get better educated about immunization and not believe the conspiracy theories spewed by those on the fringe. Those who still choose not to immunize should simply hope their child never gets any of these preventable illnesses.
Francesca
9:00 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
My god. Anyone who would do this should have their kids taken away.When I was little my twin got it first and my mom made me hang out with her all week. She got what she wanted. I was infected a week later. But even that was cruel. Some people have no business having kids. WTF
Ed
10:22 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
I'm confused. Are you saying your mom had no business having kids, and you and your twin should have been taken away? Or are you saying what she did to you was ok because it was your mom?
H. E. Kraeger
10:41 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
you don't appreciate that your mom did you a favor. My girls had chicken pox first grade and not too bad a case. My younger son didn't get the pox until he was a teen.... in his mouth, eyes... EVERYWHERE! As an adult it is very painful and much more complicated. Also, who would take care of YOUR kids if you were not immune?
H. E. Kraeger
10:49 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
I Forgot to mention that vaccine was not available then, Also, another side affect of Chicken Pox is possibility of Shingles over age 65. The Shingles vaccine at this time costs about 300.00. Let your kids be vaccinated, they are going to have enough problems.
Deb Melchert
10:57 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
H.E, you don't have to be over 65 to contract shingles. I had them about 15 years ago, which was in my late 30's. And actually, my sons who were about 11 and 7 at the time, got chicken pox by being exposed to my shingles. I didn't try to purposely infect them, it just happened. And FYI, you cannot get shingles if you've never had chicken pox. My doctors told me it's a variant of the pox and remains dormant, but they're not sure what triggers it. All I can say is I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
Denise Du Vernay
9:19 am on Thursday, November 10, 2011
I've luckily not had shingles but have seen two adults in my life go through it and years later, my dad can still feel the nerve damage. Clearly, for people who aren't allergic to the vaccine, getting the darn shot is the best way to go!
I've also been thinking about the people infected by the purposely infected children. What if someone is older, immune suppressed, or just has a terrible case of chicken pox (some people have terrible complications like encephalitis and even die)--are the parents who infected their kids responsible for someone else's illness or death? I know they've charged some HIV cases that way, and in some cases where they're traveling great distances (or mailed the bug), there would be a real argument that someone might not have ever contracted the illness without the great effort on those parents' parts to find it and bring it to a different community.
NLMom
11:28 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
i don't understand this. People are so afraid of the chicken pox vaccine, but not afraid of subjecting their kids to another kid's illness? Who knows where those suckers were and what was done to them before the mailing. There are a lot of sick in the head people in this world. This is very irresponsible parenting in my opinion.
NANCY GRACE
8:15 am on Thursday, November 10, 2011
Just a matter of time before these poor kids get fluids their parents didn't ask for. These parents are scum bags! The parents need to be smacked.