HEALTH NOTES

The Relationship Between Vaccination and Asthma

A study published in the April 2005 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology entitled “The Relationship Between Vaccine Refusal and Self-Report of A topic Disease” (Asthma and Hay fever in Children). This article was prompted by the fact that over the last twenty to thirty years, the incidence of asthma and Hay fever, along with eczema, has increased significantly. The incidence in both the U.S. and Canada of these disorders has increased by 11 - 17% over that thirty year time frame.

The following facts were exposed as a result of this study: 1) Children with asthma were older, more frequently male, and more likely to report a family history of asthma; 2) Children with asthma were less likely to see chiropractors, had less educated mothers, were more likely to be exposed to cigarette smoke, formula feeding and vaccines; 3) Parents who refused vaccines had younger children, higher maternal education, less exposure to cigarettes, were more likely to breast feed, had a lower prevalence of a family history of asthma, had less exposure to antibiotics, had more contact with alternative health care providers, and reported less wheezing, asthma, Hay fever, and eczema.

Interestingly, according to this study, “refusal of any vaccine (DPT, MMR, HIB, hepatitis-B, or polio) was associated with decreased rates of self-reported asthma and Hay fever.” There also appeared to be a dose relationship between asthma, Hay fever, eczema and wheezing, the frequency of which went up with the more vaccinations a child received. Partially vaccinated children were less frequently prone to these disorders.

I’m certainly not recommending abstention from all vaccinations. I am recommending that you understand some of the consequences and take this into consideration in your decision making process when determining if and which vaccinations you will utilize.

Once again, I thank you for reading my articles, and I hope you will visit our website at www.upchiropractic.com.