Month: February 2015

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Measles

As the measles outbreak has reached over 100 after near eradication years ago, Bill Gardner has an interesting take on how to respond to anti-vaxxers. I agree with his main premise that yelling at them is not going to change anything, though I would argue with his 2nd premise that not vaccinating your children to protect others is should not be a main argument against these parents. Vaccinating your children protects them just as much as everyone else. It is not as much a selfish thing and not caring about the community, it’s likely a misunderstanding of how best to protect your own child. This is obviously a hot topic, but I think Bill’s take is worth reading.

Also, a father in California is asking the schools to bar all unvaccinated kids from school for the time being. Reasonable? I would argue yes.

So what’s the solution? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Have Fun Storming The Castle 512

from Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune

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Football and Concussions

I am a football fan, and I of course watched the Super Bowl. I am disappointed that the Seahawks didn’t win, not because I’m a big Seattle fan but because I hate the Patriots. But the thing that I really hate about football in general that absolutely terrifies me are concussions. I fear this really is going to cause HUGE problems in the future for anyone who has played tackle football in high school or higher. It’s hard for kids to understand, as they see their heroes playing professional football, making millions of dollars, especially if sports is viewed as a way to “get out” of your current socioeconomic strata, or if football is the “only” thing you see yourself at being good at. I understand the short-sighted view of adolescence (or frankly even of adulthood). If your kids would like to play tackle football, please take every precaution to avoid concussions, and then treat appropriately if they do occur. The CDC has a good handout that includes necessary information on preventing and treating concussions. But also please make sure you have an open discussion with your child who wants to play. This really is as serious as jeopardizing their entire future.