Those who choose not to vaccinate their children against preventable diseases are a danger to more than just themselves.
If you have the ability to host a virus, you have the ability to spread it to others—including those who are young, vulnerable, and unable to protect themselves.
One mother is showing just how real and deadly the consequences can be.
Jilly Moss took to Facebook to share photos of her daughter Alba, who is currently hospitalized with Measles.
“She was too young for her MMR vaccination when she got sick” Moss explains, “Which meant she has had to fight this killer virus with no immunity. “
Her daughter’s eyes have been swollen shut for four days and her fever has lasted over two weeks.
Moss shares the extent of medical intervention that’s had to take place in order to save her daughter’s life:
In hospital she has been scanned, X-rayed poked prodded bloods taken, lumbar punctures done, canulars fitted, swabs taken, ECG Eccos, obs done every 20 mins, tube fed, on a drip, oxygen, pumped full of drugs, anti inflammatory pain relief antibiotics you name it she’s had it.
“Measles is not ‘just a rash’ it can cause blindness, encephalitis and pneumonia.”
Days of testing had to take place once Alba was admitted to Chelsea West Hospital, even though Doctors suspected from the very beginning that she had Measles.
According to Moss, her daughter “deteriorated fast and was extremely poorly.”
Measles can also cause a whole host of additional health problems.
Alba was also showing symptoms of Kawasaki disease, possible meningitis and other secondary infections.
It is heartbreaking that someone so young is experiencing trauma that could have been prevented.
The point of Jilly’s post is clear: Alba’s virus shouldn’t have been spread.
“Educate yourselves, talk about it, spread the word,” she writes, “We need to do more people. Get your children vaccinated.”
Most people rallied around the family in support.
“My youngest daughter had measles as a baby,” one woman shared, “She looked as though she had been scalded and was proper poorly…Please get your children vaccinated, even if it’s just for the sake of other children.”
But then there was this woman…
Thankfully, the comments section of Jilly Moss’s post was overwhelmingly positive, filled with hopes for Alba’s quick recovery.
Cases like these aren’t few and far between.
If people continue to walk around spreading preventable, serious viruses, children too young to be vaccinated will continue to be exposed and will consequently suffer.
We hope that Jilly’s story helps people see a different perspective, and that her daughter recovers in good health.
h/t: Facebook | Jilly Moss
