In the early 1990s we lived in Berlin, Germany. We were young and full of plans for the future. My wife Anke was working as a nurse and I had just started my professional career as an engineer. We became a little family when Julian, our older son, was born in the spring of 1992. We built our “nest”, had great friends and neighbours, and simply enjoyed life as a young family.
As most parents probably are, we were very grateful and thankful. Two years later, during the summer of 1994, our second child, Maximilian, saw the light of day and made our family happiness complete. Back then, we had not the slightest idea of how dramatically our lives would change some years later.
Max turned out to be a blessing and a challenge at the same time: he was so full of energy and life that it was sometimes hard to keep him under control. But he was very charming, even as a baby. He won the hearts of the people around him in no time.
Max in 2005
When he got sick in the winter of 1994/1995, we were a bit worried because of his young age. After all, he was only six months old when measles hit him badly. It had been way too early for vaccination, but not too early for infection. He spent several days with a high fever while his paediatrician feared that he would develop some sort of complications. And he did: his lungs got affected, he developed a dry cough, and sometimes he even had difficulties breathing. We were concerned, but had no clue and nobody had ever mentioned anything about potentially fatal measles complications.
After a few weeks everything was over. Max had recovered and as spring came around, the vivid, high-energy boy was back. What we did not know back then was that he would only stay with us for another 10 years.
When Max was in third grade of elementary school his performance in math suddenly dropped.
Initially we thought that it might have to do with his high energy level and his difficulty concentrating sometimes. But then he started showing some strange behaviours – only for short moments, but becoming more frequent. We did not realise that these were the first signs…
In October of 2004 the first seizure occurred. Max would stop doing anything – from one second to the other – he would sit and stare. Just for a few seconds or sometimes a minute. When the seizure was over, he could not remember anything. We learned that this kind of seizure is called ‘absence’.
The doctors told us that sometimes children would develop this kind of epilepsy when they were just about to enter puberty. So we thought that maybe it would be temporary and eventually go away. But there was a bad sign: Max’s EEG that was taken shortly after his first seizure was entirely abnormal. There were curve patterns that did not belong there. The doctors tried to control the seizures by a special mix of anticonvulsants. And actually it did help – for a few weeks.
Between December of 2004 and February of 2005 our beloved boy seemed to be back. We thought that finally we had everything under control and that the seizures would eventually go away. We didn’t worry about him not going to school anymore, because he couldn’t keep up with the lessons.
We ignored the fact that he could not remember things that had just happened a few hours before.
We ignored the fact that his behaviour became more…We just didn’t want to realise what was happening.
The seizures came back in March. Heavy, frequent and different. The doctors sent us to one of the best epilepsy centres in Germany at Kehl-Kork. They only needed a few examinations to confirm the worst suspicions: Max was diagnosed with SSPE, Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis, a late complication of an early age measles disease. Rare, but fatal – in any case, without exception.
It was very hard for us to realise that they were talking about our bright, happy, vivid 10-year-old boy.
We were numb, desperate, did not understand that the doctors were telling us that we would lose our child – no matter what, just a matter of when.
We fought hard for a long time. We spent nights on the internet seeking for rescue, for some sort of treatment that would stop us from going down the path of the inevitable. We established contacts with medical scientists in India, Turkey and the US. We imported homeopathic medicine from India; we applied ß-interferon, vitamins, fish oil, minerals – all the good stuff.
But fate sometimes is relentless: in April of 2006 our boy said good-bye forever. An unexpected thrust of brain inflammation put him into a vegetative state. Within only hours he lost everything he had learned during his young life. His last words were: “I don’t know who you are”. It’s going to haunt us for the rest of our lives.
The following years were characterised by despair, disbelief, unrealistic hope, and many illusions, by anger, and by a very slow process of realising that he will never come back. But above all, there was and still is the everlasting daily struggle to somehow survive as a family. After all, Max’s brother
Julian had just turned 12 when our family was hit by this tragedy. Didn’t at least he deserve to spend his teenage years in an environment that provided as much normality as possible?
Max in 2012
Today – at the age of 18 – Maximilian is still with us. His condition has slowly, but steadily worsened over the years. He can no longer sit or hold his head up. After all those years in which he could at least be fed like a baby, his chewing and swallowing capabilities have lately ceased significantly. His body temperature regulation is unstable; he has many seizures, unpredictable, sometimes strong, sometimes barely noticeable. We feed him by a stomach tube and carry him around in his wheel chair. His level of reaction to his environment varies from little to none. When a day is exceptionally good, he would laugh at Mom or Dad, or his brother, or his nurse when they caress him and talk to him.
Max will die. Nobody knows when or how, but it is inevitable. And we have no idea, if and how we as a family are going to survive this… But what drives us crazy is the fact that all of this could have been avoided, had obligatory vaccination protected more children from getting infected by measles and other dangerous “childhood” diseases.
The measles virus is extremely dangerous. Thousands of children around the world suffer from acute complications such as heart problems, deafness, eye infection, meningitis, hepatitis, bronchitis, Krupp cough, and of course the rare ones like infections of the optic nerve or SSPE.
Other severe diseases such as pox, plague, or poliomyelitis are almost eliminated on this planet, because better hygiene and protection by vaccination has successfully pushed back those infections.
So why don’t we learn? Isn’t it a shame for a developed country like Germany that measles are still an issue?
When it comes to vaccination, parents are not responsible for their own children only – their decision pro or against vaccination may have a significant impact on others! There are proven cases of babies being infected by measles while sitting in a pediatrician’s waiting room. Isn’t that cynical? One of these children died a year ago, from SSPE.
Looking back and considering how life could have been is hurtful. Max did not deserve what has happened to him. It is almost unbearable to accept the fact that under different circumstances or if we had lived in another country back at that time our child would most likely still be healthy. We have lost him forever and it is breaking our hearts. Only in our memories we still see him and he makes us smile. Sometimes the thought of him is choking us. We do not know how long Max will still stay with us, but we will care for him until the end.
*Editor’s update: It is with sadness that we report the death of Max in February 2014*
AndreaReuschle
January 31st, 2013
Lieber Rüdiger, Ihr seid so tapfer ! Ich denke an Euch alle !
Andrea
Shellie
March 7th, 2013
Thank you for sharing Max’s story. I was wavering on getting my 9 month old vaccinations this week and now he will definitely be getting them. Thank you for that. My heart goes out to your family & Max. Xo From Canada
Maureen Johnston
November 13th, 2013
Please Please remember that when you make a decision like not having your child vaccinated for what ever reason you as a parent have taken that decision not your child! In this day and age I truly believe that the policy of America should be implemented everywhere. They have too have there children vaccinated for them to be able to attend school. This is not about a parents rights this is a fundamental right to have a child healthy. I also thing that before parents say no they need to look at the implications of that decision film photos etc maybe that might help them! I remember as little girl back in the 60s seeing a friend of mine who had polo, her mum regretted not having her vaccinated and the guilt stayed with her for the rest of her life.
DB
November 13th, 2013
A parent can fill out a “conscientious objection” form in the US and still send his or her children to school unvaccinated. We are having outbreaks of diseases that were made rare by vaccination in communities where a large percentage of people are against vaccination. The most recent I heard of was an outbreak of pertussis (whooping cough) in a Texas town where everyone attended the church that thought vaccines were the mark of the devil.
My heart breaks for the author of this article and his family. This and thousands of other stories like his are why we need to keep vaccinating and keep educating people on the importance of vaccines.
Sarah [NurseLovesFarmer.com]
November 13th, 2013
I just wrote a blog post on why we should vaccinate our kids especially because the MMR diseases can affect young babies who aren’t old enough to be vaccinating. Thank you for sharing your story, I am sharing it with my readers and I’m praying that people will learn that this is completely preventable.
Willy Smolka
November 13th, 2013
Thank you for sharing your story; my heart goes out to you and your family, but I applaud your courage for sharing this with the world. More people need to educate themselves about not only the risk to their child for not vaccinating, but the risk for babies, people with immune deficiencies or receiving cancer treatments that compromise the immune system. It is a very timely story as right now in our province of Alberta, Canada there has been an outbreak of measles brought here courtesy of a young man whose family did not vaccinate him, and who traveled to the Netherlands, where he was exposed to the measles outbreak there (in the so-called Bible Belt). Who knows the untold harm his parents may have done to their community.
Charlene
November 14th, 2013
Geting your kids vacinated should. Be law!! Not a decision!!!!! I’m sorry for your loss it makes me so mad when people don’t believe in vaccinations !!!
April
November 14th, 2013
Having my son vaccinated had the opposite , I almost lost him because his blood count dropped he is allergic to the vaccine which we didn’t find out till three months later unbeknownst to us his blood count kept dropping to the point where u touched him and he would bruise significantly . The doctors thought we had abused our son when we carried him into the hospital and my hand print was on his back from just carrying him if the nurse hadn’t of came into the room slowly and my son the ball of energy he was had not accidentally bumped his head lightly and the giant bruise that she watched developed in five seconds we would not have our son . The doctors immediately started doing blood work when I told them about his vaccinations a couple months prior, to find out that if we had of took him home he could have rolled over in his crib and not woken up all it would have took is one bump to his head one more time and he would have died . He is 13 now and cannot have the vaccine due to him being allergic to it . The school nurses are not allowed to give him shots I must take him to the hospital so that the right shots are given he is flagged in the health system and by the cdc so that this never happens again .
But that being said I have five children and only one became sick from that and I am not against vaccination at all and I believe that all kids should get vaccinated. My aunt didn’t get vaccinated in the mid sixties and she almost died from polio . So there are ups and downs but the safest is to get vaccinated !! I truly believe that . I am so sorry about your son ;( xoxox from canada
Ursula
November 14th, 2013
I am very sorry about your son, it is a tragedy this happened.
But to those saying that vaccinations should be law I want to say that unfortunately, first of all the measles vaccine will NOT prevent measles (nearly all the children in measles outbreaks are fully vaccinated), and secondly, many more children end up dying, with seizures, autism and autoimmune illnesses from vaccines than from getting the measles.
Max’s case is a very rare occurrence. Damage or death from the MMR vaccine is not.
Caitlin
November 14th, 2013
As to your first point about vaccines not being a guarantee against the disease, I agree. But even if one does get the disease, it will not be as severe and maybe side effects, such as in the tragic story above, would not occur.
As to your second point, where on earth are you getting your information? The seizures I could see happening would PERHAPS occur due to fever, but there is no proof for autism and autoimmune disorders with vaccination. And even with the seizures as a potential side effect, re-read the above article! If you don’t get vaccinated and instead get the disease, you have the potential of having seizures anyway, so what exactly are you saving your child from?!
TheMom
November 14th, 2013
BS. You are not quoting statistics. You are repeating what some TV personality has spouted off. You have your own brain – use it. Do research from reliable sources.
sta
November 14th, 2013
Ursula,
You are WRONG! There is solid research evidence from multiple sources around the world that vaccines DO NOT cause autism. The ONE study that indicated they did was fabricated and the doctor who wrote it no longer has a medical license – which is a blessing. Vaccines save lives. This family experienced an unimaginable due to some other parent’s lack of responsibility. Leave your ridiculous spouting of lies and propaganda somewhere else.
To Max and his family – I am so sorry for all that you have endured. Thank you for sharing your story. If the one person above who commented that she will now vaccinate her child because of this story – you have made a difference.
Anonymous
November 14th, 2013
Where are you getting your information from? Do you live with your head in the sand? Autism…are you seriously still stuck on this suggestion that has been proven to be incorrect multiple times? Look it up and get our facts straight before you spout off complete nonsense.
Illryia
November 16th, 2013
In New South Wales (Australia) recently we had 69 people identified as having measles. Of those, only 1 was identified as fully vaccinated. I do not believe the claim that most infected children are fully vaccinated as the evidence does not support it.
Anonymous
November 29th, 2013
seriously Ursla where are the facts that you are spewing out….you really need more facts…Austism in NOT cause by Vacctions…yes his case might have been rare but Austism…Autoimmunie siezure etc from VAcctions are even rarer…really…
Anonymous
March 2nd, 2014
You are a total idiot. It is a proven fact that autoimmune illnesses, autism and seizures are not caused by vaccinations.
Tammy Knapp
May 3rd, 2014
I want to start by saying ,” I am not against your view!” What I am against is spread of incorrect information. You are incorrect about “nearly all the children in measles outbreaks are FULLY vaccinated”. Please use facts to back your positions, not more propaganda.
Johanna
May 5th, 2014
What is your medical background, to make this analysis please? Thanks
Anonymous
May 6th, 2014
I agree full heartedly to your post. I myself was vaccinated in the early 80’s for whooping cough and measles and got both at 17 years of age very badly and was sick growing up with many flu bugs, etc. My husband and I chose not to vaccinate our son for many reasons but educated ourselves on both sides before making the decision. Our son has only had one cold that lasted more than 4 days since he was born and he is going to be 3 years old. This is just our testimony of course and losing a child would be unbearable ….but to judge and try to make the parents of unvaccinated people feel somehow responsible is not right…god works in his way and I have to believe with all my heart that what is meant to be shall be no matter what we try and do to fix things….I believe in his works. Lots of love goes out to this family this is so unfortunate.
Dr. S
December 5th, 2014
Much like the Tetanus vaccine, the immunogenicity of certain vaccines (acellular pertussis and a rubella for example) wanes with time and that’s why many years after original vaccination you can get infected. We must get boosters for both those infections in out late teens. Immunizations work, but many need periodic read administration to reprime the immune system.
Anonymous
February 11th, 2015
You don’t truly believe in his works if you’re afraid of vaccines. Vaccinate your kids so your neighbors are happy, and trust in God’s works, truly believe with all your heart that what is meant to be shall be, no matter what.
spinzgirl
February 17th, 2015
Please don’t consider reading internet blogs as educating yourself. If you want to go to medical school and specialize in infectious diseases and THEN come back and tell us you educated yourself be my guest. But anecdotal evidence is just that. I had multiple vaccines growing up and had no problems. I also have two children who are fully vaccinated who also happen to be high functioning autistic. I know that the vaccines didn’t cause it because medical studies have eliminated vaccines. I also know that my children will live long, healthy lives as a result of my decision as will other children who benefit from my choices. No one, NO ONE, benefits from your choice to not vaccinate your children. Stop being so selfish and think of others when you make your “educated” decisions.
Ria Powney
November 14th, 2013
I can feel for this family. In 1986 my husband was in contact with the measle virus and ended up at the age of 30 with pan encephalitis . He lived debilitated and suffered for 19 years before his passing. His file showed that he was never vaccinated. Sad as he left 3 children and his wife to watch him suffer. Please get your vaccination!
Laura
November 14th, 2013
I live in Canada in a large city and we currently have an outbreak of measles ( last I heard 28 confirmed cases) and more to come as more people are having to go into isolation and its spreading from this city into the outlying areas now. I heard on the radio that none of these people have had any vaccinations. Im not sure what the rational is these days for not vaccinating. I have heard everything from goverment conspiracy as a way to “track us” to it all being a hoax. In any case your story is very moving and I hope more people read it and see what can really happen and do what is best for the kids.
Anonymous
November 14th, 2013
What about all the children out there who have been vaccinated and have now lost normality, ex: autistic. They didn’t deserve it. And it has now been proven that MMR vaccine is the cause. I think the measles vaccine is fine (single vaccines), it’s the other junk that they’re putting in these vaccines that are messing with these little childrens’ minds. Be careful, these are your children and you will be held accountable. Plus who will there be to take over when you’re gone?
Caitlin
November 14th, 2013
It has not been proven that the MMR vaccine is the cause of Autism!! That study was made up and the author (now Mr. Wakefield) has lost his medical license BECAUSE he admitted he made up his study results! MMR DOES NOT CAUSE AUTISM!
Anonymous
November 14th, 2013
There is no connection or proof that any Vaccination causes autism. There is no legit study to prove this in any sort of way. When you choose not to vaccinate your child, you are putting other children in danger. Especially those who are too young to be vaccinated. We live in a world now where these things are available to us. We have the technology to eradicate many dangerous illnesses. If you would get your head out of your nether regions you would realize that.
Illryia
November 16th, 2013
There is no evidence that vaccines cause autism. Indeed, after some greedy doctor released a fraudulent study some years back lots of people have tried to prove the link and every one of them have failed. What a shame that your anti vaccination agenda closes your mind to the horrendously tragic story above and how easily it could have been prevented had he not caught measles.
Sheri Nakken, former RN, MA, Homeopath
November 14th, 2013
There really is no proof there is such a thing as a slow virus and that measles virus actually does this (also there are reports of this after measles vaccine) . I’m so sorry for this boy but to use this to scare you into measles vaccine is pretty bad.
His first big opportunity to take a crack at slow viruses came at the end of the 1960s. Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a mouthful of a name for such a rare condition, attacks a small number of schoolchildren and teenagers each year, causing dementia, learning disabilities, and finally death. Doctors first recognized SSPE in the 1930s, and by the 1960s the virus hunters were searching for an SSPE germ. At that time, the most fashionable viruses for research belonged to the myxovirus family, which included the viruses that caused influenza, measles, and mumps. Animal virologists therefore started by probing for signs of myxoviruses. Excitement mounted after trace quantities of measles virus were detected in the brains of SSPE patients, and in 1967 most of the victims were found to have antibodies against measles. The facts that SSPE affected only one of every million measles–infected people and that this rare condition appeared from one to ten years after infection by measles were no longer a problem: Researchers simply hypothesized a one- to ten-year latency period. Little wonder they could also easily rationalize that one virus could cause two totally different diseases.
http://www.whale.to/vaccine/slow_viruses.html
About 1/2 way down talks about the insanity of relating SSPE to measles virus. This is a great article showing how real the whole issue of viruses is and how baseless the issue of vaccines for so-called viral illnesses are. This will blow your mind! Similar to what they said about so-called AIDS
http://www.whale.to/vaccines/sspe1.html
http://www.whale.to/a/sspe_h.html
http://www.cibtech.org/J%20Medical%20Case%20Reports/PUBLICATIONS/2013/Vol_2_No_1/10-012..Apratim…An..SSPE…Vaccination…30-33.pdf
Illryia
November 16th, 2013
Sorry, but using whale.to as evidence on this subject is unacceptable. It is a well known dishonest anti vaccination website that is run by a farmer without medical or scientific background. All the information on whale.to has been debunked many times over.
Sue
March 2nd, 2014
There is really no such thing as homeopathy having any beneficial effect beyond placebo. The only reassuring thing is that this person is no longer a registered nurse.
Andy
March 2nd, 2014
whale.to also claims the world is controlled by lizard people. It even offers photos as evidence that world leaders are really shape-shifting reptilian aliens. Hardly the place I’d be doing research on serious issues relating to potentially fatal diseases. But then, I’m not a homeopath.
Sheri Nakken, former RN, MA, Homeopath
November 14th, 2013
revising that last URL http://www.cibtech.org/J%20Medical%20Case%20Reports/PUBLICATIONS/2013/Vol_2_No_1/10-012..Apratim…An..SSPE…Vaccination…30-33.pdf
Illryia
November 16th, 2013
Sheri, I note you have not disclosed your vested financial interest in people not vaccinating. What are you trying to hide?
Sheri Nakken, former RN, MA, Homeopath
November 14th, 2013
Can’t get that URL to come out well – google on this AN INTERESTING CASE OF SSPE WITHOUT PAST MEASLES AND NORMAL VACCINATION
Illryia
November 16th, 2013
One unvalidated article is not evidence, it’s merely cause for further investigation which when done shows that sometimes measles is so mild people don’t know they’ve had it.
Think
November 14th, 2013
Really? I’m very sorry about what happened to your child, but in all fairness, even with a measles vaccine this outcome still could have happened. Vaccines are NOT 100% and you really shouldn’t believe everything you see or hear for those of you saying the outbreaks are caused by the unvaccinated. The outbreak in Alberta, 8 of the 12 infected people were vaccinated, the other 4 were not. How do you justify injecting tiny little babies with live diseases, sometimes 5 in one sitting, and harmful substances they don’t even allow in food? Do your research people. If I don’t get my child vaccinated, it should have no affect on your vaccinated child. Yours is protected correct? I seriously doubt someone is going to bring their whooping cough positive kid to your house after you’ve given birth.
Caitlin
November 14th, 2013
But your unvaccinated child DOES have an effect on my vaccinated child. Because vaccines are not 100 % successful, but they are the best thing we have to prevent these diseases. So, if your child gets Measles, they can pass it to my child, even though mine’s been vaccinated, and then we get outbreaks, like the one happening in Alberta right now! The idea behind vaccination is to protect the herd, meaning that the fewer people that are in theory able to contract it protect those who the vaccines didn’t work in.
Also, you don’t need to bring someone who has pertussis to visit my new baby in order for my baby to get it. If whooping cough is around, the virus can be carried, like any other virus, even by a vaccinated person to my house and infect my baby.
Denise
November 14th, 2013
Caitlin,
You are absolutely right. Herd immunity only works if the majority of the population has been vaccinated. The vaccine is not 100% effective, but if most people are vaccinated you are NOT going to get large numbers of people coming down with the measles as the vaccine IS very effective. If you are not vaccinated you can almost be sure you will get it. I live in a place in Canada….see reference above by Laura. There is a very large population of people who don’t vaccinate for religious reasons. I am not sure what God would think of people putting their child and every other person they come in contact with at risk. They are the population now spreading the disease as “voluntary isolation” is not working. My grand daughter is less than 6 months old and thus is very much at risk of contacting the disease, just like Max did. My heart goes out to his family. You don’t vaccinate your child, it should be the law they don’t go to school in Alberta or anywhere for that matter. It is science based that vaccinations do work, but you NEED herd immunity for it to be effective. People get your heads out of where ever you left them and vaccinate your kids.
Rennie
December 22nd, 2020
I do not understand the fuss and panic when I read about an outbreak of measles. Growing up in the 60ies, measles was something you just got. I can only speak of my experience but I have never ever heard about anyone having any problems after having had the measles. No one! You were definitely ill with the measles but afterwards you were better.
Illryia
November 16th, 2013
I have been unable to find a single instance where a child fully vaccinated against MMR has been diagnosed with SSPE. I think there is a huge distance between possibility and probability and your offensive disregard of their suffering to ply your agenda is offensive and inappropriate. In NSW (Australia) 1 of the 69 infected patients was fully vaccinated so I’d like to see your evidence regarding the outbreak in Alberta. I note that you used the term “vaccinated” rather than “fully vaccinated”, is that a standard anti vaccination deception given that the children need 2 doses to be “fully vaccinated”.
Your research is flawed and statements deliberately emotive to fear monger. If you had truly researched the subject, you wouldn’t make half statements. I justify vaccinating my children to keep them protected against diseases that can maim and, as indicated above, kill in the most horrendous of ways. I have done my research, but unlike you did not rely on anti vaccination websites.
Sure, my child is protected against your poor decisions, but the kids who are babies and who are immunocompromised are at the mercy of your poor decisions. In NSW (Australia) 2 parents took their pertussis positive children to a childcare centre where a 3 week old baby (visiting to collect an older sibling) was infected and later died. So it most certainly does happen.
me
June 20th, 2014
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2807674
Anonymous
May 3rd, 2014
Your ignorance is astounding …you should do your research..live virus is never used. All studies linking mmr to autism have been debunked by authentic scientists in the medical field. Misinformed self serving people like you are dangerous…do your research
Debbie
January 30th, 2015
Infants don’t need to catch whooping cough from infected children, they are more likely to catch it from infected adults. Whooping cough is not so severe in a healthy adult. We can have it and not even know it, but we can pass it on to a baby. When my granddaughter was born 4 years ago, my husband and I, my mom, and my 2 sisters got the vaccination to make sure none of us unwittingly infected the baby with this deadly illness. It also includes a tetanus shot. Bonus.
mike
November 14th, 2013
having to get vaccinated by law is not democracy and fails to stop the govt from implementing any health program in “their” interest. pro choice.
Anonymous
November 15th, 2013
You right Mike. It isn’t a democratic society if we are told we have to vaccinate. But if you choose not to vaccinate at least make an informed, intelligent decision based on real evidence based facts rather than speculation and what you read on google.
Linda Whyard
November 15th, 2013
If you don’t immunize your child/children for diseases that are proven to be effectively controlled by immunization your medical costs for anything associated with any treatment for the illness should not be covered by any insurance policies.
Bev
November 14th, 2013
So sorry for your loss dear family. But others beware. What about all the little infants that got measles at an early age and haven’t suffered problematic minds? And what about all those little ones who received the multi vaccines and have problematic minds ex: they call it autism? These didn’t deserve it either. It has now been proven that the MMR vaccine can cause autism, they are actually but quietly admitting to it. I think single vaccines wouldn’t be as hard on the little ones compared to the multi ones. Plus it’s all the other crap they put in the vaccines to preserve them that causes a lot of digestive intolerance, thus causing toxic blood to flow through the brain. So be careful, blaming others is not where it’s at. And forcing is not where it’s at. Your decision is where it’s at. If you go for it, you did it because you feel your child is now safe from the disease and you need not worry or condemn those who decided otherwise.
There are those of us who have lung cancer and never smoked a day in our lives, and we can blame those who smoked in our environment, but what would it help…people still smoke in our environment regardless of a law. And many a child has a disease because of it too.
So remember, you will be held responsible for your decisions for your children and yourself, God will see to it . You will not be held responsible for someone else’s decisions for their children and themselves. Don’t put yourself in a position where you will be to blame or you will blame others. God sees all and He will see to it that justice is served, and it will all be done in love because God is love.
Anonymous
November 14th, 2013
The “clinical trial” and “doctor” that undertook and published the study that “proved” the vaccine “caused” autism has been discredited, the physicians license revoked and exposed as a 100% fraud and embarrassment. He made up the data. He made up the cases. It was a fraud and people like Jenny macarthy believe and propagate the lies. There is a reason that doctors and researchers guide the course of modern medicine rather than celebrity b list actresses and the Internet. Please ask a real doctor not dr. Google.
LW
November 15th, 2013
Bingo! was waiting for that word to come up….BLAME. Quite frankly I feel that most people with an autistic child are more than willing to jump on that now refuted bandwagon which stated vaccines, in particular MMR caused autism and blame it for their child’s condition as well. Problem is, they don’t realize that long ago study was refuted when the Dr who did it admitted he fudged it!
I’ve spent a life time working with children with problems and if there is one thing I’ve learned it is that parents love to play the blame game. It doesn’t matter if it is autism, hearing problems, mental illness whatever. I swear it makes them feel better to say it is someone else’s or something else’s fault. But why does anyone have to be to blame?? Some things just happen and we’ll never know how or why. I think people blame because they fear the fact that there is something ‘wrong’ with their child reflects on them as a parent somehow.
I would never say with 100% certainty that a vaccine could not cause autism or any other problems but this one has been researched well at this point and disproven. Not to mention the disaster created by this schmuck of a Dr. who fudged his research – was it the post below this one that outlined what happened after his research went public? How about the outbreaks that occur in areas where a good deal of the population is against vaccination?? Good lord, is there any other proof necessary to convince people vaccinations ARE necessary!
Realistically, the risk of autism vs. the risk of life threatening disease and a life time of medical issues from NOT vaccinating I’d say autism is pretty low risk, let alone the very really concern that you are NOT making a choice just for your child but for an entire community…its a no-brainer, vaccinate!! So many of these diseases would be eradicated if we all did and then there would be no risk of any kind for anyone! Is that not why Polio is no longer a concern?
Illryia
November 16th, 2013
Beware of what Bev? The misinformation spread by people? I agree. Those little infants who get measles with no side effects are the lucky ones. Over 150,000 children still die every year as a direct result of measles. It is not a benign childhood disease, it kills.
Those children who are vaccinate and who have autism are in exactly the same position as those who were not vaccinated and have autism. It has certainly not been proven that MMR causes autism. What about people who lie Bev?
In Japan they tend to over react and they removed the MMR at the height of the Wakefield fraud, and they introduced single shot vaccination. On a study of 300,000 children (299,988 more than Wakefield studied) they found that the removal of the MMR and introduction of the single shot vaccines had no impact at all on the instance of autism in Japan.
Ah, I see your veneer of ‘legitimacy’ flushes down the toilet and you fall into the standard anti vaccination lies of ‘toxins’ and ‘crap’ with regards to vaccination. Dishonest emotive words designed to fear monger, which have no basis in fact. Of course we can judge people who lie and cheat.
Smoking is an interesting example that you give, given it disproves your point. The damage caused by cigarettes was unknown, but science has made it known and steps have been put in place to protect those who don’t smoke, and they are enforceable. People do not still smoke in our environments where it is banned, at least where I live.
I’m not interested in waiting until a fictional deity holds people accountable. I’d rather save the children before it gets to that. Many people live every day with the end results of the actions of other people. My brother is dead because someone in a hospital passed diphtheria into the nursery.
Personal responsibility is an interesting concept, perhaps you can educate yourself on it ?
Danni
November 14th, 2013
First off I am so sorry for what’s happening to your family.
Quote from Wikipedia “The claims in Wakefield’s 1998 The Lancet article were widely reported;[14] vaccination rates in the UK and Ireland dropped sharply,[15] which was followed by significantly increased incidence of measles and mumps, resulting in deaths and severe and permanent injuries.[16] Physicians, medical journals, and editors[17][18][19][20][21] have described Wakefield’s actions as fraudulent and tied them to epidemics and deaths,[22][23] and a 2011 journal article described the vaccine-autism connection as “the most damaging medical hoax of the last 100 years”.[24]”
Maybe people should stop reading what’s on the internet and start speaking to their doctors. I believe that everyone has the right to make their own choice but I also believe that the govn’t needs to step in and make a stand. If a parent wants to be exempt than they should have a note from a doctor agreeing with them
Karen
November 14th, 2013
I am so sorry forty for your loss!
I am 52 and reacted badly to all the immunizations when I was young. My parents were told I couldn’t have vaccines. When I was in my 30s I had a surgery that had complications and I needed blood transfusions. Through these blood transfusions I am happily now protected for all the illnesses that I was unable to be immunized for.
There was a silver lining for an unfortunate situation for me.
Cathy
November 14th, 2013
Shame on the lot of you for taking an opportunity to tout your anti-vaccinations on this man’s post. He’s obviously been given his information by doctors and his wife is a nurse. These people have more access to professional information than the people who educate themselves on Google.
The risks of adverse reaction to vaccination for the many clearly outweigh what these diseases do to our children.
I would really love to see the statistics of all the autism cases linked from, let’s say 1960 vaccinations to today. Because if there is a direct correlation – the numbers should prove it.
Let’s look at a different analogy:
Seatbelts save lives. Everyone should wear a seatbelt. But wait, there are a few cases where wearing a seatbelt didn’t save their life. Perhaps people should choose to stop wearing seatbelts because a couple people had an adverse reaction to them. So if you think you’re protecting your child, take their seatbelt off and you can 100% guarantee that your child won’t have an adverse reaction to seatbelts.
Maybe a big bad like polio needs to come back to remind people that the slight chance of a reaction is FAR PREFERABLE to the deadly disease.
Denise
November 15th, 2013
Amen Cathy….a wonderful analogy!
keith Kelley
March 2nd, 2014
Cathy i believe people are just trying to get the truth out about vaccines.
Many a time I have seen pro vaxxers severely criticize a mother who does not vaccinate. And if they have lost a child through the effects of vaccines it usually means little to the attacker/critic.
That’s what i call shameful.
Andy
March 2nd, 2014
It would also surprise some people to know that the vast majority of people who die in motor vehicle accidents are wearing a seat belt. That’s not because seat belts don’t work, it just the way statistics work in our imperfect world. I am always amazed when people who oppose vaccinations don’t also oppose seat belts.
Seizure
November 14th, 2013
Measles vaccine does not prevent you from getting measles, in fact 73% of kids that get measles were vaccinated for it. My Son had grand maul seizures from the mmr vaccine and they refused to give him any further injections. Vaccines are dangerous. He was never the same after all the seizures. I would rather have fate decide his life than me damage him by injecting him with disease. Besides that vaccines lose their potency over time so really….There are stories from both sides, but way more from the “my child was damaged by the vaccine” side….
Anonymous
November 15th, 2013
Seizure,
You think there are way more stories about kids being affected from getting the MMR vaccine!?!? GIVE YOUR HEAD A SHAKE, if this was the case every child receiving the vaccination would have a reaction and it would be pulled off the shelf. Canada participates in a global reporting system of vaccine side effects. If these problems were occurring like you indicate there would be results and statistics to prove it. Thank goodness the majority of the comments on here are pro vaccination, I am a nurse in Calgary, Alberta and have read the literature on vaccinations. For the people spouting their lies on vaccinations causing horrible side effects take your crap comments elsewhere. Go to Jenny McCarthy’s website and place your head back into the sand. As mentioned numerous time above all of the information in her website and books etc. is based on lies. There is NO new information about vaccines that is slowly being put out there to support the MMr vaccine causes autism.
There is autism in my family, did the MMR vaccine cause this? Some people like to think so, was he born with it? ,ore then likely, by the time the child is receiving the vaccinations is when the parents start putting the pieces of the puzzle together. In the case of my family member he strated showing signs of autism way before he was vaccinated. Is there a correlation with the MMR vaccine and autism? Maybe, but correlation and causation are very very very different things. Are there other elements in the environment that could have brought out the autism in my family member? Maybe. Don’t forget that years ago there was no such thing as autism, now that there is an actual diagnosis yes there will be an increase of cases, but this increase is not from the vaccine. All this crap about the vaccine causing autism just started showing up.
In conclusion of this rant, parents please please please educate yourselves about vaccinations, not just from the Internet, see a health care professional and have an intelligent conversation. Your decisions not only impact your child but the children they come in contact with everyday.
Illryia
November 16th, 2013
Interesting. Firstly, it’s grand mal seizure, and the term grand mal isn’t actually used any more. Yes, there are “stories” on both sides, but aren’t we interested in the facts rather than fiction ?
Andy
March 2nd, 2014
While I don’t necessarily accept your 73% “statistic”, I’ll use it here for the sake of illustration of why it doesn’t mean what you think it means anyway. If 95% of the population is vaccinated, but only 73% of infections are in the vaccinated, the vaccine has worked. To explain this… consider a town with 100 kids. 95 are vaccinated and the other five are not. Measles comes to town and 20 kids catch it. If 75% of infected kids are vaccinated then 15 of those 20 infected kids will be vaccinated and the other five will be unvaccinated. So while it looks like the vaccinated kids were worse off, the fact is that in this example, only 15 out of 95 vaccinated kids caught the infection (a little over 15%) while EVERY unvaccinated kid (100%) caught it. This may be simplistic but illustrates the significant flaw in your “argument”.
Think
November 15th, 2013
Good lord people use your brains! The flu and colds mutate, what makes you think these diseases won’t? It’s all about money to vaccination companies, medicine companies. Eat right, exercise, wash your hands and guess what? Your immune system would be strong enough to fight off most of what you end up with. You people disgust me with your sheep thinking. The government and pharmaceutical companies lie all because of money. Get your head out of your asses and do your research.
Illryia
November 16th, 2013
Can you prove the claim that it’s all about the vaccination money ?
Andy
March 2nd, 2014
If diet and exercise were a guaranteed path to immunity, then what stops the pathogens mutating to beat this “defence”? Magic? And can you explain why, after more than 250,000 years of human evolution during which most generations ate an entirely natural diet, these disease are still with us? Shouldn’t they have been wiped out by our perfect immune systems? You might want to do some research yourself to see if you can understand the gaping flaw in your argument.
Lexi
November 15th, 2013
My heart goes out to Max. My heart also goes out to all the families affected by vaccinations. I am not anti-vaccine. Nor am I going to pick up that little health pamphelt and use it as the my guide. Find out who manufactures the vaccines. Go to these websites. Read the side effects from the clinical studies. Educate yourselves and then decide. Yes, these diseases are awful and can be terribly damaging for some families. The same is true for vaccines. There is NO right or wrong answer. What is good and safe for your family is not going to be good and safe for another family. It’s just not. People react to these diseases differently the same way we are going to react to vaccines differently.
My issue is that the gov’t doesn’t give us all the facts. They mislead and misdirect. They discredit a doctor making claims, but they have yet to conduct studies to prove safety or effectiveness of any vaccines long term. There are communities of fully vaccinated children getting sick, while their unvaccinated counterparts are healthy. So, you can blame unvaccinated kids for bringing these diseases back or they can blame the vaccinated kids for causing these diseases to mutate and become stronger in order to overcome a vaccine. Or we can all respect each other and trust that we are all trying to do our best to make the right decisions for our families.
Illryia
November 16th, 2013
If I had a dollar for every anti vaccinationist that claims to not be anti vaccination, I wouldn’t need my big pharma paycheck. Seriously, why not just be honest? your attempt to present vaccination benefits and risks as equal couldn’t be more wrong. The benefits from vaccination far outweigh the minute risks.
Like all good anti vaccinationists you bring it round to a big conspiracy. It isn’t. The government doesn’t hide facts and quite frankly in the era of the smart phone there is no way it could anyway. Conspiracy theories are so last century. I call shenanigans on much of your post, and i’d like you to present the evidence as all evidence i have seen does not support your opinion that it’s the vaccinated getting sick.
Indeed, Australia is in the grip of a measles epidemic right now. The anti vaxers are bringing it in from Bali. Verified information, anti vaxers are catching it and passing it around.
There can be no respect for liars.
Lexi
November 17th, 2013
I never said anything about conspiracy theories. Both of my children are vaccinated. My oldest had a severe reaction to the MMR vaccine — yep, that’s right. It happens. After reading on the manufacture’s website, I actually found out that the reactions to vaccines were way, way higher than what the little health pamphlets would lead me to believe. So yes, I think they omit facts and mislead people. Feel free to use your smart phone to do your own research. I’ve done mine.
I was advised by the doctor NOT to give the MMR to my second child.
We have however done some of the other vaccines, but not all. Like the HPV vaccine, for example. Until that’s proven safe and even remotely effective, you won’t get that near my daughter. But, please, feel free to be lulled by your own ignorance. The more sheep out there like you that agree to be blind testers for vaccines, the more information we gain. For the best of the whole, yes??
keith Kelley
March 2nd, 2014
Hi Lexi
You’re a brave lady to be thinking outside the box and speak of it. I admire that you research and question all that you do for your children medically.
i personally don’t believe in injections unless it’s a crisis at hand.
BTW A sad thing that they lost their boy.
keith Kelley
March 2nd, 2014
Illiryia
Illryia
Maybe i only move in the healthy people circles, but what happened to this ‘ Australia is in the grip of a measles epidemic right now.’ ?
It is now March, 2014 and it is still only an outbreak. So can you have a 5 months outbreak? Or is it just a few cases here and there?
They are saying that it is coming from overseas. Is that to dodge the fact that herd immunity doesn’t work and that it is still around?
(1)Medical herd immunity –
I keep asking this question and rarely get an answer-(albeit a reasonable one)
If herd immunity works then what actually happened through the 60′ 70′ 80′ (in Australia)when they thought most vaccines lasted a life time? (they don’t) Most vaccinated people would have only been covered for part of that period, resulting in a low rate of immunization. Yet the authorities were touting that they had beaten most diseases though herd immunity.(?)
Medical herd immunity doesn’t work!
Again my condolences to the Schoenbohm family.
interesting
February 5th, 2015
Illryia… you are an angry person…I can’t even continue reading this debate..
Robyn Mendoza
November 15th, 2013
Hello, my heart Aches for you family. Your son knows your love and you are very special parents. There’s an up and coming treatment for seizures using marijuana oil. I know it will not cure your son. But it could help calm his symptoms. God bless you <3
L.Lafleur
November 15th, 2013
As nurses with many years experience in mental health facilities my wife and I saw hundreds of examples of what happens when children are not immunized against measles. Vegetative lives extending into the 60’s or beyond. Victims unable to feed or toilet themselves etc.The British Dr.who published untrue stats regarding measles and autism was stripped of his credentials to practice medicine.He was fined over $4,000,000 and has been in prison for almost three years for gross negligence .His research facility was immediately closed by the British government,which then spent millions to try to undue the harm potential to children globally that this sham produced.Anyone who repeats these blatantly untrue and proven illegal “facts” re autism/measles is a bloody fool. Get your 15 minutes of fame by streaking a football game.Not by propagating this bile.
Carolyn
November 16th, 2013
What a terrible disease. Thank you for sharing your family’s story.
For all those questioning vaccine effectiveness, the measles vaccine is extremely effective. Claims that most people with measles are vaccinated are frankly bullshit. 2 doses of MMR gives over 99% protection against measles. So herd immunity is easily achievable for measles if people stop spreading fear and lies.
My children will be vaccinated. For them, and for the community. To help protect those too young (like Max), the elderly, the immunocompromised who can’t be vaccinated or in whom vaccines are not effective.
Trust the science, not the conspiracy theories.
Cecily
November 17th, 2013
Feel so much for you – I am typing this with tears flowing.
My daughter Laine caught measles at 10 1/2 months old, 6 weeks shy of receiving immunisation, very gifted child and then at 7 1/2 years of age SSPE was diagnosed. Within 2 weeks she was blind, unable to walk or talk. I nursed her for 5 years – 5 years of just lying there, no quality of life, myclonic jerks, so much suffering, then at 12 years of age she passed. Like you I researched the world and tried so many different therapies to make her comfortable. Mogadon was prescribed for myclonic jerks but I stopped that as magnetic therapy & accupuncture stopped them. Laine reacted to the anti viral medication – which was a fight with bloody Canberra idiots to get…but that is another story in itself. I was told SSPE was rare – not so to me – as I have met way to many children with it. I have even diagnosed 3 cases that Drs missed. Years of speaking with nurses & some are immunisation nurses, there were few that had ever heard of SSPE – I want all nurses to know about it so they can educate parents that it isn’t just the measles disease but that their child could have this ‘time-bomb’ sitting there – SSPE. My thoughts are with you.
Lesley
November 29th, 2013
Thank you for sharing your story. My heart goes out to you and your family. In this day and age I feel it is important to have the vaccination, but also do the research. Talk to hour your family doctor, and don’t be blinded by gossip
Cigdem
January 3rd, 2014
Mr. Schoenbohm,
I wish to you and your family a strength to accept and live with what’s happening to Max.
Unfortunately, I know very well the story, since it happened to my little cousin 21 months ago in Turkey. When I read your words ‘He was only six months old when measles hit him badly. It had been way too early for vaccination, but not too early for infection’ my heart hurt again. It came to my little cousin in the same way and after 11 years virus showed its ugly face. When I learned it, I tried all web sources and contacts from Turkey and outside. Then I realized the only truth : ‘there is no cure’. Because it is a very rare lethal illness, unfortunately the companies do not do investment on it. This reality hurts me more, when I think of not only my little cousin but also other kids caught this illness, because I witnessed what he went through over 21 months.
I told these things to give you an idea how I deeply understand your situation. I hope your interview will have an effect to awake investors and to increase the attention on how measles virus is dangerous. By this way people can be more conscious on vaccination . However, even vaccination is very important, as in your case and my case there are also cases involves the SSPE patient who caught before vaccination time. For that reason I strongly hope that soon there will be a cure for the SSPE.
We lost our kid on 29 of November 2013. It is very hard, but after seeing all, we (all my family) know that it was the best for him to go away and have a peace. This keeps us a little calm as possible as.
Kind Regards,
Cigdem Yucel
Gary Finnegan
January 7th, 2014
Deeply sorry to read this Cigdem. Thank you for sharing your story with others.
Apin
February 27th, 2014
Your story inpired me, so that I have to educate as many people as possible to make sure that they are completely vaccinated. I’m asking for your permission to make your story as introduction for an article I’m working on for a local magazine in Indonesia. I will mention the URL. Thank you Mr. Schoenbohm
Lucy Arnold
March 2nd, 2014
That is one of the reasons I am a member of Lions Clubs International – we raise funds to pay the costs for families to get the measles vaccine – ccheck it out – http://www.lcif.org/EN/our-programs/humanitarian-efforts/measles/index.php
Gary Finnegan
March 21st, 2014
I’m sorry to report that Max passed away in February 2014.
Mary
April 5th, 2014
I am so sorry for your loss 🙁 Thank you for sharing your story. I will share with our group and hope that we can prevent another family from having to go through this unfathomable tragedy.
If anyone is interested in following our Immunization initiative, please join our FB group, it is a place where you can obtain current information on measles, read personal stories of families in need of HERD IMMUNITY, and help us brainstorm ways to underscore the importance of vaccinating their children. You can also follow Riley’s story as it gains momentum throughout the country!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/429730813797160/
Donna
April 28th, 2014
My twin brother and I went to play with a friend in 1949. He could not come out to play because he had the measles. We waved to him through the window. Two days later he was dead. My twin brother and I had the measles “shots” at school. Our young friend did not. He died. He was an only child. Of all the kids I went to school with who had the “shots” I do not know of any of them who suffered any side effects. Plenty of people have allergic reactions on this planet from a number of things. We aren’t all the same. There will always be “woulda, coulda, shoulda”. I am glad I had my children vaccinated, and that my grandchildren are also vaccinated. One of them had a bad reaction but is very glad to have had the vaccination regardless. Vaccinations are always improving. It is not a perfect world. I have a brother-in-law and a grandson who cannot take penicillin, a husband and a son who cannot be stung by a bee, or me to overeat foods with niacin. We all suffer the result of such maladies. It is safe therefore to say that some people with vaccinations will suffer from side effects moreso from our own DNA make-up. We all don’t have the same immune systems. So, it seems to me that one vaccine will affect some people, but if it saves the whopping majority , then we are on the right road, instead of an epidemic that would wipe out a whopping majority until such time that various vaccines can be made to treat ALL the immune variations. We have to live with the decisions we make. If you have a few sick in a herd, you separate the sick from the well. Some of the sick will get better with medical treatment and some of the sick will not. Remember, no doctor wants to lose a patient.
I want to give my best wishes to the man and his wife who have started an association where help can be to others in the same predicaments as he has suffered. In losing their son, they have found the strength to help others. What a testament of love for his son’s memory and to the rest of us.
It is hard to lose some one you love — at any age. They turned their helplessness into helpfulness.
Shawna Paleshi
November 13th, 2019
This is a lie. The measles vaccine was developed in 1963.
Keith
May 1st, 2014
So unfair. RIP Max.
Make vaccinations mandatory!!!!
T. Ames
May 2nd, 2014
When my boys were young, I took them to a cemetery because I didn’t want them being scared of cemeteries or death. While there, we passed many graves/markers of small children and infants. My boys asked what happened to most of them. I told them because there weren’t the vaccines back then for all the diseases, many people/children passed away from them. I don’t lie to my children, and to this day they remember that visit, and have gotten their children vaccinated. God has allowed us to have the knowledge to learn about diseases and how to avoid them. Why should children and adults become sick or even die for no reasons.
Anonomyous
May 3rd, 2014
Though I am incredibly sensitive to this family’s story. I think it is important to note that SSPE is also indicated as a potential adverse reaction to the MMR vaccine. This fact is taken directly from Merck (the vaccine manufacturer’s) product circular (page 7). https://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/m/mmr_ii/mmr_ii_pi.pdf
There are rare complications from both the disease and from the vaccine.
Gloria O'Donnell
May 5th, 2014
Growing up in a small town gives you a lifetime with the same people. We were all immunized at school in the 50’s. No one i was at school with ever had a reaction to any vaccine. No one became autistic or developed seizures or had any other reaction. All pretty normal grown ups so what does this mean. We were 1)all just lucky, 2)vaccines were better then or is 3)the mess we see today in our health the lifestyle changes that came with television. Our generation was an outdoor generation, playing in the dirt our whole childhood, eating our home grown veggies from the garden and eating meat that was unadulterated with hormones and antibiotic.
L
November 13th, 2016
There were way less vaccines at that time. The vaccine schedule is now very long.
Rebecca m
January 27th, 2015
Thank for sharing this and I am very sorry for your loss. My little boy contracted measles from an unvaccinated child at just 3 weeks and sspe will always remain a worry for me. I really don’t understand why people don’t want to eradicate these nasty diseases, let’s face it there are so many other things to be worrying about- why not have the vaccines and have one less worry.
Laura
February 3rd, 2015
I am so very sorry this has happened to your son. I am living in fear that my son, who 2 years ago contracted measles at 5 months, will suffer this same fate. But my story is unique because my son got measles from a shedder, or recently vaccinated. I know this is rare as well perhaps but maybe not. I know a lot about this disease now, more than I would like but it’s likely a good thing. I know many people (first in my own circle and now far beyond) who have vaccine injured children as we’ll. I know no one who has SSPE until I found this today. I know that my son could not have been vaccinated because of a complication his older sister had with caused her great illness for 3 years. My oldest daughter also suffered brain inflammation and seizures after her 5 year MMR booster. This meant a lot of doctor visits, mri’s and other testing. Luckily she is ok and only suffers occasional mood disorders. It could be worse. As much as I understand your view please understand that the amount of adverse effects from vaccines is greater than the amount of SSPE complications by far. It is important people understand the HONEST risks to both sides. I know this is little comfort to you, or to me even though I disagree with vaccination. Even though in avoiding a reaction, the measles could ultimately cause the worst reaction now. Sometimes, life is what it is and the end is inevitable. I will pray for your family along with my son. Unfortunately illness will always exist.
Alli
February 10th, 2015
I am so sorry to hear this!!! I am currently researching info on measles since I am from California:/
As a parent my thoughts are dear to yours! If your heart is open to some answers on about death from the Bible…I have shared a link below. I am so very sorry for the nights of worry and pain you and your family must have felt.
http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/wp20140101/#?insight%5Bsearch_id%5D=f63346c8-2f06-4e23-a713-a25c72da5f68&insight%5Bsearch_result_index%5D=0
k
February 20th, 2015
So sorry for your sad circumstances. Normally, infants would not get measles if their mother had had them…she would pass on natural immunity to her breast fed child, which would last until the child was about 5 years old. This unfortunate circumstance is a direct result of vaccinating for a childhood illness.
L
November 13th, 2016
As far as I know immunity only lasts about five months if the mother had measles. If the mother had the MMR vaccine it may be about three months. http://jid.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/04/29/infdis.jit143.long
Ronald Segear
October 20th, 2017
Hi.. I know it’s tough. I got the Epilepsy from the measles to since I been 2 and I am 43 here. I was on Dilantin most of the time for it over 30 years until it started making my folic acid get low.. I am on Zonegran and Lamicital now for my epilepsy know it’s tough everytime I get a Eeg done it is bad activity all the time I have 24/7 brain activity and I got brain damage to from it over the years it shows up on a MRI in my left temporal lobe area.. I get them kind of seizures to the grandmals I usually get in my sleep.. Over 40 years I been getting it here.. So sorry your son is going threw that there.. I believe it’s a very rare thing.. I hope he has a chance to live as good as I have god bless you all there
Anonymous
February 20th, 2015
Some of u people r so rude to the ones that express their stories of how vaccines have hurt them or their family n friends we all have the freedom of speech n people like to know all of the pros n cons of vaccines before deciding whether to get their children vaccinated or not its their choice and people should stop blaming others for what happens everyone makes their own decisions on what to do with their families everyone is different and react to things differently im am so sorry about what happened to max i cant imagine how i would feel if that would happen to my son i know i will still love him the same as always u have a very strong family my blessings to u all may god bless u in the years to come thank u everyone for sharing your stories god bless
me
February 20th, 2015
Some of u people r so rude to the ones that share their stories on how the vaccines have affected them or their family n friends everyone has their right to freedom of speech some people like to hear stories of the pros n cons of vaccines before deciding whether or not to get vaccinated everyone makes their own choices good or bad and they have to live with them n hopefully learn from the bad choices everyone is different n everyone reacts to things differently everyone does what they think is best for their family and shouldnt be blammed for their choices because it may be best for their family and not yours u dont know everyones situation u do what u think is right n best for your family im so sorry to hear what happened to max. u have a very strong family to be able to come this far and share your story with the world congrats to that and keep staying strong for the years to come your family has my blessings and sincere apologies may god bless your family in the years to come. God bless u all and thank u for sharing your stories.
Binu
April 5th, 2015
Dear Mr. Schoenbohm
So sorry to hear your story.
Unfortunately our daughter was diagnosed with Measles and recovered from it a couple of weeks before. Afterwords every now and then she gets fever, cough and diarrhea. From whatever you have learned from your experience can you please advice what we we can do to best care for or child. (Need not be a technical or authoritative one, but we would like to hear from what you learned from experience).
Shameerah
April 19th, 2015
Deepest symothy 2 u nd fam of Max may his soul live on thrw ur other son nd the things he loved. I’m a young mother of a daughter a beautiful 1 she has the desease SSPE had measels only @ 3months she fell sick in 2014 June we miss our queen that’s the meaning of her name she was full of energy bright loveable pple loved her the moment they met her she was nd still is our little queen she is 5 2day nd its almost a year she is the way she is we live each day as if its the last we cherish time with her she has a baby brother he will be 10months soon they alone knw each other bcos wen they around each other we can see the love they share her face lightens up wen she hears him he wud put his little head on her face nd kissy bah her we don’t stop believing. In a miricle cos God heals the broken hearted he makes the blind 2 see he makes the lame 2 walk again nd he will do that 4 our queen we stay positive even 4 the day he takes her from us may all reading this find some answer 2 there own lives.
WilliamRem
May 6th, 2016
I appreciate you sharing this article.Much thanks again. Really Great.
Anonymous
August 2nd, 2016
Maybe everyone needs to stop attacking each other. I know many people who vaccinate and some who dont. I understand about both sides. From what I have gotten out of the people who do not vaccinate they are not against the idea of vaccinating. They object to the horrible additives they are made of. The people I know who do not vaccinate have actually shown me that they have done more research than people who vaccinate. I have been shown vaccine inserts because I did not believe about how bad the ingredients were. Some people who do not vaccinate are only listening to the autism thing but alot of the people are alot more educated and refuse vaccines for better reasons. It has also been stated that only 10% of vaccine side effects are reported. And I have personal experience with multiple doctors telling me tht aone side effect i have seen come bout from that vaccine was not caused by a vaccine. It was obvious that is what happened and i proved it by research. Just to find out what reaction happened was actually one of the moderate side effects that happens. Vaccines may work but why should anyone have to inject harmful things in their kid that can also do harm. Why can’t the parents join togethed and try to get the government to find effective vaccines that have better and less harmful vaccines? Everyone deserves better, stop judging and work together. I see that both parents who do and do not vaccinate love their kids the same and are truly trying to do what is best. Seriouy stop calling names and work together because everyone deserves better than this. I understand and accept arguments from both sides and I can agree with points both sides. I know that people on both sides have done thorough research and derserve to be treated respectfully. I also think it is ridiculous to say that people who do not vaccinate do not use their brains. If you who do vaccinate think about it is it truly a stupid thought to say vaccines are not safe? Have you personally asked for the inserts thT come with these vaccines? They are unsafe. Yeah it seems they have helped keep some diseases at bay but it is 100% obvious to anyone who can google an ingredient on that list that they are bad. I support both sides and I feel equally bad about terrible things happening to children from vaccines and the diseases, but everyone needs to stop treating all kids, vaccinated or not, like statistics. These kids (all of them) deserve better. Tell these pharmaceutical companies to research healthier ingredients for vaccines and do not tell me it can’t be done. It is a challenge, but isn’t that what brings innovation?
School kid
February 10th, 2017
I feel very sad for you and your loss.I am a school kid and we are doing a project on measles and man I literally cried when I read this sad story.Me and all my friends are in tears for this boy we all bless you and bless with the best.
gabby
November 10th, 2017
i am very sorry i hope your family is ok now
Rahul
April 16th, 2018
My little boy of 6 year old is currently in ICU with Fulminant version of SSPE. In 6 weeks he has gone from vibrant and bright kid to nearly unknown muted kid, under continued seizures. I’m living the pain. He was vaccinated and never had measles. I hope humanity wins over the disease and I hope Arnav (my son) succeeds the quest in some way.
Gary Finnegan
May 3rd, 2018
Rahul, I’m so sorry to hear this. Wishing you the very best.
HELEN CLARKE-Phillips
February 17th, 2019
Sending prayers, ,
Mihai
March 27th, 2019
Hello Rahul,
How can your boy have SSPE if he was vaccinated?
All my prayers and best thoughts go to Arnav!
Anna Miguel
May 24th, 2019
Hello everyone I’m Anna from Canada, this is my testimony about the good work of a man who helped me. My life is back!! After 2 years and 3 months of marriage, my husband left me with our 2 kids. I felt like my life was about to end,and was fa
andrea
May 20th, 2018
My baby got measles recently coukd it mean he will get sspe someday??or having measles when ur baby means u will automatically get sspe someday??sorry if my english not so fluent im frm philippines
Gary Finnegan
July 11th, 2018
SSPE is very rare. If your baby has recovered already, they should be fine. Check with your doctor if in doubt.
LynneB
November 16th, 2018
Gary, SSPE is very rare, but a baby having recovered from measles doesn’t automatically mean they will not have it. If you read this article properly, Max had measles as a baby, and was then fine for almost ten years.
Mori
March 21st, 2019
Unfortunately this is not true. SSPE can occur decades later and new research shows 1 in 600 people who have contracted measles will succumb to SSPE.
LynneB
November 16th, 2018
andrea, the risk of SSPE from having had measles as a baby appears to be about 1 in 500.
It is possible. But the odds are still very much in your favour.
Lesley
February 18th, 2019
I had measles as a baby. I am partly deaf and I have bronchitis more often than normal. But I am 51 now and otherwise, unaffected. I hope you and your family are well and God be with you.
Oliver Arzate
June 25th, 2018
Fantastic website. A lot of helpful information here. I am sending it to several friends ans also sharing in delicious. And of course, thanks on your sweat!
Susan LaDuke
August 15th, 2018
As a nurse, living in the USA, it infuriates me that many parents continue to be irresponsible regarding their children and vaccines. This is more often the case with homeschooled children who bypass the public school laws regarding mandatory vaccinations.
I’ve just read an article about 107 cases of measles since the start of 2018, in 21 different states. The continued lies about childhood vaccines causing autism are just absurd. Measles is an incredibly contagious disease that results in many complications. If only more parents would understand the severity of the disease and do whatever’s necessary to protect their children as well as others.
Thank you for this important, yet sad story. This is the reality of measles.
Pam Pinney
November 14th, 2018
So sorry for your lost. Max sounds like he was a wonder child.
I too, had the German measles in 1962, a year prior to the first vaccinations given in the US. I went from a happy 18 month toddler to a crying, scared-overwhelmed toddler. My mother referred to it has having depression (who knew a toddler can have depression?)
While I have been lucky to survive the virus and the minor side effects, it was with sadness to read about another family whose toddler’s high fever cause her to have seizures and decreases mental abilities to an early death just like your son.
Too off the medical community doesn’t take seriously the parents concerns when they say “I know there is something not right” with their child.
I wish you and your family all the healing and peace.
thomas janice
November 22nd, 2018
My son is 13 and has been diagnosed with a rare form absence status epilepsy. His seizures show no symptoms until the seizure has lasted for hours! The only warning we had was he started acting only tired at first then gradually he started acting confused and from there for 24 hours he didn’t know what year it was, where he went to school, or even what grade he was in etc. his motors skills were perfect and he talked to everyone normal the entire time, he just couldn’t answer certain questions. The hospital kept him overnight and gave him fluids and in 24 hours he slowly started remembering and they said he was good and sent us home. We know now that he was having a constant seizure the ENTIRE TIME of his confusion! Almost 3 months later he begins having the same symptoms when I woke him up for his 2nd day of school. we are sent for an EEG, which revealed at 10 am he was actually having what the neurologist referred to as the worst EEG he had seen) we then were sent to a different children’s hospital where they observed him until 8:00pm, all this time my son passes every test, he is talking and his motor skills are completely normal! They finally begin his EEG around 9:00pm. It reveals he is still in seizure! They are blown away. Say they have never seen an absence case like his and they quickly gave him a big dose of adavan which immediately stops the seizure and he is able to regain his memory immediately. Does anyone have a child who has these same symptoms? His neuro doctor ordered a brain glucose test, but when we went for a follow up last week they said the test had been canceled and they had no idea what happened? When I asked if they were going to draw his blood and re do the test, they said that his medicine was controlling the seizures so far so they didn’t feel the need to do the test! I need advice and some direction. I searched further; visited epilepsy websites, blogs. I find info about someone having the same symptoms. I was really determined. Fortunately for me, I stumbled on a testimony of someone who had epilepsy for several years and was cured through Herbal medication. I read awesome stories of people whose condition were worse. I was not a fan of Herbal Medication, because I once believed that they have not researched it enough. But due to numerous testimonies I was more than willing to try it…. I contacted the doctor, and my son used the herbal medication. It became a miracle for my son free from rare form absence status epilepsy within 3 months. The herbal medication worked without any trace of side effects on my son…. totally free. I decided to share my son story to tell people out there, that there is a hope for those with epilepsy using herbal medicine, and anyone who suffers from seizures can be cured.
Contact him: Dr.lawson52@ gmail. com
Call him: (979) 341-0215
Jennifer
December 19th, 2018
Hi there
I’m sorry to hear what you have been through and I hope you don’t mind me asking but had your son the measles vaccination?
Thanks
Gary Finnegan
January 11th, 2019
Dear Jennifer,
Max was too young for his vaccinations. He was infected at just six months of age.
Kind regards,
Gary
Cindy
February 28th, 2019
Yes, but did he have vaccinations afterwards? The MMR shots?
Kate
March 25th, 2019
He had measles disease. He didn’t need the vaccine. He was immune to further cases of measles. How very sad.
Priss
January 30th, 2019
You’re horrible for creating these fake comments with fabricated stories to prey on parents desperate for answers and real help. Children are suffering, and you’re here for a profit. Profiting off the suffering of innocents. Disgusting.
Gary Finnegan
March 27th, 2019
This story is not fabricated (none of the content on this site is fabricated) and our Editorial Board takes exception to this false claim. This article was written by a real parent – who I have met – whose child died. Please don’t make it worse for the family. They decided to share their story here and on a website dedicated to their son to raise awareness.
None of the comments are ‘fake’ either.
Mary
April 7th, 2019
This is very sad. However, I’m curious. Was the mother vaccinated with MMR? Vaccinated mothers pass on fewer protective antibodies to their infants than those with naturally acquired immunity. Therefore, vaccines are causing multi-generational dependence on vaccination and increasing vulnerability of infants too young to be vaccinated. Science also shows febrile childhood diseases reduce both cancer and heart disease risk. So by reducing generally mild childhood disease are we increasing the total number of immunocompromised people by increasing cancer rates? No one wants to discuss these kinds of rationale questions.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/9824838/
https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/208/1/10/796786
Chris
April 13th, 2019
Wow. That is so wrong.
The first citation: please look up what the word “hypotheses” means.
The second citation shows maternal antibodies were two months longer in mother who actually had measles. Three months plus two months is still less than six months. Which was the age the victim of the article got measles.
Multi-generational dependence? Seriously. You would prefer little girls suffer over a week of high fever, light sensitivity, years of suppressed immunity to other pathogens and a possibility of pneumonia (1 in 20), encephalitis (1 in 1000), and death (1 in 1000) just because of less than six months of maternal antibodies?
What should really happen: We maintain immunity to measles by having at least 95% vaccine compliance. We do not let it spread. Since it only infects human beings, it can go the way of smallpox and be eradicated from this planet. That is a much better plan.
Renea
April 11th, 2019
I am so sorry for your loss. I cannot even begin to imagine what that would be like to go through.
I do wonder though how the doctors can be so certain that it was the illness he had as a baby that caused seizures years later. Many environmental things can bring on seizures, including vaccines. Was anything else ever taken into serious consideration as the cause?
Janine
April 12th, 2019
@ Priss : before you make false acquisitions Google the name Max Schoenbohm and u can see Newspaper article &&&& so pls just be quiet Thank You
Jen
April 12th, 2019
What sort of testing was done on this boy to trace his disease to his childhood measles?
Susan Meckel
April 17th, 2019
The child went to a top epilepsy center, after initial treatment for seizures no longer worked. The parent said the child underwent several examinations at the epilepsy center, surely for a differential diagnosis.
” SSPE can be established, if the patient fulfills any three of the following five criteria:[3] (1) Typical clinical presentation with progressive intellectual deterioration with signs of myoclonus; (2) characteristic electroencephalographic (EEG) pattern; (3) elevated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) globulin levels; (4) elevated CSF measles antibody titers; and (5) brain biopsy suggestive of measles. ”
From: Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: A clinical appraisal
Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology Sujit Abajirao Jagtap, M. D. Nair, and Harsha J. Kambale1
Oct-Dec 2013
SSPE is an inflammatory process and uniformly progressive and fatal. None of these is true for most cases of seizure disorder.
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June 1st, 2019
[…] German father wrote about losing his son to SSPE, a rare but invariably fatal side effect of measles infections. Max caught measles at six months, too young to be vaccinated, and SSPE put him into a vegetative […]
Sarah
June 2nd, 2019
This story is heart breaking and I am so sorry for your loss. My son contracted measles last year at 19 months; he had been vaccinated but was too young for the booster so his vaccination was not 100% effective. Are there any tests or screening for SSPE? Whilst I know there is no cure maybe the onset can be delayed?
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February 3rd, 2020
[…] Panencephalitis, or SSPE. While rare, SSPE is extremely tragic and always ends in death. This father lost his son to SSPE after his son contracted measles as a baby. I’d encourage you to read their story and his plea […]
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March 18th, 2020
[…] anii ’90, Ruediger Schoenbohm locuia în Berlin alături de soția lui, Anke, și de cei doi copii ai lor, Julian și Max. Pe […]
Renee
July 30th, 2020
Just found out my MIL, who died from a series of epileptic seizures in the last 3 months of her life, had red measles in 1953 and German measles in 1955 when she was 7 and 9 years old. She had epileptic bouts throughout life after that. The last series eventually killed her.
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