Mother posts “heartbreaking” photos of her baby girl with measles
A mother in the UK has shared a series of heartbreaking photographs of her baby girl fighting for her life after she contracted measles, in the hopes it will educate people on the importance of vaccinating their children.
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“Share with all parents”
Jilly Moss shared the photos of daughter Alba – who is too young to receive the vaccination for measles – to her Facebook account at the request of doctors, to illustrate the severity of the disease, which can cause blindness, encephalitis and pneumonia and even death.
PLEASE READ AND SHARE WITH ALL PARENTS. THANK YOU. The Doctors and Nurses at Chelsea West hospital have asked if we…
Posted by Jilly Moss on Sunday, 14 April 2019
“She was too young for her MMR vaccination”
“Posting these heartbreaking images of our beautiful baby girl who contracted MEASLES is extremely difficult, we are still in hospital 8 days after being admitted,” she shared.
“She was too young for her MMR [measles, mumps rubella] vaccination when she got sick which meant she has had to fight this killer virus with no immunity.
“It has been absolutely horrific watching our daughter fight this with her eyes swollen shut for four days,” the heartbroken mother continued.
“In hospital she has been scanned, X-rayed, poked, prodded, bloods taken, lumbar punctures done, cannulas fitted, swabs taken, ECG Echos, obs done every 20 minutes, tube fed, on a drip, oxygen, pumped full of drugs, anti-inflammatory pain relief antibiotics, you name it she’s had it.”
While Moss says her daughter was too young to receive the vaccine, she urges other parents of older children to get theirs done.
“We need to do more people. Get your children vaccinated,” she writes. “The MMR does not cause life-threatening issues like measles does. Your babies might feel under the weather for a day or so, but believe me, you’d accept that over what we have been through.”
The number of measles cases reported globally has been on the rise with the World Health Organisation reporting the disease is up 300 percent from this time last year and in the US, the amount of reported cases is soon to become the worst in over a decade.
“Australia is on track for its worst measles rate in five years”
In Australia, there have already been 87 confirmed cases of measles this year alone – compared to 103 cases for the entire year in 2018 and 81 in 2017.
“Australia is on track for its worst measles rate in five years,” The Sydney Morning Herald reported earlier this month.
“All cases can be traced back to individuals who contracted the infection from overseas and travelled back to Australia, spending time in public places while they were unknowingly infectious.”
NSW Health Director of Communicable Diseases Vicky Sheppeard is urging people to get vaccinated to protect both themselves, their families and the community.
MEASLES ALERT – EASTERN SUBURBS | SESLHD is urging people to be on alert for symptoms of measles after a man acquired the highly-contagious disease while travelling through South East Asia. For details on his movements: https://t.co/YvWcHCzzTl pic.twitter.com/CgZjlZL6fb
— SESLHD (@SEastSydHealth) April 12, 2019
“If you’re not sure if you have had two doses of measles vaccine which provides lifelong protection in 99 out of 100 people, it is safe to get another jab, particularly if you’re heading overseas.”
The measles booster is free for anyone born after 1965 and a preventive injection can be given up to six days after exposure to measles.
For more information or advice you can contact your local public health unit on 1300 066 055.
