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Michael, Karly, Zachary, Alicia and the late Emily Stillman
Young adults who are now ages
19-21 may have fallen through the
cracks with the booster and should
check with their physicians about
getting the dose before going back to
college in the fall.
"Parents have often expressed
concern about the safety of the vac-
cine. However, the available medical
evidence reveals that there are no
significant detrimental effects from
the vaccination," Gordon says.
"The vaccine carries no more risk
than any other vaccine you might
take. The most common side effect
is a mild allergic reaction. What's
more, the meningitis vaccine does
not contain a live bacteria or even a
dead one, so it's impossible for it to
give anyone meningitis.
"Although there are reports of
Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) after
the vaccine, it is so rare that it's not
possible to tell if it's even related to
this vaccine. (GBS is a disorder in
which the body's immune system
attacks part of the peripheral ner-
vous system.)
"The dangerous part of these sto-
ries is that they may cause many
children to miss taking the vaccines?'
Gordon explains.
"Of the one or two thousand peo-
ple who get meningococcal disease
each year, one-third are teens and
young adults. Approximately 10 to
15 percent of those who get sick with
the disease will die even with appro-
priate antibiotic treatment. Up to 20
percent will have permanent side
effects, such as hearing loss, strokes
or brain damage. That's why immu-
nization is so important; it can help
prevent this devastating disease."
Meningococcal disease can spread
from person to person by exchang-
ing respiratory and throat secre-
tions (coughing or kissing), sharing
a toothbrush or a spoon, and from
lengthy contact, such as living in
the same dorm or household. It's the
kind of thing you're more likely to
get when someone coughs or sneezes
in your face.
However, regular aerosolized
drops in sneezes won't get you sick;
it's the larger droplets that do it.
That's why the warnings talk about
"close contact?'
The data shows that people liv-
ing together, even if they're not in a
romantic relationship, are at a "very
high risk" of contracting the disease
from each other. This includes col-
lege students living in dormitories,
personnel on military bases, chil-
dren in boarding schools and child-
care facilities. ❑
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"It's the best move
I've ever made."
REGEN
ce_)
TREET
OF WEST BLOOMFIELD69
ASSISTED LIVING
An American House Senior Living Community
4460 Orchard Lake Rd I West Bloomfield, MI 48323
regentstreetwestbloomfield.com
To provide support for
meningitis research, a fund
honoring the memory of Emily
Stillman was established earlier
this year. Donations can be
sent to Temple Shir Shalom,
3999 Walnut Lake Road, West
Bloomfield, MI 48232 or call
(248) 737-8700.
Call today to schedule a FREE lun
and tour: (248) 683-1010
Ask about our dedicated Memory Care Unit
JN
July 25 • 2013
69