More than 32 Million American Kids Chronically Sick: It's Time to Demand Answers
A recent study (below) states that 54% of American children currently suffer from chronic illness. WHY? When did school nurses become pharmaceutical specialists? When did reading and writing require an Epi-pen? Why does a jar of Skippy need a skull and crossbones for so many kids? When was Romper Room replaced by Early Intervention? And when did the gee-whiz days of youth come to mean G-tubes for feeding? Our kids are sick. Pediatrics has failed them miserably despite dozens of "well" visits before school age. What the hell has gone so wrong? We need to demand answers. This report concludes we need more specialists and healthcare access. But what if that's the actual problem? We need a yellow alert... Come to our Age of Autism presentation on Friday at 1:30 at Autism One to learn more. And stay tuned. You're about to be called into action.
Abstract Read Full Study HERE
Background
Parent/consumer–reported data is valuable and necessary for population-based assessment of many key child health and health care quality measures relevant to both the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) of 2009 and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA).
Objectives
The aim of this study was to evaluate national and state prevalence of health problems and special health care needs in US children; to estimate health care quality related to adequacy and consistency of insurance coverage, access to specialist, mental health and preventive medical and dental care, developmental screening, and whether children meet criteria for having a medical home, including care coordination and family centeredness; and to assess differences in health and health care quality for children by insurance type, special health care needs status, race/ethnicity, and/or state of residence.
Methods
National and state level estimates were derived from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health (N = 91 642; children aged 0–17 years). Variations between children with public versus private sector health insurance, special health care needs, specific conditions, race/ethnicity, and across states were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression and/or standardized statistical tests.
Results
An estimated 43% of US children (32 million) currently have at least 1 of 20 chronic health conditions assessed, increasing to 54.1% when overweight, obesity, or being at risk for developmental delays are included; 19.2% (14.2 million) have conditions resulting in a special health care need, a 1.6 point increase since 2003. Compared with privately insured children, the prevalence, complexity, and severity of health problems were systematically greater for the 29.1% of all children who are publicly insured children after adjusting for variations in demographic and socioeconomic factors. Forty-five percent of all children in the United States scored positively on a minimal quality composite measure: 1) adequate insurance, 2) preventive care visit, and 3) medical home. A 22.2 point difference existed across states and there were wide variations by health condition (autism, 22.8, to asthma, 39.4). After adjustment for demographic and health status differences, quality of care varied between children with public versus private health insurance on all but the following 3 measures: not receiving needed mental health services, care coordination, and performance on the minimal quality composite. A 4.60 fold (gaps in insurance) to 1.27 fold (preventive dental and medical care visits) difference in quality scores was observed across states. Notable disparities were observed among publicly insured children according to race/ethnicity and across all children by special needs status and household income.
Conclusions
Findings emphasize the importance of health care insurance duration and adequacy, health care access, chronic condition management, and other quality of care goals reflected in the 2009 CHIPRA legislation and the ACA. Despite disparities, similarities for public and privately insured children speak to the pervasive nature of availability, coverage, and access issues for mental health services in the United States, as well as the system-wide problem of care coordination and accessing specialist care for all children. Variations across states in key areas amenable to state policy and program management support cross-state learning and improvement efforts.
Yes it about time that parents, people wake up and realize what is going on with our health system and our food. Vaccinations are causing many of the problems with our children and it also continues for the rest of our lives. O yes the food that we are getting. Genetically modified plants that are in about 85% of the processed food at the market,are causing many health problems and people need to be aware of what our government is allowing the big industries for profit, at our health expense.
Posted by: Joe Miller | May 25, 2011 at 09:57 AM
Thank you Maureen McDonnell,RN. I agree 100%.It is time for all parents to open their eyes,take charge of their families
and childrens health and become more active participants in their own health and well being.Start doing the basics,practice good nutrition (with portion control), increase physical activity levels,decrease sugar and sweetener intake,read labels and know what you or your family eating,drinking,vaccines and their ingredients,cosmetics and the chemical petrochemicals,preservatives that damaging our skin and absorbe into the body,get rid of the aluminum pots and pans,
including the foil.Try to make some positive changes each day that helps you or your family.Do not hope that these
profit hungry pharma machines will give the health that you
and your family deserve.
Posted by: oneVoice | May 24, 2011 at 04:31 PM
Pretty soon we'll need a support group for healthy children.
What is more scary than the actual problem is the fact that it is becoming normalized. I feel the angst in parents who first learn that the vaccines caused their child's illnesses and who are just as shocked to find out that this is not unusual, no one wants to sound the alarm, no one seems to be addressing it. It's a double insult.
Posted by: Cynthia Cournoyer | May 24, 2011 at 02:49 PM
The AAP are the people who crow about how you don't have to worry about Polio etc, like your grandparents did.
Thing is, have a talk to your grandparents and ask them if their degree of "worry" was nearly as great as those borne by the parents of today.
Have a talk to the very old doctors who occasionally saw diphtheria and polio, and they will tell you that, yes, occasionally children got really sick. Occasionally children died, but AS A WHOLE, children were far far healthier then, than they are now.
Not that we need to be told that.
But here's the good news.
UNvaccinated children, born to healthy mothers, who understand what good diet is; who long term breastfeed; who don't feed their family crap, are a whole different 'species' to these chronically ill children.
Ask any parent here, who turned the ship around, what they say about their new-found healthy children, in comparison to their allopathically condoned children.
And here's more good news. Soon, doctors and the government will be so busy frantically looking after all these sick children, that those with unvaccinated children will not be harrassed, becuase they won't have the time or the money to harrass the healthy.
But here's the bad news. The few remaining healthy, might one day be expected to look after the majority of unhealthy, made that way by people who thought Science is God.
Posted by: Hilary Butler. | May 24, 2011 at 01:47 PM
Michelle Wandrack My two emails were to you. I don't know where I got the Richie rich --sorry.
Posted by: Benedetta | May 24, 2011 at 10:45 AM
The reason our kids are sick is not a mystery!!! Greedy profit motivated industries can no longer hide the truth. Savvy parents know: when you have a world in which 87,000 chemicals are in wide spread use, children are fed food with little or no nutritional value, and dozens of vaccines are given that have never been proven safe, you wind up with a multitude of children affected by autism, asthma, allergies, ADD and childhood cancers. These are all preventable and although exhausting work, kids can improve and even recover from these conditions. The Autism Healing Retreat will provide pediatricians and parents with the knowledge and practical tools for both preventing and recovering children from autism and ADD. Yes, we are all mad. I've been mad for 33 years ever since I entered nursing school in the 70's and realized how destructive having the drug industry dominate the medical profession really was. But its time to turn this ship around!!! PLEASE tell your doctor to attend Your Healing Retreat and have them learn the real reasons our kids are sick and more importantly how to get them back. Maureen McDonnell, RN
www.YourHealingRetreat.com
Posted by: Maureen H. McDonnell, RN | May 24, 2011 at 10:11 AM
Time to seek answers ourselves, I've learned. I've learned more by seeking my own answers through reading and researching and connecting with other parents than any doctor has been able to offer me. They always end up throwing up their hands "Must be an autistic thing..." has been one explanation I've been given. (Thanks, doc, brilliant answer!)
Posted by: Tara | May 24, 2011 at 09:08 AM
RichieRich;
Here is the name of the article if you want to look at it.
As far as early onset of puberty though, that I am not sure. I know my daugther was later than me.
Teresa Conrick --- "Autism, Bizarre Estrogen Dominance and Seizures"
Posted by: Benedetta | May 24, 2011 at 08:24 AM
RichieRich
This is what I have observed.
For my son he had 2 seizures/and EEG showed seizure activity as he fell asleep. He was on medication up untill he was four years old. He went off the medication but there was still something wrong - sometype of seizrue activity that if the doctors had give a hoot - they probably would have found.
At the on set of puberity the seizures became worse - instead of every once in a while absentee, or night terrors, he was having myclonic jerks, and more and more grand mal seizures.
My daughter had Kawasakis from her DPT shot and although she could be some what moody she came out of it okay. She started her period in the sixth grade and seemd to be doing okay. But she then started getting more moody , more depressed, more angry, more in trouble. At age 14 she started a period and she just did not stop. she had to go on the pill or bleed to death. She also had to go on an antidepressant pill too because it was scary to see the look of hate she had on her face at times when I went into her room . Not normal.
There was an article recently on Age of Autism about one of the writer's daughters and puberty.
Posted by: Benedetta | May 24, 2011 at 08:11 AM
This is off topic but I just was wondering. My ten year old, Noah, has autism. His seven year old brother, Micah, has allergies and after testing his blood we still don't know what he's allergic to. Also, Micah is now going through puberty AT SEVEN YEARS OLD!! Because I didn't know any better at the time, they both had the same series of vaccinations before I read "Evidence Of Harm" and realized the cause of Noah's regressive autism. Noah had met all his milestones up until 15 to 18 months of age. Now I am left wondering if the vaccines could also have caused Micah's extremely early onset puberty. Any input/feedback would be most appreciated.
For what it's worth, I have not allowed any more vaccines since reading David Kirby's book in 2006. Kind of like trying to get the horse out after the barn is on fire though.
Posted by: Michelle Wandrack | May 24, 2011 at 12:22 AM
When you read about the March / Vaccine Conference in Baltimore a few articles down, one can see how obscene the vaccine industry is... There is not one Baltimore presentation on health or vaccine safety... only $$$
They want to "partner with governments" to create health products that cannot even be flushed down the toilet due to their mercury content.
Someone can check my math, but I believe that each of the 5 mg mercury CFL lights that we are "suppose to start using" have enough mercury vapor to dose out 1.2 million 10kg toddlers per the EPA.
Posted by: cmo | May 23, 2011 at 11:09 PM
Welcome to the United States of the Chronically Ill and Disabled. I'm sure the AAP is thrilled with the increase in potential patients and the drug companies will have a prescription for everything.
The school nurse will be the most imporant person in the building.
Anne Dachel
Media
Posted by: Anne McElroy Dachel | May 23, 2011 at 10:46 PM
The US has destroyed itself by destroying its children with toxic vaccines.
Posted by: veritas | May 23, 2011 at 06:12 PM
I agree with you Beth. It is amazing to me that this study does not conclude that we really need to do something to find out what is making these kids sick and change it. No, no that may annoy our Big Industry friends.
No one wants to see sick kids go without healthcare, but that's like building more trauma centers in response to increasing car accident rates in stead of increasing to the safety of our cars and roads!
Chronic health conditions like autism will bankrupt this country and several other countries if we don't take action.
Posted by: Nancy | May 23, 2011 at 05:16 PM
Our children are chronically ill because their little immune systems are under attack. Like seriously... well baby visits??? Do adults see doctors for their regular “Well Grown-Up” visits? Would you bring a well functioning car to a mechanic, or call a carpenter for a roof that ISN'T leaking?
Vaccines are designed to tamper with immune systems. And the chronic illnesses that are plaguing our children almost always involve autoimmune mechanisms, where the immune system either attacks the bodies own tissues, or mistakenly reacts to a perceived external invader.
As an example, consider those peanut allergies that been cropping up all over the US and Canada. While the medical community claims the cause is unknown, they are fully aware that most vaccines contain peanut oil. And when you inject such a vaccine into a child, the child’s immune system will often treat that peanut oil as a foreign invader in need of an antibody to combat it. That’s hardly rocket science, in fact it’s the basic theory behind how vaccines are supposed to work. So if you’re injecting vaccines that have trace amounts of peanut oil in them, then it only makes sense that such a vaccine are going to create life threatening allergies to peanuts.
Israel is one place in the world where peanut allergies are practically unheard of. While the Israeli population does eat lots of peanuts, they also produce sesame oil which they use instead in the manufacture of their vaccines. And as you’ve probably guessed, in Israel its SESAME that's a major cause of IgE-mediated food allergy, second only to cow's milk as a cause of anaphylaxis.
Posted by: Barry | May 23, 2011 at 05:09 PM
"A recent study (below) states that 54% of American children currently suffer from chronic illness"
About ten years ago .. the CDC reported the alarming statistic that "1 in 6 American children suffered some type of early childhood development problems".
I have tried on numerous occassions .. without any success nor interest .. to request so-called "journalists" to inquire of the CDC if they have made any effort to update the present state of childhood development problems ..
Is it possible it is now "1 in 2" children .. instead of previous "1 in 6" .. that suffer early childhood development problems?
If so .. are we to conclude the stunning increase in childhood development problems are due to "better diagnosing or broader definitions" for these problems?
Posted by: Bob Moffitt | May 23, 2011 at 02:39 PM
To boil it down as simply as possible, don't trust these people.
Avoid medical intervention, drugs, "well baby" visits, pediatricians, and guys in white lab smocks with god complexes. Go see a doc at a cheapo urgent care clinic when sick or find an R/N, family practice, or GP for your kid, and only take him in once a year for the bullshit required physical for school or when he's injured or sick with something that may call for an antibiotic. When bringing in a kid, strap on a tape recorder and bring your spouse just in case an M.D. goon gets cute and tries to threaten or coerce you into accepting a tray full of vaxxes.
I know a lot of folks will disagree with me, but I consider the majority of so-called alternative practitioners as much of quacks as their mainstream, narcissist counterparts. I must concede a big difference, though. "Alternative" treatments are much less likely to bring lasting harm, or bankrupt you.
Posted by: Josh Day | May 23, 2011 at 01:47 PM
So, what does this say in plain English?
Is it comparing private health insurance vs public health services for children to see which ones have acess to help????
or is it trying to see which children are the sickest?
Maybe they should compare who has health insurance and who has not a bit of health insurance - and it might show those that have no health insurance might be a little healthier - that is if the schools have not given them free vaccines.
Posted by: Benedetta | May 23, 2011 at 11:30 AM
You want the answer?
Mass vaccination including vaccines with Thimerosal in them.
Posted by: Media Scholar | May 23, 2011 at 11:19 AM
"Johnson & Johnson,loves your baby."$$$$
Posted by: Mary Tormey | May 23, 2011 at 10:43 AM
Study shows half of children suffer from a chronic illness.
Questions over childhood exposures continue as study shows now half are sick with a chronic illness.
Urgent meeting of government agencies called to address yet further rises in childhood illness, now half are suffering.
What is happening to our children? Government announces emergency funding to study why half of children are suffering chronic illness.
Catastrophe of childhood illness continues to worsen, now half have chronic condition. Doctors have no explanation, fingers pointed at government agencies for failing to investigate failures of medical care.
With now half of children suffering a chronic illness, the Daily Truth asks why there has never been one study conducted into a possible link with the vaccine program.
Those were the headlines when I walked past the newspaper booths this morning. Not.
Posted by: GH | May 23, 2011 at 09:46 AM
"Findings emphasize the importance of health care insurance duration and adequacy, health care access, chronic condition management, and other quality of care goals reflected in the 2009 CHIPRA legislation and the ACA."
Sadly, just like all "scientific" research these days, this research appears to have been done to extend pharmaceutical "reach and frequency" versus to truly assess children's health for the genuine purpose of improving it.
As state's are forced to make epic budget cuts, it's important from the pharma company's perspective to persuade legislators that they cannot cut public funds for health insurance for children. This study appears to do just that.
At least there are some useful, albeit tragic, data points in the research pointing to the need for the masses to wake up and contemplate why so many kids are chronically ill.
Posted by: Beth | May 23, 2011 at 08:55 AM