Comments for UpToUs Blog http://blog.uptous.com Where we discuss parenting and more Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:41:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 Comment on Gardasil HPV Vaccine: Is It Safe? by Hello http://blog.uptous.com/gardasil-hpv-vaccine-is-it-safe/#comment-597 Hello Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:46:10 +0000 http://blog.uptous.com/?p=430#comment-597 I worry about any vaccine or medication with an ad campaign based on fear. Merck's "One Less Campaign" seems to be saying "If you don't get your daughter this vaccine she'll get cervical cancer and it'll be all your fault." Guilting parents into getting the vaccine seems like a very suspicious strategy, allowing them to circumvent the actual research. Merck's research is shoddy at best and obviously biased. Like Chrispian said, HPV awareness was relatively low before the vaccine emerged. Why? Because HPV is the only "factor" that Merck has a vaccine for. Cervical cancer is a major threat because Merck made it one. When I went to my gynecologist several years ago he assured me that there were no adverse side effects and that HPV caused all cervical cancer ("facts" which we now know aren't true). The nurse at the pediatrician's office squared off with me for five minutes when I refused the vaccine. Judging by their reactions when I declined, few people had questioned the necessity and side effects of the vaccine. We need to really dig through the data. Ten years down the road I won't be giving my kids this vaccine, crossing the road poses a greater danger than HPV. This ridiculously expensive vaccine needs to be sent to countries where it'll actually do some good, especially in societies in which women are not allowed or expected to regularly see a gynecologist or have a pap smear done. I worry about any vaccine or medication with an ad campaign based on fear. Merck’s “One Less Campaign” seems to be saying “If you don’t get your daughter this vaccine she’ll get cervical cancer and it’ll be all your fault.” Guilting parents into getting the vaccine seems like a very suspicious strategy, allowing them to circumvent the actual research. Merck’s research is shoddy at best and obviously biased. Like Chrispian said, HPV awareness was relatively low before the vaccine emerged. Why? Because HPV is the only “factor” that Merck has a vaccine for. Cervical cancer is a major threat because Merck made it one.

When I went to my gynecologist several years ago he assured me that there were no adverse side effects and that HPV caused all cervical cancer (”facts” which we now know aren’t true). The nurse at the pediatrician’s office squared off with me for five minutes when I refused the vaccine. Judging by their reactions when I declined, few people had questioned the necessity and side effects of the vaccine. We need to really dig through the data. Ten years down the road I won’t be giving my kids this vaccine, crossing the road poses a greater danger than HPV. This ridiculously expensive vaccine needs to be sent to countries where it’ll actually do some good, especially in societies in which women are not allowed or expected to regularly see a gynecologist or have a pap smear done.

]]> Comment on Instead Of Putting Kids On A “Diet,” Replace Their Soda With Water by Cath Lawson http://blog.uptous.com/instead-of-putting-kids-on-a-diet-replace-their-soda-with-water/#comment-596 Cath Lawson Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:43:16 +0000 http://blog.uptous.com/?p=454#comment-596 Hi Vered - This is good advice. My kids don't drink soda at home but I still think they drink too much when they go out. The drink the diet stuff and I'm having a hard time convincing them that just cos it has no calories, doesn't mean it's good for them. Oh well - I guess they'll grow out of it. I used to drink too much soda in my late teens but I've barely drank any at all since then. Hi Vered - This is good advice. My kids don’t drink soda at home but I still think they drink too much when they go out. The drink the diet stuff and I’m having a hard time convincing them that just cos it has no calories, doesn’t mean it’s good for them.

Oh well - I guess they’ll grow out of it. I used to drink too much soda in my late teens but I’ve barely drank any at all since then.

]]> Comment on Don’t Turn Your Kids Into Health Fanatics by Dentists McKinney http://blog.uptous.com/dont-turn-your-kids-into-health-fanatics/#comment-595 Dentists McKinney Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:55:35 +0000 http://blog.uptous.com/?p=311#comment-595 I think if we are talking about children, it is good to train them what is healthy from not and yes, we shouldn't take the privilege from them to taste snacks for their age, like candies, chocolates. I am not saying we tolerate them, but we are training them to choose food wisely. We don't want to strip away good childhood memories. Just remember the movie "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" where Willy Wonka as a child, didn't allowed him by his father (who is a dentist) to taste a single candy; but he did secretly. I think if we are talking about children, it is good to train them what is healthy from not and yes, we shouldn’t take the privilege from them to taste snacks for their age, like candies, chocolates. I am not saying we tolerate them, but we are training them to choose food wisely. We don’t want to strip away good childhood memories. Just remember the movie “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” where Willy Wonka as a child, didn’t allowed him by his father (who is a dentist) to taste a single candy; but he did secretly.

]]> Comment on Are Cell Phones Endangering Kids? by Silver Fang http://blog.uptous.com/are-cell-phones-endangering-kids/#comment-590 Silver Fang Sat, 13 Jun 2009 19:36:25 +0000 http://blog.uptous.com/?p=259#comment-590 What ever happened to just teaching kids to cross the street properly? Crippling their cell phone usage is just lazy parenting. What ever happened to just teaching kids to cross the street properly? Crippling their cell phone usage is just lazy parenting.

]]> Comment on Kids And Violent Movies by Matthew Freeman http://blog.uptous.com/more-kids-watch-violent-movies/#comment-583 Matthew Freeman Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:52:46 +0000 http://blog.uptous.com/?p=303#comment-583 I love how the article is about kids watching violent movies, and the kids in the photo are watching the Charlie Brown Christmas movie. I love how the article is about kids watching violent movies, and the kids in the photo are watching the Charlie Brown Christmas movie.

]]> Comment on Instead Of Putting Kids On A “Diet,” Replace Their Soda With Water by Alik Levin | PracticeThis.com http://blog.uptous.com/instead-of-putting-kids-on-a-diet-replace-their-soda-with-water/#comment-581 Alik Levin | PracticeThis.com Mon, 01 Jun 2009 08:31:45 +0000 http://blog.uptous.com/?p=454#comment-581 Good one! I like especially you called out that kids are quick to adapt to new rules Good one! I like especially you called out that kids are quick to adapt to new rules

]]> Comment on Teens Who Text While Driving Are Endangering Themselves And Others by Alik Levin | PracticeThis.com http://blog.uptous.com/teens-who-text-while-driving-are-endangering-themselves-and-others/#comment-580 Alik Levin | PracticeThis.com Sun, 31 May 2009 09:01:37 +0000 http://blog.uptous.com/?p=448#comment-580 So what's the right way to treat this? Prohibiting seems of no help. Education in schools and even in kinder gardens might be the way. The sad thing is that until these kids grow up the accidents will happen in accelerated rate... So what’s the right way to treat this? Prohibiting seems of no help. Education in schools and even in kinder gardens might be the way. The sad thing is that until these kids grow up the accidents will happen in accelerated rate…

]]> Comment on Teens Who Text While Driving Are Endangering Themselves And Others by Vered http://blog.uptous.com/teens-who-text-while-driving-are-endangering-themselves-and-others/#comment-578 Vered Wed, 27 May 2009 15:30:06 +0000 http://blog.uptous.com/?p=448#comment-578 I know! Or women applying makeup while driving. Crazy. I know! Or women applying makeup while driving. Crazy.

]]> Comment on Teens Who Text While Driving Are Endangering Themselves And Others by RC - Rambling Along... http://blog.uptous.com/teens-who-text-while-driving-are-endangering-themselves-and-others/#comment-577 RC - Rambling Along... Tue, 26 May 2009 19:26:40 +0000 http://blog.uptous.com/?p=448#comment-577 The scarier part to this is that I know a lot of adults who text while driving. Adults with children. (And those children watch and learn.) It reminds me of the people I see driving and reading/writing at the same time. The scarier part to this is that I know a lot of adults who text while driving. Adults with children. (And those children watch and learn.)

It reminds me of the people I see driving and reading/writing at the same time.

]]> Comment on Is It Time To See The Orthodontist Yet? by Dentist Thousand Oaks http://blog.uptous.com/is-it-time-to-see-the-orthodontist-yet/#comment-574 Dentist Thousand Oaks Wed, 20 May 2009 03:50:09 +0000 http://blog.uptous.com/?p=361#comment-574 In terms of dental health for kids, it's important to have a dentist or orthodontist to check their oral health status. Prevention is better. Though for a seven year old kid, whose going to undergo braces, I don't think it's fair enough. At this age, their permanent teeth starts to erupt. It's a sad thing to hear that there are younger kids with braces. Though there is a saying, "no pain, no gain", but then again, they are just kids. In terms of dental health for kids, it’s important to have a dentist or orthodontist to check their oral health status. Prevention is better. Though for a seven year old kid, whose going to undergo braces, I don’t think it’s fair enough. At this age, their permanent teeth starts to erupt. It’s a sad thing to hear that there are younger kids with braces. Though there is a saying, “no pain, no gain”, but then again, they are just kids.

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