A mass study of adverse reactions against influenza vaccine was conducted in 1987 involving about 400,000 children. The total adverse reaction rate was 254.3 per million. (10 per million children had complained of neurological symptoms.) This study was revealing, since from 1971 government of Japan had changed flu vaccine from a whole body type to a split particle type announcing that adverse reactions were almost nothing with new one. The previous type , used in 1960s had resulted in between 5-9 deaths occurring every year.

In 1987 government changed vaccine from compulsory to free choice. From 1972 to 1979 , a total number of 142 children and families sued government for damages. The total number of deaths were 50, severe developmental retardation were 65, and intractable epilepsy were 35. In 1992, government lost case in court after about 20 years of legal proceedings.

The bottomline, obviously, is that our children are not getting nutrition and exercise they need. So, what are parents to do? Dr. Wood offers following suggestions:

* Examine foods that are brought into home for their nutritional value.

* Understand how to read nutrition labels.

* Set limits on media and sedentary activities. Encourage family interaction: Does your child really need to have a TV and/or PC in his room?

* Decide, as a family project, healthy menus and healthy choices of restaurant to frequent.

* Become actively informed in your child’s school so that PTA and School Board may learn about your concerns regarding food choices.

If we don’t make some changes, trends of today predict that our young children will be at high risk for obesity and obesity-related health risks like heart attacks, strokes, asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

Encouraging good eating habits and physical lifestyle in our children starts with us, parents. This includes introducing a quality nutritional supplement program with vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids that are necessary protection for our children as they face more nutritional and environmental challenges than ever before.

Remember: When you are maximizing your family’s health potential, we everyone wins. When you don’t, we all lose.

© Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW