Vitamin A should not be used to prevent measles, and large doses of it, can cause serious health problems. Pediatrician Edith Bracho-Sanchez breaks down what you need to know about vitamin A and measles and reminds parents that the only way to prevent measles is by getting the MMR vaccine. Two doses of it, are 97% effective in protecting children from the virus. Talk to your pediatrician with questions about measles or the MMR vaccine.
Here are the YouTube video timeline scripts for specific references:
0:13 Infection the measles virus depletes
0:15 vitamin A levels in the body and that is
0:17 bad news because different tissues in
0:19 our bodies as well as the immune system
0:22 need Vitamin A because of this the World
0:25 Health Organization recommends that
0:26 children and adults with measles receive
0:28 two doses of vitamin A from a doctor 24
0:31 hours apart to replete the levels and
0:33 prevent things like eye damage and
0:35 blindness but listen carefully given
0:37 your child or yourself a large dose of
0:40 vitamin A will make you sick we’re
0:43 talking vomiting blurry vision and
0:45 potential liver damage it can even land
0:47 both kids and adults in a coma now I
0:50 know that measles outbreaks are scary
0:51 but vitamin A cannot prevent measles the
0:54 only way to prevent measles is the MMR
0:56 vaccine which is safe and effective
0:58 we’re talking two doses are 97%
1:00 effective at preventing the illness
1:01 which is why the AAP and the CDC
1:03 recommend that all children receive the
1:05 Mis vaccine at age 12 to 15 months and
1:07 again between four and six years and if
1:10 you live in an area with an outbreak
1:11 your child can get the misos vaccine
1:13 earlier as always watch out for
1:16 misinformation and bring your questions
1:18 to your pediatrician or your healthcare
1:20 provider take care guys
