4-year-old child dies after mother’s anti-vaccine advice

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On “Stop Mandatory Vaccination”, one of the largest known misinformation groups on health, with more than 139,000 members, Internet users sought advice on how to cope with the flu. Members of the group have previously spread conspiracy theories that epidemics of preventable diseases are government hoaxes. They contacted en masse the parents of the children who died, suggesting, without evidence, that the vaccines could be to blame.

“The doc prescribed Tamiflu, I didn’t take it”

The mother of a 4-year-old boy from Colorado, who died of the flu this week, contacted one of these groups, saying that she had refused to follow his doctor’s prescription.

The child hadn’t been diagnosed yet, but he had a fever, the mother wrote. She added that two of her four children had been diagnosed with influenza and that the doctor had prescribed antiviral Tamiflu to all members of the household. “The doc prescribed Tamiflu, I didn’t take it,” she wrote.

Tamiflu is the most commonly prescribed antiviral medication to treat the flu. It can alleviate symptoms and shorten the duration of the disease, but concerns about its side effects are common, even outside the anti-vaccination groups. The flu has particularly affected children this season. Pediatric hospitalization rates are higher than normal and 68 children have died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States.

NBC News verified the messages by cross-checking them with a family-run fundraising page, as well as published reports citing the family. The articles indicate how Facebook groups dedicated to health disinformation such as vaccinations can also be used to solicit and share potentially dangerous medical advice. A study by the American Academy of Family Physicians found that 59% of parents said their child had missed the flu vaccine at least once due to “misinformation or misunderstanding” .

None of the 45 comments under the mother’s Facebook post suggested medical care. The child was finally hospitalized and died four days later, according to a GoFundMe fundraiser launched on his behalf by his family.

Peppermint essential oil, vitamin C and lavender recommended

The mother also wrote that the “natural remedies” with which she was treating her four children – including peppermint essential oil, vitamin C and lavender – were not working, and asked the group for more advice. She then received advice on breast milk, thyme and elderberry, none of which is a medically recommended treatment for the flu.

“Perfect, I’ll try that,” she replied to the group.

Her most recent posts have now been deleted from “Stop Mandatory Vaccination”, but in others dating back to 2017, she said she had not vaccinated her children for the flu.

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A Facebook spokesperson said in a statement, “It is a tragedy and our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. We don’t want vaccine misinformation on Facebook, which is why we are working hard to reduce it everywhere on the platform, including in private groups. ”

In a statement, the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment confirmed that the child had died from the flu and said he did not have records of whether he had been vaccinated.

“While the flu is circulating, it is not too late to get the vaccine, and we recommend it to anyone six months of age and older who has not received the annual vaccine,” the department said.

Facebook has taken action

In the past year – amid national concerns over reluctance about vaccines and the worst measles epidemic in decades – Facebook has taken steps to limit the volume and reach of groups that broadcast anti-vaccine content.

Following similar decisions by Pinterest and YouTube, Facebook announced in March that it would limit the scope of anti-vaccination content. He added that he would no longer run anti-vaccination groups and pages in search results and the recommendation bar, and would no longer allow users and groups to post false vaccine information to place ads. or organize fundraisers. In September, Facebook deployed warnings for users looking for vaccine-related content.

But Facebook has stopped banning the anti-vaccine groups themselves, citing the awkward position of being made the arbiter of the truth.

“Facebook groups are a hotbed of misinformation,” said Kolina Koltai, a researcher at the University of Texas at Austin, who has been studying the behavior of social media and the anti-vaccination movement since 2015. Kolina Koltai said she saw publications similar, in which women have reported that their children have measles or cancer and have received medically questionable advice.

“These communities have become a refuge for parents and women, to connect with others and ask for help,” said Koltai. When these groups recommend potentially dangerous medical advice, it can have very serious consequences, says the specialist.

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