Here is the questions posed to the persons I spoke with.
Were you aware of the fact that CI implantation carries an increased risk of contracting bacterial meningitis.
Do you remember anyone in the medical profession ever saying anything about this to you?
Do you know if you have been vaccinated for bacterial meningitis prior to getting your implant?
The overwhelming answers were no, no, and no. This was not intended to be a research project, but simply questions asked of the CI implantees with whom I have daily contact to see if this unwareness that was spoken of was a generally occuring phenomenon. And their answers are consistent with the article posted earlier that unawareness of this possible complication and the need to take steps to prevent it is found in 50% of the population. No matter how you choose to look at it, people do not have the information they need. Why?
And, while memory may fail in the more generalized vaccines, such as DPT ,and rubella, if you have a child with CI, there is a spefic risk of bacterial memingitis. Therefore, if you were given inforamtion about a specific risk for your specific circumstances, would you not remember that? My brother contracted Hepatitis B in 1973. I had to be vacinnated because of the specif circumstances that created a specific risk. I remeber botht he cotor tellingme it was necessary, and the actual vaccincation process. And if I were asked by a physican today of I had received the Hep vaccine, I would say "yes".
