Vaccinate to Protect Our Future

Why immunize?  It is true that certain diseases in the United States are becoming rare.  But, the reason that they are becoming rare is because we have been vaccinating against them for years.  In order to prevent diseases from making a comeback and making the community very sick, we must continue to immunize infants, children, adolescents and adults.  Even if there are only a few cases of disease today, if we take away the protection given by vaccination, more and more people will be infected and will spread disease to others.  Soon we will undo the progress that has been made over the years.

A common question that parents ask is:  “Is it okay for my baby to have so many shots at once?”  Studies show that receiving several vaccines (shots) at one time is safe, even for a newborn.  There are a greater number of shots now than even a few years ago.  That’s because as science advances, we are able to protect children against more diseases than ever before. 

It is not uncommon to have measles outbreaks, whooping cough outbreaks, chickenpox outbreaks, and other diseases when vaccination rates drop.  Kids that are not fully vaccinated can become seriously sick and spread it throughout an entire community.  Newborns, babies and toddlers can all be exposed to diseases from parents and other adults – such as caregivers, grandparents, older brothers and sisters, on an airplane, at daycare, or even at the grocery store.  International travel is easier than ever – your child can be exposed to diseases from other countries without you knowing. 

Beginning July 1, 2011, a second dose of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine is required for all school children grades K-12.  If the child has had the chickenpox disease, they do not need any additional shot for this.  Parents need to notify the child’s school with this information, and the date the child either had the disease, or the dates that they were given the first and second doses of chickenpox vaccine.  Due to the recent flooding, some families may have difficulty meeting the new requirement because they are currently living elsewhere, or there may be a flood-related delivery problem of the vaccine.  By law, there is a “provisional enrollment” allowance for students who have begun the immunization process, which consists of the first dose.  Please contact your school if this is a situation that affects you.   Chickenpox (varicella) can actually be a serious disease for children.  Before vaccine was available, about 50 children died every year from chickenpox, and about 1 in 500 kids who got chickenpox were hospitalized.

Another question that comes up frequently from parents is:  “I heard that some vaccines can cause autism.  Is this true?”  The answer to this is No.  Scientific studies and reviews have found no relationship between vaccines and autism.  Groups of experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Institute of Medicine (IOM), also agree that vaccines are not responsible for the number of children now recognized to have autism. 

A vaccination health record helps you and your health care provider keep your child’s vaccinations on schedule.  A shot record should be started when your child receives his/her first vaccination and updated with each vaccination.  Treat this record like any other important document and keep it in a safe location where you can easily access it when needed. 

A federal program called “Vaccines for Children” provides free vaccines to eligible children.  For more information regarding this program contact Four Corners Health Department  or your local healthcare provider’s office. 

For a list of places that hold public health immunization clinics in your area visit the Four Corners website at www.fourcorners.ne.gov, or call Four Corners Health Department:  toll-free 1-877-337-3573, or local 402-362-2621.