Kid’s Health And Prevention Immunization is an integral part of our health and well-being; however, a recent outbreak of measles underscores the importance of proper vaccination, not only for our benefit but the community at large. For more information, please visit www.icontrolmyhealth.org.
Vaccinate or Not?
There is perhaps very little doubt among a large majority of us that vaccination is based on solid science and has been instrumental in eradicating many debilitating diseases over the past many decades. However, despite this, there has been a small fraction of individuals who are not convinced and have vehemently opposed the idea of vaccination. This action not only puts their very own children at risk but also poses an enormous risk to society. When a critical portion of a community is immunized against a contagious disease, most members of the community are protected against that disease because there is little opportunity for an outbreak. Even those who are not eligible for certain vaccines – such as infants, pregnant women, or immunocompromised individuals – get some protection because the spread of contagious disease is contained. This is known as “community immunity” or “herd immunity.” (Source: http://www.vaccines.gov/basics/protection/).A recent example in California of a measles outbreak is a tragic reminder of the importance of proper immunization. In the California outbreak, 45 percent of patients were unvaccinated against measles. Click on one of these links to read more.http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6406a5.htm?s_cid=mm6406a5_whttp://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Pages/Measles.aspxTherefore, it is important that we as parents make educated and responsible decisions that impact, not only us but others in the communities we live in.
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Vaccination by the NumbersPercent of children 19-35 months old receiving vaccinations for:
Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (4+ doses DTP, DT, or DTaP): 83%
Polio (3+ doses): 93%
Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) (1+ doses): 91%
Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) (primary series + booster dose): 81%
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/immunize.htmTo learn more about the US immunization schedule, please click on the link below:http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/index.htmlTo learn more about the safety of vaccines, please click on the link below:http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/autism/
6 Things to Remember About Immunization
Vaccination is as important as healthy nutrition for your child. The immune system is the body’s defensive mechanism that fights against infections. Newborn babies carry antibodies from their mothers that protect them from some diseases immediately after birth. However, this immunity goes away during the first year of life. This is where the vaccines play their role.
What are Vaccines?
Vaccines are nothing but the vegetative form of any disease-causing antigen (bacteria or virus). This antigen is weakened to the point that it cannot cause disease. However, it is powerful enough to alert the body and prepare to fight through the production of defensive antibodies. So, at any point, if the real disease-causing antigen enters, the body is all set to fight and protect from the disease.
Here we have summarized important things you should remember about vaccines.
1. Protects Against Many Fatal Diseases
Vaccinations for polio, measles, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), rubella (German measles), mumps, etc. have saved millions of lives around the world. With progress in medical sciences, experts keep adding vaccines to protect you against many deadly diseases.
2. Timing is Very Important
Most vaccinations are needed to be given within 24 months of birth. This is because children have low immunity which makes them susceptible to many infections. Researchers and experts have worked very hard to come up with the optimal vaccination schedule, affording the most complete and safest protection possible. It is not advisable to skip or delay vaccines, as this will leave the child vulnerable to disease for a longer period of time.
3. Do Not Stop Immunizing Until the Disease is Eliminated
It is important to take every vaccination seriously. Even if there are only a few cases of disease left as of today, it is mandatory to vaccinate your child against that particular disease. If we take away the protection given by vaccination, more and more people will become infected and will spread disease to others. Read what happened when Japan reduced pertussis vaccinations.
4. Protects the Future Generation
When you vaccinate your child, you just don’t assure disease protection for your child, but also for the coming future generation. If one disease gets totally eradicated, the future generation may not even have to consider taking that particular vaccine. This is exactly what happened with smallpox, one of the most terrible diseases in history. Our children don’t have to get smallpox shots anymore because the disease no longer exists.
5. Vaccinations Are Safe
Some vaccines do cause discomfort, pain, and redness to a minimal degree. There are very rare incidences of serious side effects following vaccination. The preventive benefits that you get from vaccines are far greater than the possible side effects for almost all children.To get the vaccination schedules and other information please visit: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/default.htm
6. Teenagers Need Vaccination Too
While most vaccinations are given within the first few years of life, children aged 11- 12 years old need to take vaccinations such as flu vaccine, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Meningococcal Vaccine, and Tdap Vaccine. Read details about Vaccines Recommended for Preteens and Teens (http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/who/teens/vaccines/)References:1. Five Important Reasons to Vaccinate Your Child. http://www.vaccines.gov/more_info/features/five-important-reasons-to-vaccinate-your-child.html2. Vaccines & Immunizations. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/
FAQs
Should Children Be Given Vaccination Even if they are Sick?
According to experts, a mild illness is usually not a reason to reschedule vaccinations. It’s important that child get their vaccines on time even if they are sick. Vaccines generally do not make symptoms of any illness worse. However, it is best to talk to your child’s doctor to determine if your child can be vaccinated if they have a mild illness.http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/patient-ed/conversations/downloads/fs-child-sick.pdf
What Would Happen If We Stopped Vaccinations?
Before the middle of the last century, diseases like whooping cough, polio, measles, Haemophilus influenza, and rubella struck hundreds of thousands of infants, children, and adults in the U.S. Thousands died every year from them. As vaccines were developed and became widely used, rates of these diseases declined until today most of them are nearly gone from our country.
Nearly everyone in the U.S. got measles before there was a vaccine, and hundreds died from it each year. Today, most doctors have never seen a case of measles.
More than 15,000 Americans died from diphtheria in 1921, before there was a vaccine. Only one case of diphtheria has been reported to CDC since 2004.
An epidemic of rubella (German measles) in 1964-65 infected 12½ million Americans, killed 2,000 babies, and caused 11,000 miscarriages. In 2012, 9 cases of rubella were reported to CDC.
Sweet Potato Baskets with Eggs that your children will love
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 large sweet potato (16 ounces), peeled
5 slices (1/2 oz each) deli-style ham, such as Hormel Natural Choice Smoked Ham, diced small
1 1/4 cups southwest style egg beaters
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray.
Grate the sweet potato using the largest grating size on a grater. Place grated potatoes in a towel or cheesecloth to drain any excess liquid.
Using your hands, place the grated sweet potatoes evenly into 12 muffin cups; spread the potatoes thinly on the bottom and on the sides of the muffin cups. Spray the muffin cups with cooking spray and bake on your lower oven rack for 25 minutes.
While the sweet potatoes are baking; sauté the ham in a pan over medium heat for 3 minutes.
In a medium bowl, mix together the egg beaters, ham, and pepper.
Remove the sweet potato muffins from the oven. Pour the egg mixture into the muffin cups, dividing it evenly to fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the eggs are cooked through.
