Immunizations: A Close Look at MO & KS Requirements
Every parent wants to protect her child’s health. Unfortunately, heeding flawed information, some parents feel they are protecting their children by not vaccinating them. A 7-month-old recently passed away from Hib meningitis (haemophilus influenza) because his parents decided not to immunize him. The effects of ignoring the need for immunizations can be devastating.
“When educating, a picture can say a million words. You can see a child that has diphtheria or polio and can’t walk,” says Danielle Thornton, childhood outreach immunization coordinator of Wyandotte County Public Health Department. “It is because the United States has done such a good job of immunizing that you don’t see this in our country.” Do not let someone you love become a victim of preventable disease. Immunizations save lives.
Your child needs you to help protect him starting at birth when his immune system is not yet fully developed and ready to fight infections. The immunization schedule is state-regulated in Kansas and Missouri.
Immunizations for Birth – Age 6
Although we’ve discussed only birth through age 6, be aware that more vaccines are required for ages 7 through 18. It is a misconception that after 6-years-old your child is finished with immunizations. For the 2009-2010 school year, two doses for varicella, or chicken pox, will be required for school-age children. At age 11, a booster dose for tetanus with pertussis is needed. For the 2010-2011 school year, three doses of hepatitis B are required.
In Greater Kansas City, if you want to avoid the expense of your pediatrician’s office, the Bee Wise program offers free or low-cost immunizations on Mondays. Be sure to keep up-to-date records of all shots, dates and reactions, if any. The pediatrician may provide you with a pocket-sized booklet to get you started.
If you are questioning the need to vaccinate your child, weigh the risks versus the benefits and make an informed decision. “Your child is more susceptible to things if he doesn’t have immunizations and it can be chronic depending on the child,” says Pam Harris, nurse of Kansas City Public Schools and an advocate for immunizations. Maintain open dialogue with your pediatrician about your child’s medical history, prior experiences with vaccinations and allergies. Try not to be defensive and do explain why you want to wait on or skip a recommended vaccination. If you are afraid an immunization may jeopardize your child’s wellness or safety, express your feelings to your pediatrician along with the source of your concern, as it may just be a common misconception.
“There are tons of websites and books with bad information, faulty information, watered down information, non-scientifically based information. Parents must critically evaluate websites and books to make sure that it is based on good science and truth, and not based on emotion, gut reactions and bad science,” advises Dr. Raymond Cattaneo of Priority Care Pediatrics. Cattaneo recommends visiting Immunize.org, the Centers for Disease Control at Cdc.gov/vaccines or National Network for Immunization Information at ImmunizationInfo.org for reputable information.
Being able to differentiate common myths from reality will make you feel more comfortable getting your child vaccinated. Many parents have expressed concern with thimerosal, mercury content in the influenza vaccine, and believe it causes autism. However, numerous epidemiological and biological studies have shown this link to be ungrounded. Correlation does not always mean causation. The truth is that your child may experience a mild reaction like a small fever or localized soreness around the site of the injection. This is temporary and will go away.
Another misconception is that you only need to get the flu shot one time. Just because your child was immunized two years ago does not mean he is protected this year. The effect of the flu shot lasts one year and it is always revised. The American Lung Association recommends being vaccinated against influenza between October and March.
While it may seem like the immunization requirements are growing, the truth is we are better protecting our children from disease. Kansas strives to protect every child from preventable diseases through the Immunize Kansas Kids Project (www.immunizekansaskids.org). This statewide program tries to find out why people may be discouraged from getting their children immunized and plans ways to improve the immunization rate. The Healthy People 2010 and Healthy Kansas 2010 initiatives are hoping to reach the goal of 90 percent of children being immunized.
Help raise awareness of the importance of immunizations and defeat the myths. When other children are immunized, your child is protected too.