You can protect your child, other family members and your community against preventable diseases by getting age-appropriate vaccinations. Recommended immunizations start at birth and continue through adulthood. Yet it’s equally important not to delay getting a vaccine (or miss a required dose of some vaccines). It not only impacts immunity to a disease(s), it can risk the health of everyone around you.
Opponents of immunization and vaccination (often called “anti-vaxxers”) may be acting on their convictions, but they put public health at risk. Vaccines are still the best-known protection against illnesses, but they must be given in a timely way that protects those who are most vulnerable. There can be a devastating result of not doing so, as reflected in these stories. Even hitting close to home recently was the first U.S. death from measles in the past 12 years in Clallam County as reported by the Washington State Health Department.
Vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles and whooping cough, are a major public health issue in the Pacific Northwest right now. According to pediatrician Dr. Neil Kaneshiro, whooping cough continues to be at or near epidemic proportions, and there are other childhood diseases, such as measles that continue to infect U.S. children, resulting in hospitalizations and deaths each year.
During the first two years of life, children should be given several vaccines (medicine or shots) to protect them from a number of serious childhood illnesses. Typically, parents can bring infants to the doctor every two months; and then annually after age two. In most states, children must be immunized against the common childhood diseases before they can enter school and some states are now publishing immunization rates, by disease, for each child care facility, kindergarten and selected older grades. Kids who are behind on immunizations may be required by their school to get shots, claim a medical exemption, or be sent home.
Immunization delays reduce effectiveness. Without vaccinations, a child’s immunity to common yet serious diseases is at risk. Even a missed dose of a vaccine threatens your child’s immunity. Case in point: the DTaP vaccine that protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough). It is given in multiple doses (or boosters) to maintain immunity from age two months to six years. It’s very important that your baby get the DTaP vaccine on time to build his/her own protection against the disease. If a mother received the whooping cough vaccine (called Tdap) while pregnant, the antibodies shared with the baby before birth provide short-term protection, but the baby’s DTaP shots are critical for protection during childhood.
Under Washington state law, children should be fully immunized to attend daycare or preschool. Check with your daycare provider on if they require up-to-date immunizations and how that’s managed. The Centers for Disease Control publishes easy-to-read immunizations guides and schedules:
In addition, two excellent resources for updated schedules, articles and alerts on immunizations are: the American Academy of Pediatrics and vaccinateyourbaby.org
Keep a record for long-term health. Immunizations become part of your child’s ongoing health history, so it’s important to keep an updated record of vaccinations, including boosters. Even into adulthood, they’ll need to show a doctor (or college administrator) that their immunizations are up to date.
Parents can look up their children’s immunization records by going to the Immunizations Information Registry . You can also download a variety of smart phone apps to track information related to your child’s immunization history.
Resources and getting vaccinations are available to anyone. Don’t forget that recommended immunizations given during a well-baby or child’s regular checkup are covered by most health plans, when given from an in-network doctor’s office or pharmacy. While most are at no cost to you, check your plan or with your doctor for any related costs. For more specific benefit information, Premera members can check the benefits booklet online or call the number on your ID card for Customer Support.
Last, immunizations are widely available and while it’s best to have your pediatrician give age-appropriate vaccines during regular checkups, some immunizations are available at your local in-network pharmacy. However, these locations typically don’t immunize very young children. There are also organizations, such as Vax Northwest working with parents and providers to help create communities that are protected against vaccine-preventable diseases.