But despite these efforts, tens of thousands of people in the U.S. still die from vaccine-preventable diseases every year. Montana has seen cases of pertussis double in the year to date from 2007 to 2008. Most of the 63 pertussis cases so far this year have been in Lake and Flathead Counties.
Making sure that infants and young children receive all of their vaccinations on time is one of the most important things parents can do to ensure their children’s longterm health n as well as the health of their friends and classmates.
Consider measles. One out of 30 children with measles develops pneumonia. For every 1,000 children who get the disease, one or two will die from it. Thanks to vaccines, we have few cases of measles in the U.S. today. However, the disease is extremely contagious, and each year dozens of cases are imported from abroad into the U.S., threatening the health of people who have not been vaccinated.
August is national Immunization Awareness Month, and also signals the start of a new school year. And for many children, back to school means immunizations.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides immunization recommendations for children, adolescents and adults at www.cdc.gov. Recommendations for the age at which vaccines are given are influenced by age-specific risks for disease, age-specific risks for complications and the ability of persons of certain age to respond to the vaccine.
Some vaccine coverage is optional; others are required for admission into school. If your child is behind with his immunizations, there are catch-up schedules that will bring him up to date and protect him against preventable disease, illness and possible permanent disability or death.
Missoula County schoolchildren 4 to 6 years old will need the following immunizations: DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis); IPV (poliovirus); MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), Varicella (chicken pox), Hepatitis B and Hib (Haemophilus influenza).
Children 11 to 12 years old will need Tdap (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis) and perhaps a second MMR. Many vaccines require a series of injections to be fully immunized against a particular disease. Check with your health care provider for complete coverage. Yearly influenza vaccination is recommended now for healthy school-age children.
Parents should maintain up-to-date immunization records for their children.
Immunizations are available from your family physician or the Missoula City-County Health Department. The health department provides a sliding fee scale based on family size and income to help cover the cost of immunizations. No child is turned away for inability of the family to pay.
Tammy Powers is a registered nurse and infectious disease coordinator at St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center.
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