It takes a village to raise a child. That saying is one we are all aware of and I would bet one with which we all agree.
But it also takes a village to keep a child healthy. When some members of the child's village, the other kids, are not immunized they create a problem for all kids in their communities.
A North Vancouver mother worries about her son every time he goes to school and she is urging other parents to help. Her son has a rare auto-immune disorder, has had a heart transplant and is recovering from cancer. As a result of the transplant he needs to take anti-rejection drugs that can leave him susceptible to complications and possibly death if exposed to illnesses such as whooping cough.
Many types of people are at risk of serious complications from vaccine-preventable diseases including the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic health conditions or others undergoing chemotherapy. It's easy to say that you are comfortable with the possibility of your child getting the measles or mumps. After all, your child is a healthy kid. And let's face it, we don't see many cases of these illnesses.
The reason is that our children are vaccinated and therefore protected. But not all kids can be vaccinated because of their medical problems and they are the most vulnerable to serious outcomes from these easily preventable diseases.
Ask any parent today if they have ever kept their child away from a park or beach because they were worried that she would get polio and they'll look at you as if you are crazy. But talk to your grandparents and they will remember not just polio scares, but children catching and all too often dying from whooping cough, diphtheria or tetanus.
The introduction of regular vaccines has made those diseases preventable and is saving the lives of our children. Smallpox has been eradicated globally and polio no longer exists in Canada. We no longer see massive outbreaks of measles, mumps or whooping cough.
Vancouver Coastal Health medical health officer Dr. Meena Dawar says there's still cause for concern. "As we saw with the recent measles outbreaks in the Fraser Valley, and on the North Shore and Bowen Island, these diseases are highly infectious and can spread quickly among those who aren't vaccinated," Dawar stated in a press release.
Vancouver Coastal Health medical health officers advise that all children starting at age four get their booster shots to protect against polio, tetanus, diphtheria, chicken pox and whooping cough before kindergarten starts in September.
Dawar emphasizes that vaccines, including combined doses, are safe and can pose minor, if any, side effects. "It's much safer to get the vaccine than to get the disease," she states. “If parents have any concerns, they should always speak with their doctor or a public health nurse.”
During kindergarten registration parents are asked to submit their child’s immunization record to their school. If someone at school contracts a vaccine-preventable infectious disease, children who are unprotected may be asked to stay home until it is safe to return.
All children have a right to be safe and healthy and when a simple procedure such as a well-tested vaccine is readily available they should not only receive it for themselves but also to protect some of the more vulnerable members of our community.
Vaccines can be obtained for free from family doctors or from public health nurses at VCH community health centers. For VCH’s kindergarten immunization clinic times visit vch.ca.
To learn more about immunizations download the booklet Immunization: An important choice you make for your child (PDF).
Take the time this summer to arrange for the vaccination of your children. Check to make certain that your child’s shots are up-to-date.
Then we will have a village working to keep everyone as healthy as can be.
Kathy Lynn is a professional speaker and author of Vive la Différence, Who’s In Charge Anyway? and But Nobody Told Me I’d Ever Have to Leave Home. If you want to read more, sign up for her informational newsletter at parentingtoday.ca.
