What Do You Think About the Flu?

A Guest Post by Katie Kern, mom of two elementary school kids and a healthcare communications expert for the Colorado Immunization Program

Wow, what a year. H1N1, or swine flu, raised its ugly oinking head and made many of us parents pretty scared.

It seems so long ago that world health officials declared the 2009 H1N1 flu a pandemic and many parents worried about what was on the horizon.

Beginning last summer, we saw camps closing and kids being sent home after flu outbreaks. Then as school started, we saw the number of H1N1 cases rise forcing some schools to close.

We taught our kids (and ourselves) the great art of washing hands, sneezing into our sleeves and using hand sanitizer like it was going out of style.

Many of us rushed to get our seasonal flu vaccinations and then waited, not so patiently, for manufacturers to get their H1N1 vaccines to the public. Then when H1N1 vaccine finally arrived we waited again to let those at highest risk get their vaccinations first.

Despite having a vaccine and our public health’s quick response, in Colorado we lost 12 children due to the H1N1 flu virus or complications from it. I can’t even imagine the anger and heartache those families must feel, losing a child to the flu?!  Try for a moment to fathom that anguish and it’s easier to understand why health officials have been so concerned about this novel virus called H1N1 that hits our young people with such intensity.

I know many parents, myself included, are relieved that the number of flu cases has dropped off and we’re not seeing major outbreaks anymore. We certainly hope the worst is over but realize, as the flu experts remind us, we likely haven’t seen the last of 2009 H1N1 or seasonal flu. The “traditional” flu season can last through April.

NOW is the time to get the second shot for children under age 9, and get you vaccinated too. There is plenty of supply and it’s often as easy as going to your doctor’s office or local pharmacy.

We can also feel reassured knowing that the vaccine is safe. The CDC says between 70 and 90 million Americans got the H1N1 vaccine and we know there have been few big problems or side effects. Just this month, researchers in California and the Centers for Disease Control released a study that found one in every 10,000 Californians who contracted H1N1 died. This is in stark contrast to the 13 million Californians who were vaccinated for H1N1 and only three people died (and those deaths were due to other health-related causes).

Right now, experts in the healthcare field are looking back to gauge the lessons learned about this very different flu season. We hope you’ll help us by taking this short survey for the Colorado Immunization Program at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GBNG36G

The surveys are anonymous. If you like, at the end you can enter to win a $250 gift certificate for the wonderful Tall Grass Spa and Salon in Evergreen for sharing what you think about the flu.

We sure hope we won’t experience another flu season like this one again, but your feedback will help public health officials in Colorado learn what worked and what needs to be worked on to protect our community if a similar challenge arises.

Thimerosal: Something to Worry About?

I’m back to talk about childhood vaccines ingredents.  In this episode I talk specifically about thimerosal and if you should worry about your child’s health.

Even I’m Scared of Vaccines

Look at her.

I mean, seriously. Look how perfect and precious and adorable she is. I was lucky, so lucky, to fall crazy in love with my baby. From the minute she was born I was awash in the euphoria, joy and intensely biological need to love and protect her forever. I was blessed.

So imagine eight short, sleepless weeks later when I went in for her well-child exam and had to make the decision to vaccinate. What? Let you inflict pain and possible suffering on this perfect baby? What? Not just once, but four times? Yes, protecting her against eight vaccine preventable diseases, umm I guess I get that.

But four individual shots? ARE YOU INSANE? My husband, already very pale thanks to his Swedish heritage, went so white he was translucent and had to leave the room.

This was going to be hard. It goes against all biological instinct and maternal intuitiveness to willingly allow your child to be hurt or to suffer, if even for a moment.

For several minutes my only panicked thoughts were:  BACK OFF LADY, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HURT MY BABY – I’M OUTTA HERE!

I took a deep breath, I swallowed hard, I unsuccessfully choked back tears and I listened.

I listened to my choices. I listened to the risks associated with disease and how vaccines can prevent them. I listened to why, as a newborn, my baby was at her most vulnerable for these diseases. Waiting would only put her at greater risk.

I had the opportunity to fend off and protect her from something much worse than a needle prick. I had a choice to protect her. As hard as it was at that first visit, (and honestly it never gets easier) I always choose to vaccinate my babies. I choose the temporary pain of a prick over a lifetime of risk and potential disease.

So, how did you feel at your baby’s first doctor’s appointment? Were you surprised at your gut reaction? I’d love to hear your stories!

I Made a Vlog!

I love the shots of me and my kids.  I’m glad I can show such healthy, fully vaccinated kiddos!

This and all the vlogs I’ll be uploading are thanks to our project partner Kaiser Permanente Colorado! Kaiser Permanente generously donated video production to this project, but did not have editorial influence on this project’s content. Thank you so much!

I’m going to be creating more of these so please let me know what you think!

If I’ve never heard of it and can’t pronounce it, is it safe to put in my baby’s body?

Lactalbumin…hydrolysate…formaldehyde…aluminum:  ingredients used in the most common childhood vaccines which protect against diseases like poliomyelitis (polio for short), diphtheria, hepatitis A and B. If you have a vaccinated child between the ages of two months and eight years, your kiddo (like mine) has gotten at least one, if not several, of these.

When I read the ingredients listed in a vaccine, I recognize very few. The ones I do know, formaldehyde and aluminum, make me hesitate.

Formaldehyde takes me back to 8th grade biology class.  Who can forget the smell from the container of preservative where the frogs were kept before dissection?

And aluminum, haven’t I stopped using certain pots, pans and deodorant to avoid the long-term effects of exposure?  This is scary stuff. No wonder there is much being said, blogged, and tweeted about the safety of vaccine ingredients.

Vaccines are safe, yet the individual ingredients can be scary. I encourage parents to ask questions. Find out why a particular ingredient is used. Many of the elements I found scary in vaccines have a critical role in ensuring its safety and effectiveness.

Toxicity, or the degree to which something is poisonous, is defined by the presence of an ingredient, how it is used, when it is added to the process and if it is taken out. The simple fact that the ingredient is present DOES NOT make it harmful to humans.

Let’s look at two common examples of labeling compound elements as good or bad.  Vitamin C is on our “good for you” list. However, taken in large quantities it can lead to complications, overdose, and even death by kidney failure. Vitamin C, at certain levels, can be toxic.

Chlorine, a strong cleaning agent used to kill bacteria can cause severe burns if drank or inhaled, which I AM NOT recommending. However, when chlorine is combined with another element, sodium (a highly reactive element that explodes when it comes into contact with water), you have a safe compound: table salt.

There are rigorous studies by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on every newly recommended vaccine before it is approved for use by doctors. Vaccines must be tested first on their own merit for safety and effectiveness, then on how they interact with existing vaccines. This is to make sure there are no negative interactions among vaccines. Here is a link on evidence of this because I know that some parents doubt this fact.

The government is very careful and forthcoming about vaccine ingredients. I am confident that no one is attempting to poison our children.  There is no “hiding” what goes into vaccines. You can find all the ingredients used in childhood, adult and travel vaccines here.

Vaccines have a proven track record of being safe, being effective in preventing disease and in saving lives. This is proven time and time again.

BTW…Lactalbumin is cheese whey. Hydrolysate is a process used to create proteins that feed cells.  Formaldehyde is used to “kill” the live virus so the body can fight the weaken disease while building immunity. Aluminum is used to boost the vaccines effectiveness.

So what do you think about ingredients? Did this post put you at ease or just make you want to learn more?

H1N1: Public Health in Action

I recently took my three- and six-year-old girls to get their H1N1 booster shots.  I have to say that I was impressed with my local public health’s response.  Both clinics I attended were well-organized, professional, and efficient.  There was no waiting in line, thanks to pre-registration, no human traffic jams in the roped off corrals, and plenty of band-aids, stickers, and coloring sheets for the kids.

In fact, the first clinic was the highlight of my three-year old’s week when she and her best bud got to ride in a golf cart from the parking lot to the front doors of the clinic.  Standing up holding on to the back of the front seat, wind in their hair without doors or seat-belts – they were ECSTATIC!

I am thankful for these health professionals who administered the shots. I was appreciative of their extensive preparations and recognized their mobilization efforts before and during the clinics.  But more than that, I’m glad – so, so glad that H1N1 was not the deadly pandemic it could have been.  And now, with such widespread vaccination resulting in immunity, it has an even lesser chance of ever becoming such.  I chalk that up as yet another success for public health and their commitment to safety.

If you haven’t gotten your child’s second shot or have waited to get the H1N1 vaccine for yourself, now is the time. We all need to get vaccinated to make sure we keep H1N1 at bay. For all the Colorado moms, you can find the nearest flu clinic here.

So have you vaccinated your child against H1N1? Have you made the time to get the second shot? I’d love to hear from you!

Melanie = Full-Time Mommy, Part-Time Employee, Novice Blogger, Passionate Vaccine Advocate

If I wasn’t blogging right now, I’d be reading a book or reading a book to my kids. That’s who I am – a learner, a seeker of ideas who craves to know more, and always wanting to understand things better. I like sharing what I learn. I like talking about concepts and trying to understand how they relate to or impact my world.

I’m Melanie and I am your Colorado Mom2Mom.

I’m a Gen X-er who grew up as the second of five children. I was heavily influenced by my parent’s Midwestern values. I went to a state school for my undergraduate degree in liberal arts. After that, I traveled and lived abroad for three years before returning to complete a Master’s degree in Public Health Administration. On my 20 year high school reunion blog page it says “I’m a full-time mom, part-time employee, and impassioned advocate for children’s health” (specifically vaccines). That is what this blog is about: vaccines, immunizations, shots, inoculations…okay, well you get the idea…

What qualifies me to write a blog about vaccines? First off, and most importantly, I’m a mom of two beautiful, healthy, fully vaccinated girls aged 3 and 6. Being a mom and listening to my gut intuition is something I do every day. In addition to that, I work in public health promoting immunization best practices to parents and providers. This work feeds my passion for research, study and my never ending quest for knowledge.

In my work in children’s health care, I know healthy kids and I know sick kids. For sure there are health factors that are out of our control, but there are many decisions parents make daily that can affect and ensure good health.

Vaccines are one of those good health decisions that we can control. There are a lot of sources of information about vaccines. The internet is bursting with seemingly authoritative, yet contradictory information about vaccines. What I’ve seen and read in the last few years about vaccines concerns me and, in some cases, makes me angry. It raises my blood pressure and makes me think, “I have to be in this discussion.” I NEED to be a part of the conversation. Bad information about vaccines can be misleading, confusing and harmful. I need to share my beliefs on vaccines, so I am.

Vaccines are arguably the greatest public health invention of the 20th century, yet ironically they have become one of the most controversial issues of the 21st century. Some parents are abandoning scientific fact and reason for personal persuasion and opinion. This scares me, but it also makes me want to speak up.

I want to talk about the hot topics that all parents wonder about such as vaccines and autism, ingredients used in vaccines, the need to vaccinate and whether infants are getting too many too soon. But more than that, I’d like to hear what you think. I want to participate in a discussion with you.

I hope you spend time with me on my blog, watch my videos and start a discussion with me. I want to read your comments, opinions or questions about vaccines. I’m a mom, and after many mommy gut-checks, research, asking questions and having discussions with my doctor – I choose to vaccinate my kids. This was my process. I would like to learn what yours is.

What are you thinking, feeling, fearing or debating about vaccines? Please comment below.

Welcome!

Welcome to Colorado Mom2Mom – a blog written by moms for moms to who have questions about childhood vaccines. We’ll be launching this blog in January 2010

The current vaccine schedule is a powerful tool to protect your child’s health. It can also be confusing for new parents, and even a little scary. There is so much information available on childhood vaccines on the internet and TV; it’s sometimes hard to determine which information is best.

This blog was created to support parents who vaccinate their children and to answer questions to help parents make educated decisions about the health care of children. We’ll discuss all aspects of childhood vaccination including the most current science, and the emotional decisions that parents face when vaccinating their children. We hope that this blog will be your home for accurate, timely information on childhood immunizations.

If you have a question that you’d like to see answered on Colorado Mom2Mom email us at ccicoffice@tchden.org.

If you have any questions or concerns about this blog, or are a member of the media, please feel free to contact Dawn Crawford, CCIC Communications Director, at crawford.dawn@tchden.org or 720-777-8917.