Moms do everything they can to protect their children – from packing healthy lunches to making doctor’s appointments to tucking them in at night – but one of the most important jobs a mom has is keeping her children healthy. Moms have been taking charge of their health and the health of their families for generations, but as school starts and schedules get busier, sometimes important health checks, including keeping you and your children up to date on their immunizations, can slip through the cracks.
Several vaccine-preventable diseases have made a comeback the last few years. In fact, the U.S. is experiencing the largest number of measles cases since 19961. Additionally, children and adults are being diagnosed with pertussis — otherwise known as whooping cough — at alarming rates throughout the country2. As a parent, ensuring immunizations for all family members are up to date is one of the best things you can do to help protect your family from vaccine-preventable diseases3.
In my family, health has always been discussed regularly. My father was one of the first children to receive the polio vaccination and many call him a “polio pioneer.” Looking back on my childhood, I remember that my father always emphasized the importance of preventive health. Then, when I met my husband, I found out that his family had been directly affected by polio – both his aunt and uncle were stricken as children. In his 80s now, Uncle Maurice was severely impacted and used hand-crutches for most of his life; he currently uses a wheelchair.
Considering this firsthand personal experience with a vaccine-preventable disease and the stories passed down from generations, my family and I decided to make vaccination a priority. I believe it’s a parent’s role to do everything in their power to help protect their children. This was especially important for my husband and me when my son, Aidan, now six years old and healthy, was born prematurely.
After many years of being an active volunteer in the March of Dimes’ New Hampshire chapter, my family and I joined the Word of Mom: Celebrating Generations of Healthy Advice Campaign to advocate for childhood, adolescent and adult vaccinations for vaccine-preventable diseases. The Campaign aims to empower moms to help make the best health decisions for their families, including ensuring they receive vaccinations for vaccine-preventable diseases.
As your kids are getting ready to head back to school, make sure you are arming them not only with their books and a packed lunch, but also with good health. Ensure that you are making the best health decisions for your family, which includes following the recommended CDC vaccination schedule. To learn more about the Word of Mom: Celebrating Generations of Healthy Advice Campaign from March of Dimes and Sanofi Pasteur, including how you can help advocate about the importance of vaccinations, please visit www.Vaccines.com/WordofMom.
Sources
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Summary of notifiable diseases – United States, 2011. MMWR 2013;60:1-
2 CDC. Pertussis (whooping cough) fast facts. http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/fast-facts.html. Accessed June 27, 2014.
3 CDC. Protect your baby with immunization. http://www.cdc.gov/features/infantimmunization. Accessed June 6, 2014.