CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATIONS

The slogan is BE WISE IMMUNIZE. What did they name the mascot? Ollie. .

How long has it been since you could not enroll without all the immunizations? How many are there now?


Diphtheria (DTaP, Td, Tdap)
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
Influenza (flu)
Measles (MMR)
Mumps (MMR)
Pertussis (DTaP, Tdap)
Pneumococcal
Polio
Rubella (MMR)
Tetanus (DTaP, Td, Tdap)
Varicella (Chickenpox)

The immunity of my parents came from having the illness just as it did with my brother and myself. Nothing like having the mumps on Thanksgiving and being given soda crackers soaked in milk as the main dish of the day. But that is what Greg gets for laughing at me, as I had them first.

I had the bad measles when I was junior high age. The doctor came to the house. After the measles were over I got something else. It was a tough spring. Horseback riding only happened when mother went to town for groceries and I would BE LINE to the barn. I got caught and that was the end of that.

Nothing was more painful that to see my junior high daughter with the chicken pox. I swear each one that popped out stung and she felt each of them. She had a great case of them, although she was the first in the family of three to do so. Scabby or not, she went back to school. Yes, she was exposed numbers of times as a young child, she just didn't take them. The boys played like there was nothing wrong. Sorry, R.

I am still confused about Shingles. Do you get them IF you have had chicken pox or do you get them because you have NOT had chicken pox? Now there is a vaccine for them, too. Tom has had the shot AND the Shingles as well. He still has nerve 'itches' where he had them.

I had the polio vaccine when available followed by another dosage which was given on sugar cubes. This, of course, was after the epidemic when children died or were affected for a lifetime because of the disease. A good friend made it through with only the need to wear two different size shoes. The Thief River Falls Times reported children being sent to a bigger hospital for treatment; it also reported others dying. The town was in shut down including movies and church. It was rampant. Pretty scary, isn't it?

Small pox vaccine was also given. Do you have the evidence on your arm? My two oldest had the vaccine. By the time Ryen was to be vaccinated, more children died from the vaccine than small pox itself.

Yet, even though we can vaccinate against these illnesses, what is going to crop up that is worse. Do we need boosters? Isn't tetanus every ten years except if you are injured? Questions, no answers.

Be Wise--immunize.

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