My six-year-old daughter was invited to a friend’s birthday party recently. It was an ambitious party plan of going to a performance at our local children’s theater. I think the mom probably deserves a medal for herding 10 bubbling kindergarteners.

A week before the party the hosting mom called to ask if my daughter had been vaccinated for chickenpox. I said “yes” and asked why. She told me that another child’s mother called and said that her son had been exposed to the chickenpox and wanted other children who plan to attend the party to know this.

What scared me about this was that the boy’s mom wasn’t calling to see if it was okay if he still go to the party, but instead she was calling only to inform others that her son would possibly be infectious.

In retelling this story to my husband he pointed out that the mom was being responsible by calling to let people know about the situation. The more I thought about it, if I were the hosting mom, would have taken a different path.

If this had happened to me, I would have gently told the mom that her son should not attend the party because he had the potential of infecting other children. I would gently and kindly remind her that we were going to a theater with the potential of interacting with 400 other children and adults that he could infect. I’d set-up a play date for a few weeks in the future (past the infectious period) and have my child celebrate with him at a separate time. It would be a hard conversation, but something I know is the right thing to do.

Sometimes parents don’t fully understand the potential of the diseases we protect against. Some parents don’t see the bigger picture. They often don’t see that their actions have bigger implications of spreading disease to healthy kids or even vulnerable populations like pregnant moms.

I think parents are too complacent about chickenpox. Lots of parents think it’s a minor disease and even a “rite of passage” for kids to be sick for a week. For most children who get the disease it is mild but for about 1 in 10 unvaccinated children who get the disease will have a complication from chickenpox serious enough to visit a health-care provider. Chickenpox is highly contagious and dangerous for kids and pregnant women. We cannot predict who will have a mild case of the disease, who may end up hospitalized or who could end up with a deadly case.

We know the vaccine is effective. Did you see the January 2010 Kaiser Permanente study about the risks of skipping the chickenpox vaccine? Children who are not vaccinated against chickenpox are NINE times more likely to get the disease. By not vaccinating you are placing your child at a greater risk for disease.

It scares me but chickenpox parties are back. Chickenpox parties are when an infected child’s family invites their friends over to be exposed to the disease. This was a very common practice before we had the very safe and effective chickenpox vaccine. Today, some parents still want their children to be naturally exposed to the disease. Some mothers think they are doing a favor by exposing my child. I say “No thank you!”

The idea of a pox party freaks me out. It seems very strange that you would intentionally infect your child with a disease. It’s like “Hey I have mono! Wanna make out? Or here’s my used Kleenex in case you wanted my sinus infection!” Sharing a hug or toys on a playground is one thing…intentionally sharing your infectious disease is quite another. It is irresponsible.

What about you? What’s your RSVP status on pox parties? Is your kiddo going to the party?

I must admit, getting their shots is not my kids’ idea of a good time. No matter how much park time we had before, no matter what promises of tasty treats would be bestowed upon them after, it just isn’t appealing.

But I have been able to make it more tolerable by making it a game and telling them how important it is for their health.

I will tell my girls, “We are going for our pokes today! Remember how we get a poke in our arm or leg and it stings for a bit but it helps protect us from icky germs and bad things?” Then I take my finger and give their arm a little poke. They giggle and we’re both more prepared for the shot.

My oldest, Claire, was a champ from the beginning. Even as an infant she surprised me by stoically accepting her fate, looking the nurse straight in the eye as she drew the vaccine into the needle. She also amazed me at how quickly and easily she was comforted and calmed afterwards.

The secret to my success? I empowered her with the knowledge of what to expect during the shot, and the information she needed to feel in control.

When her little sister came along, Claire was in the role of the “big sister” and REALLY found purpose. She helps me by explaining to her little sister, Grace, what “pokes” are and why they are necessary. She even goes as far as volunteering to go first just to prove it wasn’t that bad and that she wasn’t afraid.

Now Grace, well…I haven’t been that lucky. Even with practicing “pokes” on her stuffed animals, watching her older sister not shed a tear, and being promised full sugar snacks in the car, this one didn’t buy it. She hides, refuses, goes for the door, and screams “NO!” I’ve even tried giving her a pain reliever and fever reducer before the shot to prevent discomfort, but that had little effect.

So I went in search of information to see what I could do to ease both the anxiety and the pain of a “poke.” Here’s what I learned can help:

• Nursing – Allowing a baby to suckle the breast, bottle or pacifier can help manage pain as well as be a distraction.
• Take a Deep Breath – The best thing you can do for your baby is stay calm before and during the doctor appointment. Babies can pick up on your stress and get scared. During the shot, distract your baby with cooing, touching and smiling. By you being a strong, happy parent your baby will reflect your mood.
• Pain Relievers – There has been some controversy on whether pain relievers can diminish the effectiveness of vaccines, so ask your doctor before your vaccine visit if they recommend giving pain relievers.
• Order in which vaccines are administered – It is suggested in studies that the less painful shot be given first. Studies have found that this should be Diphtheria, polio, pertussis, tenanus (Dtap) and haemophilus (HIB) before the vaccine for pneumococcal.
• Play – Children use play to understand situations, encourage them to take a favorite stuffed animal or doll so they can “practice” giving a shot. Point out how well the animal does in sitting still and getting a band-aid.
• Sibling Power – Enlisting an older sibling to go first and show how getting a shot “should be done.” Of course, this only works if you have a brave kiddo – a screaming big sis will probably scare the little one a bit.
• Give a Little Cough – For older children (or adults for that matter), have them give a strong cough right when shot is being inserted. Researchers don’t know if it’s just a simple distraction or actually reduces pain, but it’s seems effective.

Check out this great resource for things to consider before during and after the immunization visit.

I’m curious, what have you found works to keep your kid calm? Does your screaming baby make you not want to vaccinate?


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.

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.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egJf2zGcbFE]

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!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwmF6haJjwg]

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.