Colorado: we are not average. This is something all Coloradans know and eagerly share with fellow out-of-staters. We see 300 days of sunshine every year, have the opportunity to ski, hike and climb world-class mountains, and we pride ourselves on being the “leanest” of 50 states. Not to mention we are consistently among the best-performing states — if not the best —regarding heart attacks, strokes, cancer and diabetes. But, as The Colorado Health Foundation’s 2012 Health Report Card points out, looks can be deceiving.

The Colorado Health Report Card, which launches today, reveals we’re far from the top of the class by many important measures in health and health care. [Read more…]

Aimee Pugh-Bernard, PhD

As a scientist and an educator who appreciates the hard facts, and as a mom with real concerns about my kids’ health, I understand how difficult it can be to make choices that affect your family’s health. We all want to do what’s right. But in today’s world – filled with conflicting information online, in the media and among peers – it’s hard to know which sources are accurate and reliable. Throughout the course of this blog series, I’ll use my expertise and my experience to arm you with the facts.

So, what makes me an expert? [Read more…]

Jennifer Stanton

Nothing is more special than a mother’s love.  As mothers, we want our kids to grow up happy and be healthy.  We want our kids to experience all the joys life has to offer and protect them from anything that may cause them fear or harm.  There isn’t anything a mother would not do for her child; it’s innate, it’s the way we were created, it’s because we love our children more than ourselves.

My journey as a mother is different from most, but the love for my children is no different from any other mother’s in the world.  For me, being a mother of twin girls was a dream come true.  When Mary and Emma were born, my life felt complete.  My heart was made whole and overflowed with love.  Then, in November 2008, Mary contracted a non-vaccine preventable form of bacterial meningitis and my perfect world came to an end.  She did not exhibit any of the typical signs of meningitis and because she was vaccinated the doctors did not suspect meningitis.  Why or how she got this horrible disease, we will never know.  Mary passed away when she was only 7.5 months old.  Although my heart will be forever broken, my love continues to grow and remains as strong as it was the day she was born.  My husband and I made a choice to raise Emma in a family where love has no boundaries and with the promise to keep Mary alive through sharing our story. [Read more…]

Guest blogger Susan Wells is the mom to two girls, ages 5 and 8. She is an active mom who hikes, photographs, crafts, lives green, volunteers and explores with her children. She works as a blogger and social media strategist for Steve Spangler Science, a Colorado company dedicated to helping teachers and parents get children excited about science. Susan is also the City Editor for Savvy Source and blogs at TwoHandsTwoFeet.com.

My oldest daughter was born in 2001 amidst the debate that “vaccinations cause autism.” I felt inundated with many claims and stories about the dangers of vaccinations. I began to question my rock solid beliefs that inoculations are a necessity in childhood.

The sheer number of shots a baby begins to receive at two months and continues through two years is unsettling to any new parent. Top that off with claims that the shots could be toxic and parents have a hard time understanding the right path to take.

The torment that both my daughter and I had to endure at each appointment was draining. Nurses handed me packets of information on devastating diseases along with a pages of possible side effects. I had to agree to let the nurses inject her sweet baby legs with what I hoped to be life saving vaccine and not a toxic mixture that would cause her problems down the road. I had to decide, which was worse, the shot or the chance she would come down with one of the life-threatening diseases.

I chose the shot every time.

Back then I was confused about the safety of vaccinations and outside of my doctor, I wasn’t sure where to turn for accurate information. Now that I have found the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition, I have a powerful resource to look to when questions arise about immunizations. I only wish I had a resource like CCIC back in the early days to help me sort it all out.

My daughter had some of the more mild side effects from the injections. She developed large welts where the shots were injected. She had fevers for two days following the shots. The first few injections were tough, but we learned to anticipate and treat the symptoms. I reminded myself over and over that a welt for a week or two was better than a hospital stay and a 101 fever was better than a 104 fever.

The immunizations gave me peace of mind that my baby would stay healthy and protected.

I have done my research and continue to do my research on immunizations. I keep my daughters protected from the potentially life-threatening diseases that are controlled through vaccines.

When H1N1 began making the rounds, I anxiously waited for the vaccine to become available to protect my children. I stayed up on the latest research and news about the safety of the vaccine. I read the CCIC website and I stayed connected to my doctor’s office. And my daughters both received the vaccine when it became available.

Throughout the last decade a lot of misinformation and publicity has surrounded the safety of vaccinations. It has catapulted a trusted and necessary part of childhood into an international debate about the safety of vaccinations.

The claims against vaccinations have led to state legislatures adding provisions that make it easier for parents to opt out of vaccinations on philosophical or religious grounds. With some parents opting out, the occurrence of diseases like measles is on the rise.

Getting your children vaccinated can be a traumatic time for both parent and child, but it is key to keeping your children healthy. I held my breath during those shots but I have never looked back. I believe it was the right decision.

My advice; do the research before you take your baby to the doctor. Organizations like the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition and talking with your pediatrician will help put your mind at ease and help you make the right choice in immunizing your child.