Sutter Pediatrician Addresses Importance of Childhood Immunizations
Children's health highlighted during National Infant Immunization Week -
April 19-26
FAIRFIELD, Calif., April 21 // -- Pediatrician Henry Collins,
M.D., of Solano Regional Medical Group (SRMG), the multispecialty physician
group affiliated with Sutter Regional Medical Foundation (SRMF), is talking
about the importance and benefits of childhood immunizations this week,
National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), April 19-26.
The annual observance highlights the achievements and advances made in
pediatric health. Since 1994, NIIW has served as a call to action for
parents, caregivers and health care providers to ensure that infants are
fully immunized.
"Immunizations give children a healthy start in life," says Dr.
Collins, a veteran pediatrician with SRMG. "We work with families and
advise them about these needed vaccinations. Regular physicals and
immunizations are important tools for promoting childhood health."
Vaccines are among the most successful and cost-effective public health
tools available for preventing disease and death. They not only help
protect vaccinated individuals, but also help protect entire communities by
preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases and
life-threatening illnesses. Americans' infrequent experience with these
diseases can produce a false sense of security and diminish some parents'
perception of the need for these vaccines, Dr. Collins says.
Each day, nearly 12,000 babies are born in the U.S. who will need to be
immunized against 14 vaccine-preventable diseases before age 2. According
to the Centers for Disease Control, up to 56 percent of American children
are not fully immunized by this age.
"Vaccines are very safe and effective," Dr. Collins says. "They are all
thoroughly tested and approved by the by the FDA. The Centers for Disease
Control monitors all side effects to ensure vaccines continue to be safely
given to children. Millions of children are protected from life-threatening
disease through vaccines. The important thing to remember is that getting
the disease is much more dangerous than getting the vaccine," Dr. Collins
says.
What parents and caregivers can do:
-- Be sure your child receives regular physicals.
-- Keep an immunization record and update it after every doctor visit.
-- Bring this immunization record to each doctor appointment.
-- Ask your doctor whether your child is up to date on his or her
immunizations.
Dr. Collins says advancements within the last decade have dramatically
diminished the threat of polio, measles, mumps and other diseases in
children. "In America today, the work of parents and their child's
pediatrician have reduced the frequency in which we see these diseases. The
only way to continue this is to continue immunizing our children," he says.
The latest in pediatric immunizations include Gardasil for girls, the
only shot that indirectly prevents cervical cancer. A new vaccine against
meningococcal disease, or meningitis, is recommended for children at their
preadolescent visit (11-12 years of age), teens entering high school and
college freshmen living in dormitories.
SRMG practitioners care for patients from birth to adolescence with
medical issues ranging from simple to complex. Our pediatricians address
your child's health care needs in a comfortable, comprehensive and
efficient manner. Sutter Health offers helpful information at
http://www.kids.sutterhealth.org, including an immunizations guide and
answers to questions about immunizations.
About Sutter Regional Medical Foundation
Sutter Regional Medical Foundation is a locally governed and managed
affiliate of Sutter Health, a not-for-profit network of physicians and
hospitals in Northern California. SRMF is affiliated with Solano Regional
Medical Group, Solano County's largest multi-specialty physician practice
that has served the community for more than 50 years. SRMF offers
professional, high-quality and compassionate care from care centers in
Vacaville, Vallejo, Fairfield, and Rio Vista, all in California, and is
fully accredited by the Institute for Medical Quality.
Sutter Health is one of the nation's leading not-for-profit networks of
community-based health care providers, delivering high quality care to more
than 100 Northern California communities. Sutter Health has relationships
with more than 3,600 physicians and is the regional leader in infant
deliveries, neonatology, orthopedics and pediatric services. Sutter Health
maintains medical foundation clinics in 11 Northern California counties.
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