818-Lanctster Fanning, Saturday, Novambar 4, 2000 Immunizations Work LOU ANN GOOD Lancaster Farming Staff EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.) “The risk of severe neurological damage or death is much greater from the illness itself than from immunization,’’ said Dr. Norman Fienman at the Lancaster Coun ty Immunization Coalition din ner. To reinforce the need to pro tect children from childhood ill nesses, Fienman showed slides of children who contracted diphthe ria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, and other ill nesses that can be prevented through immunizations. The graphic pictures showed children with distended stom achs from contracting Hepatitis B, severe skin infections from chicken pox and other diseases with rashes, bulging infected eyes ruined forever from varicella, and feverish children with lasting brain damage. Members of the coalition are concerned about the complacen cy toward vaccine preventable Coming November 18, new category in Section B! Zachary Bernhardt, 16 months, stops his whirlwind tour of the Quarryville fairgrounds only for a moment to attempt to get the attention of a disinterested Ayrshire calf. He is the son of Christopher and Minda Bernhardt, Lancaster. Photo by Michelle Ranch Dietitians DENVER, Coio. More than 9,500 dietitians and other health professionals had their confi dence in beefs nutrition rein forced at The American Dietetic Association (ADA) Food & Nu trition Conference & Exhibition in Denver Oct. 16-19. Beef checkoff-funded programs at the event helped generate tremen dous visibility for beef nutrition and the industry’s efforts to join with dietitians in promoting healthy lifestyles for Americans. “This event demonstrated to me that we’re getting our mes sage out to dietitians,” according to Jay O’Brien, a rancher from Amarillo, Tex., and chairman of diseases. They work to increase immunization rates through edu cating primary care providers. Confusing reports sometimes cause parents and primary care providers to be wary of immuni zation. But Fienman stressed: “The disease itself is always more dangerous than the shot it self.” He added, “Never expose chil dren to disease in order to build their immunity. A child may have a reaction to the disease and be one of percentage that dies or has severe lasting side ef fects.” Many people mistakenly believe that chicken pox and mumps are mild illnesses, but Fienman himself almost died from complications with chicken pox and showed pictures of chil dren with severe side effects. “Immunizations are complete ly safe,” Fienman said. He said there is no evidence that immu nizations cause debilitating side effects. He believes it is unfortu nate that some people blame anything that happens to a child within five years of a shot on the Learn Aboutßeef At Denver Conference the beef industry’s Nutrition & Health Committee. O’Brien helped staff the beef industry booth at the event and actively communicated with die titians there, as well as at a spe cial workshop and the ADA Foundation dinner. Other beef producers assisting at the event were Wade Zimmerman, a beef producer from Sugar City, Colo., and chairman of the beef indus try’s Health Professional Influ ences Subcommittee, and Nel son Curry, a beef producer from Paris, Ky., and vice chairman of the Nutrition & Health Commit tee. “At the booth we continually IT'S WHAT YOU WANT. 51 immunization. “Immunizations add to the quality of life. It keeps children healthy and saves lives,” the pe diatrician said. All children need vaccines. Some vaccines are given by injec tion and others orally by drops in the mouth. Vaccines cause the body to make antibodies to help the body fight disease. Some vaccines pro tect for life, others may need to be repeated. Before immunizations were available, many diseases reached epidemic proportions and caused brain damage, convulsions, pa ralysis, liver disease, encephalitis, infections, dehydration, and death. Immunizations are provided free or at a low cost for children. It is necessary to keep a written record, which is required by state law for school entrance. For more information, call your doctor, health department, or the National Immunization Information Hotline 1-800-232-2522. Vaccines Help Protect • Measles Spread through coughs and sneezes. Symptoms: fever, rash, cough, runny nose, watery eyes. Possible risks are pneumonia (a lung disease), convulsions, en cephalitis (inflammation of the brain), death. • Mumps Spread through coughs and sneezes. Symptoms: fever, swollen cheeks and jaw, swollen glands. Possible risks are painful swelling of the testicles or ovaries, encephalitis, meningitis (inflammation of the covering of the brain and spinal cord), deaf ness. • Rubella (German measles): Spread through coughs and sneezes. Symptoms: fever, rash, swollen glands. Possible risks are Pregnant women may have a miscarriage or stillbirth. Babies may be born deaf or blind, or with heart de fects or brain damage. • Diphtheria Spread through coughs and sneezes. Symptoms: sore throat, fever, chills. heard positive statements about beef,” said O’Brien. “These com ments demonstrate that our work is helping turn around die tary perceptions about beef.” The industry’s checkoff funded “Everyday Heroes” cam paign was one of the efforts mak ing a significant impression on dietitians at the events. One of programs was a workshop at tended by approximately 1,000 professionals called “Women as Everyday Heroes: Understanding and Shaping Their Nutritional, Physical and Emotional Needs Across the Lifecycle.” The work shop showed beef as an impor tant solution for women to over “The risk of severe much greater from the tion,” said Dr. Norman Immunization Coalition Possible risks are difficulty breathing, paralysis, heart fail ure, death. • Tetanus (lockjaw) Enters the body through an open wound. Symptoms: headache, fever, ir ritability, stiff muscles. Possible risks are difficulty swallowing and breathing, severe muscle spasms, death. • Pertussis (whooping cough) Spread through coughs and sneezes. , Symptoms: severe coughing followed by a “whooping” sound. Possible risks are pneumonia, difficulty breathing, convulsions, brain damage, death. • Polio Spread through saliva and feces. Symptoms: fever headache, stomachache, stiff muscles. Possible risks are paralysis, difficulty breathing, death. • Hepatitis B Spread through blood, saliva, semen and other body fluids. Symptoms: fatigue, loss of ap petite, vomiting, yellow skin or eyes, dark urine. Possible risks are liver disease, liver cancer, death. come key nutrition and physical activity challenges. The work shop featured three members of the beef industry’s Council for Women’s Nutrition Solutions (CWNS). A booth at which samples of convenient, microwaveable pot roast were distributed was anoth er checkoff-supported program at the event. At the banquet, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Asso ciation received the prestigious Corporate Award for Excellence 2000 from the Foundation for the organization’s many years of checkoff-funded support of, and work with, registered dietitians, the ADA and the ADA Founda tion. neurological damage or death is illness itself than from immuniza- Fienman at the Lancaster County dinner. Your Child • Hib disease (Haemophilus influenzae type b) Spread through coughs and sneezes. Symptoms: fever, fatigue, vomiting, stiff neck. Possible risks are pneumonia, throat infection, brain damage, meningitis, death. • Chickenpox Spread through coughs and sneezes, and by direct contact. Symptoms: fever, fatigue, rash. Possible risks are skin infec tions, pneumonia, encephalitis, Reye’s syndrome (affects the blood, liver and brain), death. • Rotavirus disease- Spread through contact with feces, a contaminated surface or an infected person. Symptoms: fever, stomach pain, vomiting, severe diarrhea. Possible risks are dehydration, death. -Important warning: On 7/ 15/99, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that no child get the rotavirus vaccine (Rv) until more studies were completed. If you have any questions, talk with your health-care provider. “It was exciting to see the level of enthusiasm that the dietitians had for our products,” according to Curry, who says the industry needs to continue to target this audience. “It’s through these professionals that we can com municate our message most ef fectively. We’re proving to them that beef is a product that can fit into a healthful diet.” The beef industry’s booth at the exhibition featured four sta tions at which attendees were able to both sample beef and learn about beef industry nutri tion efforts. Information about the various nutrition materials available through the beef check off was also provided.
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