Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Why Do Pre-Teens and Adolescents Need Immunizations?






When my daughter was "graduating" from 5th grade a year ago and entering 6th grade a note came home with her explaining what vaccines she needed since she would be turning 11. Honestly, I thought she had all her vaccines since she received them as an infant and a small child. If these vaccines weren't done she wouldn't of been allowed back into school according to the letter. There are serious diseases that kids are at increased risk for as they approach the teen years such as meningitis, whooping cough, and human papillomavirus (also known as HPV, the virus that can lead to cervical cancer in women). Here are the facts:


  • Meningococcal infections are very serious and can result in long-term disability or even death
  • Pertussis, also called whooping cough, is not just a childhood disease—many teens are diagnosed with it each year
  • Certain strains of HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, can cause cervical pre-cancer and cancer—every year in the U.S., about 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and nearly 4,000 women die from this disease






She annually goes for a well check-up at every birthday so I know her doctor would of had this information, but it was a nice handy reminder from the school as well. When I called to make the appointment, I remember trying to make it a couple days before her birthday and the receptionist said "unfortunately she needs to be exactly 11"...wow, I didn't know a couple days before hand would make a difference but I guess it does. I find vaccines important for my child's well being, and care. We annually get the flu vaccine, the whole family, just because the benefits out weigh the risks.

Vaccines are an important part of preventive care throughout life. Help protect your child’s health by being sure to get the pre-teen vaccines on time. If your child did not get these vaccines at age 11 or 12, schedule an appointment to get them now.
Tdap, which is a booster against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis
Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4), which protects against meningococcal disease
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which protects girls against the types of HPV that cause 70% of cervical cancer
Influenza (flu) vaccine (annually for all children 6 months of age and older), which protects against three strains of seasonal influenza

CDC’s vaccine recommendations are supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and the Society for Adolescent Medicine (SAM).



For families with health insurance, all or most of the cost of vaccines is usually covered. For families without insurance, children age 18 and younger may be eligible to get the vaccines for free through the Vaccines for Children program (VFC).

Need more information on Why Do Pre-teens and Adolescents Need Immunizations? Click Here

Send a “Health-e-Card” to spread the word about pre-teen vaccines


If you have any questions about the CDC’s recommendations for pre-teen immunization, they want to hear from you. Please feel free to email Jill Roark at JRoark@cdc.gov with any questions. Call 800-CDC-INFO or visit www.CDC.gov/vaccines for more information.


*I am writing this post as part of a CDC blogger outreach program. I may receive a small thank you gift from the CDC for my participation in raising awareness about pre-teen immunizations

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Glue Dots Summer Bonding Project

We went to Disney World in Florida for the very first time in 2009. After coming home I was all excited to get my pictures in order and thought of putting them in a nice scrapbook. I made a trip to Michael's Craft Store and bought all my scrapbooking needs then there they sat a year later. Then I was given the opportunity to sample some Glue Dots recently and figured what better way to get my project started!!!






This is my first time attempting scrapbooking and Glue Dots has made my experience an easy mess free fun project time with my daughter. The adhesive come on sheets or in dispensers both are so simple to use. The sheets you place glue dot on surface and peel paper backing.





The dispenser just rolls across the project and dispenses Glue Dots as you go. We had a little difficulty getting this going but once we got the hang of it, it rolled and dispensed perfectly.






"Glue Dots are a great and safe alternative to typical tapes and glue guns. They are versatile and work on a variety of surfaces including: paper/photos, metal, wood, plastic, textiles and fibers, plastic, foam, and more! Glue Dots are a no-mess solution to all adhesive or glue needs. Bonding instantly, they require no dry time and provide instant gratification for kids and adults. Glue Dots provide the strength you need in an adhesive without the mess and dry time of liquid glues."




Here is all project as it moved along







This is the finished project. Our memories from our visit to Animal Kingdom in Florida.






My overall opinion of Glue Dots is that they are safe, non-toxic, mess free, easy application for any project that requires glue! For more information or some project ideas check out Glue Dots Facebook fan page, Twitter page @gluedots or Find Glue Dots at a retailer near you or online today.


*disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Glue Dots blogging contest to be eligible to receive a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, Glue Dots Summer Bonding Projects!