Staff Writer    12/26/2001                              Home

This story is the first in a six-part series on the White County Health Department. Stories will publish today, and then on Wednesday, December 26; Sunday, December 30; Wednesday, January 2; Sunday, January 6; and Wednesday, January 9.

As the second largest health department in the state of Arkansas, the White County Health Department gives more than 1,000 immunizations a month.

Providing everything from childhood immmunizations to the influenza vaccine, the nurses are busy at the health department preventing deadly diseases in both children and adults.

According to Susan Roetzel, a nurse with the health department who manages immunizations and the WIC (Women, Infant & Children) program, their unit is the second largest in the state. Only Pulaski County serves a bigger population.

Every Monday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the nurses are giving shots to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. The only fee for childhood immunizations is a $5 record maintenance fee which will begin January 2002. After the $5 fee, the shots are free at the health department. The influenza vaccine charge is $11, (or the health department will bill Medicaid and Medicare).

"Our message is for people to come see us... All children need to be completely immunized by age two, and we're open to anyone for the required childhood immunizations. The required immunizations for children include: Hepatitis B or Hep B; Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis or DTaP; H.Influenzae type B or Hib; Inactivated Polio or IPV; Measles, Mumps, Rubella or MMR; and Varicella or Var (chicken pox vaccine)," said Roetzel.

DTap, Polio, Hib, and HepB should be given at two months, four months and six months of age. MMR, Hib, and Varicella should be given at 12 months of age. The DTaP should be given at 15 months, she said. Then between the age of four and six years old, the DTaP, Polio and MMR is given. (They do not give the pneumonia shot.)

Although it is not required, they give Prevnar, more commonly known as the "ear infection" shot. Roetzel said that the Prevnar "...was originally developed for bacterial meningitis. And, it was discovered to be beneficial for children prone to ear infections.

"When children have allergies to certain things, conjestion develops. Then bacteria forms in the ear canal, causing the frequent ear infections. This drug, Prevnar, was approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) last year. Doctors offices started giving the injection, and soon thereafter we did," she said.

However, the health department only offers Prevnar to limited groups. "If you are of Native American or Eskimo descent, have no health insurance or are currently on Medicaid, we can give it to you," she said as the drug is very expensive since it is so new. Prevnar is given in a series of injections and must be completed by 15 months of age.

Roetzel said that all of the nurses in the department give shots on immunization days with each of them spending a bit of time on education prior to the injection.

"When parents come in, we do a brief medical history. We make sure that they were okay with previous immunizations. We talk to the parent about allergies that the child might possibly have," said Roetzel. "And, we talk to them about what to expect from that day's immunizations. More importantly, we advise them to call us that day, if they have any problems or reactions to the immunizations."

She did offer some suggestions to make immunizations more tolerable for infants and children. "We recommend to give a child either Tylenol or Ibuprophen prior to the immunization to make it easier and possibly less painful," she said as the dosage is based on the child's age and weight. She did ask that parents call to speak to a nurse, if they have questions regarding the dosage (268-6102).

"One other thing that I ask parents is to read the information given by the clerk at the time of registration. Our clerks give the immunization information sheet to each parent, and they need to read it so that they can be prepared to talk with the nurse and answer any questions," she said.

In addressing the risk for immunizations, Roetzel said, "The risk from receiving any serious side effects from immunizations is so low. Only one to two children die a year in the United States from an immunization, whereas, nobody dies from any of these diseases." A child can be exempt from immunizations for "religious reasons," she said. However, the parents or guardians do have to go before the State Board of Health in Little Rock.

In addition to childhood immunizations, the health department also gives influenza vaccines, more commonly known as the "flu shot." As some people may think, it is not too late to receive a flu shot. The health department received their flu vaccine on November 15, and has administered more than 700 since then.

Those who should get the influenza vaccine include:

¥ Everyone 50 years old and over

¥ Residents of long-term care facilities

¥ Anyone with long-term serious health problems such as heart, lung or kidney disease, asthma, diabetes or anemia and other blood disorders

¥ Anyone whose immune system is weakened

¥ Anyone 6 months of age to 18 years old on aspirin treatment

¥ Women who will be past 3rd month of pregnancy during flu season

¥ Anyone working in healthcare field

According to health department literature, Influenza can be a serious disease that is caused by a virus which spreads easily from infected persons to the nose or throat of others.

Influenza causes thousands of deaths each year - mostly among the elderly. Influenza vaccine can prevent the flu.