Rating:

5.0 (1 vote)

As we reported last weekend, Montana ranks last among the states when it comes childhood vaccinations, and it's a ranking that's drawing sharp criticism from some parents and area health officials.

Nancy Ledbetter has made it a top priority to get all the recommended vaccines for her 14-month old son Zachary, but she does know a lot of parents who opt to skip the shots.

She noted, "I doesn't surprise me. A lot of people I know don't get their kids vaccinated because they think it's such a small area and we're not affected by it." Ledbetter says other excuses she's heard include cost and religious beliefs.

Whatever the reason, health officials say the lack of Montana toddlers receiving their reccommended immunizations is a problem.

Kate Marone of the City-County Health Department noted, "Only 59% of children in Montana were receiving or had received the current vaccines. It's the lowest in the country."

Marone says vaccines have helped prevent a wide variety of illnesses over the past few decades including smallpox, measles, and mumps, and she notes that continuing the shot process is crucial to maintaining a handle on these diseases.

She explained, "When you have groups and pockets of populations who aren't fully protected, that's how these diseases can spread up again. They're devastating illnesses that have been around for a long time, and the fact that we can prevent them now means we should take every opportunity to do so."

Click here to learn more about Lewis & Clark County immunization services.

In Cascade County, the CCHD website offers additional information about vaccines, including hours of operation and costs, including this overview:

The CCHD Immunization Clinic provides vaccinations for children and adults of all ages on a walk-in basis and by appointment for travel immunizations. The Prevention Services division also provides limited clinical and laboratory services such as TB testing, cholesterol screenings, pregnancy testing and other blood titer work.

Second only to safe drinking water in preventing illness and death, immunizations save approximately 3 million lives a year, or nearly 10,000 per day world-wide.

NO CHILD IS DENIED IMMUNIZATIONS DUE TO INABILITY TO PAY!