Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, November 2, 1993                   TAG: 9311030403
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

VACCINES

But thousands of young children f+iareo needlessly exposed to such killers every year. That's because otherwise responsible and caring parents have become complacent about totally preventable childhood diseases that can have deadly side effects.

Regarding one such disease - measles - there is good news. It has virtually disappeared again.

That's because American parents got a wake-up call three years ago by a measles epidemic that claimed thousands of preschool children as its victims and resulted in 132 deaths.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported only 175 measles cases during the first six months of this year - a 99 percent decrease from the first six months of 1990, the peak of the epidemic. The Centers rightfully credit a massive campaign by local, state and federal public-health officials that convinced more parents to have their 2-year-olds vaccinated against measles. And because the measles vaccine is usually given together with vaccines against mumps and rubella, there's been a corresponding decrease in those childhood diseases as well.

Unfortunately, however, about 20 percent of preschool youngsters still have not been inoculated - so measles could make yet another comeback. Moreover, levels of immunization for toddlers against other dangerous diseases - diphtheria, whooping cough and polio included - are shockingly low.

Perhaps because many parents of young children never themselves had these diseases, they have no fear of them. Perhaps they believe such diseases were eradicated generations ago and can never return to the face of the Earth.

But they were not eradicated - they were only brought under control in the United States, with preventive vaccines. For parents to become complacent and assume vaccinations aren't necessary until school age (at which time they're required) is to put children at risk of pain, suffering and even, possibly, death.

No one would wish for parents more bad scares like the recent measles epidemic, but let's hope its lesson was learned well. Public-health officials can't slack off on efforts to encourage immunization of children at the earliest possible age. But government can't be substitute parents. Parents must not let down their guard against preventable childhood diseases.