Vaccinating your child never used to be an issue. When a child was growing up they got a vaccination for polio, mumps, measles, whooping cough, small pox and chicken pox. Now there are vaccinations for the flu and even cervical cancer in girls. These vaccinations were developed to prevent these often life-threatening diseases from spreading. Children were sick and dying from diseases that the vaccines were now stopping. And their success has been proven over time. Most of these diseases have been eradicated.

If you have been following the news lately, you know about the measles outbreak at Disneyland in California. So far this outbreak is affecting people in six states. Seventy confirmed cases have been counted with hundreds more people exposed. Disneyland is a perfect setting for a disease to spread.  So far the spread has been only in the west, but why couldn’t this happen at Disney World in Florida as well? Measles was a non-existent disease since 2000 but has recently started making a comeback. Is this a new strain or is it caused by not vaccinating children?

Many people have started to feel that vaccinations are causing their children more harm than good.  They suspect that autism, diabetes and ADHD can be linked to vaccinations. These people feel that a child’s immune system can naturally deal with these diseases. The risk of seizures, paralysis or even death is not acceptable to them. Some religions actually frown on getting vaccinations. While no one wants their child to have a complication from a vaccination or go against their religion, there are good reasons to vaccinate your child.

The Center for Disease Control identifies the need for 28 doses of 10 vaccinations. There is no federal law that mandates the vaccinating your child. All 50 states, however, require certain vaccinations for starting in public school. Many pediatricians will now not see patients that have not been vaccinated.  Proponents of vaccinations claim that the benefits of vaccinations have saved lives. They claim adverse reactions are rare.

The discussion about whether or not to vaccinate children will most likely go on and on. There is evidence on both sides of the fence. Children have been getting vaccinated for many years now. The risks of being vaccinated have been at a very rare incidence. Can you actually imagine how many people would die or have a diminished quality of life if one of these preventable diseases came back with a vengeance?

Healthcare is one of the most important things to keep up with. As infants, we are taken to the pediatrician and given vaccinations and checked for obvious problems. Normally the medical problems faced as a child are few. We come into the world as a clean slate so to speak. As we age, that changes.  The body starts wearing out. Lifestyles have taken their toll. Doctor’s offices have become out social settings. Finding good healthcare is essential when we are seniors.

Florida seems to be the place for seniors to retire to. Almost everyone I know talks about going to Florida when they retire. And the coast of Florida is the most popular place to go to. That’s what makes Rockledge, Florida in Brevard County a booming area. With all these retirees is makes sense that Rockledge has some of the best healthcare for elderly patients around.

Geriatric medicine is probably at its best in Florida. The population of people over 50 years of age has been increasing steadily every year. Seniors have health issues that many other age groups do not.  Some common issues are incontinence, hearing and vision problems. Almost every senior will deal with these at some point. Seniors have more incidents of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s, dementia related conditions, sleep disorders, depression and arthritis than any other age group.

To accurately and effectively deal with senior health concerns, Florida has more doctors that specialize in medicine geared to this age group. This isn’t saying that other areas of the country are lacking in this area, but due to the large population of seniors in Florida it is easier to locate a doctor close to you if you are a Florida senior.

When checking the yellow pages in the area of Rockledge, Florida in Brevard County there are 187 medical listings. This is a phenomenal amount! Surely there is one that will fit the need of a senior with a health issue. Most healthcare providers in Brevard County will accept Medicare or other insurances.  Seniors live on fixed incomes so it’s important to know what is covered and what is not. No matter what your health issue is, money should never be the determining factor in receiving care. Check with your healthcare provider about a payment plan if a treatment is not covered by insurance. They will be glad to work with you. Stay healthy and happy in your golden years.