Clinic Joins Nationwide Effort to Immunize Children

A cough brought the skinny child named Martin to the Venice Family Clinic. Although Dr. Norma Rosales treated him, it wasn’t his cough that most concerned her--it was the fact that he had not been immunized.

Rosales warned the boy’s mother, who came to this country from Mexico illegally with her family just one month ago, that without the proper immunizations her son is at risk of becoming another casualty in a national epidemica of measles. She urged the woman to return to the clinic with Martin and his three siblings so they could receive all the necessary immunizations against measles and other diseases.

The children, according to Rosales, are at further risk because of their crowded living conditions; eight people share the family’s two-room apartment in West Los Angeles.

Unfortunately, Martin’s situation is all too common, Rosales said. On Monday evening, for example, Rosales examined nine children for an array of complaints ranging

from colds to stomachaches--and ended up ordering vaccinations for most.

On Saturday, Rosales hopes to lower the risk of illness for about 300 children when the clinic on Rose Avenue offers free vaccinations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. against such deadly childhood diseases as polio and measles. The private clinic for the uninsured, working poor and homeless is the only Westside site participating in a national immunization campaign with the slogan “Vaccinate Before It’s Too Late.”

The campaign was launched by the Hollywood-based Children’s Action Network, the American Academy of Pediatrics and a coalition of national and community groups to counter recent measles outbreaks across the country.

More than 26,000 cases of measles and 90 deaths were reported in the United States last year. Los Angeles, with its growing immigrant population, was especially hard hit, with 4,052 cases and 20% of the nation’s fatalities. Latino and black children are seven to nine times more likely to contract measles than white children, according to Mark Armour, a consultant with the campaign.

Staff members at the Venice Family Clinic blame outbreaks on the Westside on poverty, ignorance and fear. Rosales said immigrant parents often fear they will be turned over to authorities and deported if they ask for medical care for their children. (On Saturday, no records or proof of residency will be required.) Many immigrants are from countries where vaccinations are not offered, she said, and a growing number of children are homeless and thus receive inadequate medical care.

Doctors find that often they end up catching these unimmunized children only when they, like Martin, show up with other acute problems.

Fabiola, a pale 5-year-old with a stomachache, came to Rosales’ attention Monday. Her mother, Regina Fuentes, told Rosales why her little girl lacked vaccinations. “I work all the time. I couldn’t bring her,” she said in Spanish.

Rosales understands the problem. “The working poor don’t have time to put into parenting and education. Their priority is putting food on the table, not immunizations,” she said.

But national organizers hope that their campaign will persuade parents that immunizations must become a priority too. Volunteers have hung flyers and posters about Saturday’s clinic in Venice at laundries, Mexican restaurants, food stores, schools and housing projects across the Westside.

And to make the needles a little less scary, the clinic will give out free stuffed Big Bird characters, McDonald’s coupons and baby food. Bugs Bunny is expected to be on hand from around 10:30 to noon.

* FREE VACCINES: The Venice Family Clinic, 604 Rose Ave., will offer free vaccinations forchildhood illnesses from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Call (213) 392-8636.