(Reno, Nev.)—April 23, 2013—It’s National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), an annual observance to highlight the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases and to celebrate the achievements of immunization programs in promoting healthy communities throughout the United States. In celebration of NIIW, Immunize Nevada is hosting a no-cost, educational webinar for parents offering tips and resources for communicating with parents about immunizations on Wednesday, April 24 at 10 a.m. The webinar features guest speaker Dawn Crawford, principal communicator, social media guru and new mom.

“It’s no surprise that parents influence one another when it comes to making the important decision about immunizing children,” said Heidi Parker, Immunize Nevada Executive Director. “As part of NIIW, we are offering this webinar to give parents strategies and resources for talking to other parents about why immunizations are important for keeping their kids, themselves and their communities healthy.”

A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics surveyed 196 parents of children 18 months or younger. Among the parents in the study, 126 followed the nationally recommended childhood-vaccination schedule from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of the remaining parents in the study, 28 delayed vaccines, 37 partially vaccinated and five chose to not vaccinate. At least 95% of parents in both groups indicated that they had consulted their “people network” for insight into making vaccination decisions. Read more: about the study.

“The majority of parents choose the safe, proven protection of vaccines for their children and this needs to be celebrated,” adds Parker. “Because of the success of vaccines in preventing disease, parents may not have heard of some of today’s vaccines or the serious diseases they prevent. It’s important to follow the recommended immunization schedule to protect infants and children by providing immunity early in life, before they are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases.

The webinar session will feature a mom and online "vaccine warrior", and a registered nurse who has spent more than 20 years in the immunization field. Parents will receive the confidence, tools and resources necessary to step into the fray on social networks and become vaccine resources and safety advocates. Register online or contact Katie Nannini at 775-870-4337 or katie@immunizenevada.org.