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Before I became a mother, I didn't understand why people made a big deal over immunizations. It seemed as if children are fairly safe from diseases that once injured or killed millions.

I grew up with a generation of children who never saw anyone stricken by polio or mumps, and the only stories I heard about those vaccine-preventable diseases were stories of my family's past.

Instead, I heard stories in the media about concerns about potential side effects immunizations may cause. I heard stories from mothers who dislike how many shots are now required by age 2, and I heard about children who spent fussy nights following shot-visits.

And then I became a mother, who also happens to work at the New Mexico Department of Health. I learned that this generation is lucky to have more immunizations available to protect against more diseases than before.

And I discovered for myself that potential side effects are mild and rare, and another sleepless night with a fussy baby is nothing compared to the thought of my son being sick with a disease I could have prevented.

My husband's and my decision to immunize Daniel, our 5-month-old son, was about weighing the benefits and risks of vaccination against the risks of not immunizing him. There was no contest.

The diseases Daniel is getting immunized against may not be everyday threats to him, but we live in a world of travelers. We are fortunate to be able to protect our children from measles, diphtheria and rubella, but thousands of children across the world die every year from those diseases and others.

Last year, our department worked with University of New Mexico Hospital to prevent the spread of measles after a child from Romania arrived in the emergency room sick with the disease. We were successful in keeping anyone else from becoming sick, because most children in the community were immunized.

And this year, there was a whooping cough outbreak in Santa Fe County when Daniel was born. Two infants in New Mexico died of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, in 2005.

I don't want to ever limit Daniel's travel because of concerns about diseases in another country. I don't want to worry about him being exposed to foreign travelers. And I never want my son to get sick with a disease that has killed children.

Before I was a mother, risks felt more adventuresome than scary. Now, I look at my vulnerable son, and I know nothing is worth the risk of endangering him or losing him.

Immunizations are offered at little or no cost to all New Mexico children, from birth to 19 years. If you don't have a doctor or clinic, you can take your child to one of our 55 public health offices located in every county. You can find locations at the department's Web site at: www.health.state.nm.us or in the state government pages of your phone book.