It's back to school time. Backpacks and notebooks, are probably on your list. But a visit to the doctor should be too. Doctors are starting to see a rush of students in their offices. And you'll want to pay attention to what they have to say because vaccine recommendations are changing all the time.
Family Medicine Physician, Dr. Laura Munkel, said schools generally require vaccines for certain grades. "There are usually three times in the child's life they need to update their vaccines," said Munkel. Those three times are before kindergarten, 6th grade, and high school.
Before Kindergarten they'll get just a few shots to vaccinate against a lot. Those vaccines will prevent diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox. Before 6th grade kids need a vaccine for meningitis and one for tetanus. Before high school Gardasil is recommended to vaccinate against HPV, which is a form of cervical cancer. And there's a new change with that vaccine. "The last year or so they've recommended HPV the Gardasil vaccine for boys as well as girls," said Munkel.
But even if your kids don't fall into the age group that requires a vaccine you should still be making a doctors appointment for them. Munkel said, "it's just important to get in and do a regular routine physical, check with your doctor and make sure your kids are growing right and healthy."
Munkel said most schools don't require you to have your children vaccinated by the first day of classes. Generally they'll give you until the first or second week of school. But she added that you do need to make an appointment to get the vaccines, it doesn't matter where you go to get them. Even if you're just going to the Health Department Munkel said to schedule an appointment to make sure you're seen since this is such a busy time for doctors.
