Preparing To Return to School

By Rashidah Abdul-Khabeer

That time of year is rapidly approaching. One knows for sure, based on the number of  “back to school” advertisements from clothes and footwear to school supplies. But how do we assure a good start for a healthy school year? Health status should be on that school checklist, beginning with a medical check-up and updating immunizations. And August is a great time to get it done—during National Immunization Month! Every school district, college and university and private educational institutions has health requirements for children and young people returning to school. Documentation of immunizations or childhood diseases should be among your important papers for your children.

What is required?

Although each state has its specific requirements, most comply with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics for childhood and young adult immunizations. You should check with your local or state health departments for the specific requirements for your locale.In general, one should have evidence of immunizations against the known childhood diseases. The following are recommendations from the CDC for immunizations for children from birth to school age.

• The new rotavirus vaccine (Rota) is recommended in a 3-dose schedule at ages 2, 4, and 6 months. The first dose should be administered at ages 6 weeks through 12 weeks with subsequent doses administered at 4--10 week intervals. Rotavirus vaccination should not be initiated for infants aged >12 weeks and should not be administered after age 32 weeks.

• The influenza vaccine is now recommended for all children aged 6--59 months.

• Varicella vaccine recommendations are updated. The first dose should be administered at age 12--15 months, and a newly recommended second dose should be administered at age 4--6 years (4).

• The new human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) is recommended in a 3-dose schedule with the second and third doses administered 2 and 6 months after the first dose. Routine vaccination with HPV is recommended for females aged 11--12 years; the vaccination series can be started in females as young as age 9 years; and a catch-up vaccination is recommended for females aged 13--26 years who have not been vaccinated previously or who have not completed the full vaccine series (5).

• The main change to the format of the schedule is the division of the recommendation into two schedules: one schedule for persons aged 0--6 years and another for persons aged 7--18 years.

There is also a schedule of immunizations for pre-teens whose childhood immunizations need to be bolstered. There is a schedule for the Booster Immunizations as well. They include vaccines for HPV, meningococcal disease, pertussis (whooping cough) hepatitis B, measles, mumps and rubella, polio and varicella (chickenpox). College students are not exempt either. They, too, need protection against meningococcal disease, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis and influenza.

Behind in immunizations?

Not to worry!  Even if your child has fallen behind in the immunization schedule, it not too late. There is a “catch up” vaccine schedule that is recommended.

Why immunize?

You may believe that those childhood diseases have gone away or aren’t so bad if child gets one of them. The truth is each year several hundred children and young adults develop these diseases, suffer severe complications and sometimes even death.  The only way to prevent the rise of these diseases among our children is through the protection of immunizations.

Where to go for immunizations?

Of course, your primary care or family care physician can provide most immunizations. In instances where lack of insurance is a matter, most state and local health departments have free or income based immunization programs.  There are also federally funded child specific health insurance programs in each state. Don’t let lack of insurance be a hindrance to protecting your children’s health, or preventing them from entering school.For more information, see your health care providers or check out these websites: 

• American Academy of Pediatrics

http://www.cispimmunize.org

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vaccines and Immunizations

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/spec-grps/preteens-adol.html

Rashidah Abdul-Khabeer, RN, MHS.  is a Registered Nurse and Public Health Practitioner.