Does Your Child Have the Required Back-to-School Vaccines?

Experts Recommend Back-To-School Check-Ups

Dr. John O’Reilly of Baystate Children’s Hospital agrees with the American Academy of Pediatrics that “back to school means back to the doctor.”

“A good student is a healthy student. Since the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends yearly well visits for children ages 3 through 18, scheduling a back-to-school physical each year is a good way to meet that goal,” he added.

Dr. O’Reilly, who is also chief of Baystate General Pediatrics, said time is running out to schedule those back-to-school check-ups and sports physicals. Pediatrician offices face an influx of calls to schedule appointments and get the proper paperwork completed before the school year begins.

“As pediatricians, we want to partner with parents to help their children be successful students. Are they generally healthy? Will they have any problem seeing the board? Is their hearing okay, so they don’t miss what the teacher is saying? Do they have any attention issues? We want to address all these issues before they enter the classroom,” Dr. O’Reilly said.

“If your child has asthma or a peanut allergy, or any other chronic condition, we will need to develop an action plan to share with the school nurse. Paperwork must also be completed for any prescription medications your child may need to take while at school,” he added.

Learn What Vaccinations to Expect This Fall

Ask Your Pediatrician About Meningococcal B

“Many colleges have now stepped up their efforts to require incoming students to be vaccinated against this potentially deadly bacterial infection, which last year resulted in the death of a community college student in Florida,” said Dr. J. Michael Klatte, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Baystate Children’s Hospital.

Type B meningococcal meningitis, also known as MenB, is a bacterial infection of the linings of the brain and spinal cord (called meninges). The same bacteria can also cause an infection in the blood. For survivors, MenB can lead to permanent disabilities such as loss of limbs, irreversible brain damage, hearing loss, and scarring on the body.

Since the meningococcal B vaccine isn’t required for everyone, you might have to specifically ask your teen’s pediatrician about getting it before he or she goes off to college. As students on college campuses are at higher risk for catching meningococcal disease, getting the shot will keep them safe from that infection,” Dr.  Klatte said.

Be Aware of State Requirements

This year’s very large measles outbreak in several areas of the country has many parents concerned. It is further proof that by refusing to vaccinate, your child and those around them are then at serious risk for catching these diseases – some of which can be fatal. Time and again vaccines have been proven to be both safe and effective, so there shouldn’t be any reasons not to vaccinate,” he added.

The Baystate pediatrician suggested that parents should check with their child’s doctor, school or the local health department to learn about the immunization requirements in their state or county.

He noted that by state law, children must be up-to-date on their required immunizations in order to start school. 2019-2020 immunization requirements as listed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MA DPH) include:

• Two prior doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine for entry into any grade level ranging from kindergarten through college graduate studies (including health science students), unless one has documented evidence of immunity to all 3 infections.
• Two doses of varicella (chicken pox) vaccine for entry into any grade level ranging from kindergarten through college graduate studies (including health science students), unless one has documented evidence of immunity or a history of varicella confirmed by a physician.
•  One dose Tdap for entry into any grade level ranging from grade seven through college graduate studies (including health science students).

Understand Booster Requirements

The Tdap booster dose – recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for preteens at ages 11 or 12 years – provides protection against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough). Children initially receive protection against these bacteria with the DTaP vaccine, which loses its protective effectiveness over time.

As a result, preteens and teens need to get a Tdap booster dose. This is important not only to protect them, but also those around them - especially babies and the elderly.

According to the CDC, all preteens 11-12 years old need one dose of Tdap vaccine, one dose of meningococcal vaccine (to help prevent against bacterial meningitis due to meningococcal types A, C, W and Y), and two doses of HPV vaccine (for those who get their first dose of HPV vaccine between 9-14 years) to be fully protected against these serious diseases.

A second dose of meningococcal vaccine is also necessary at age 16. The MA DPH (via the Massachusetts HPV Initiative) and the CDC continue to urge healthcare professionals to give a strong recommendation for all of the adolescent vaccines recommended for boys and girls ages 11 or 12 years, and to recommend HPV vaccine as they would Tdap and meningococcal vaccines.

You can find vaccination schedules online from the American Academy of Pediatrics or the CDC.

To Make An Appointment

To make an appointment with a pediatrician, call 413-794-KIDS.