Church Partnership Newsletter August 2014 | Page 2

Fully Vaccinated for School?
Make sure the children in your life are up-to-date on vaccines before sending them back to school.
School-age children, from preschoolers to college students, need vaccines. To protect children from
serious diseases get them to the doctor or clnic if you discover they need vaccines.
Flu vaccines are recommended for all children 6 months and older. Getting all children vaccinated for
the flu, as well as other family members and caregivers, can help protect infants younger than 6
months old from life-threatening infections. Ask your family's doctor or nurse about getting flu shots or
the nasal spray to protect against flu.
VACCINES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN (NEWBORNS – 6 YEARS)
During the early years of life, children need vaccines to protect them from 14 diseases, such as
measels, pneumonia, as well as hepatitis A and B, which can be serious, even life-threatening.
Parents who choose not to vaccinate their own children increase the risk of disease not only for their
children, but also for other children and adults throughout the
entire community. For example, vulnerable newborns too young to
have received the maximum protection from the recommended
doses of vaccines or people with weakened immune systems,
such as some people with cancer and transplant recipients, are at
higher risk of disease.
Find out what vaccines children may need and the timing of the
doses by reviewing CDC's recommended Childhood Immunization
Schedule.
VACCINES FOR YOUR PRETEENS AND TEENS (7 – 18 YEARS)
As kids get older, they are more at risk for catching certain diseases like meningococcal meningitis.
Preteens and teens may also need HPV vaccine. As a result of significant research the
recommended immunization schedule has changed and children may need some additional
vaccines. For instance, HPV, which helps protect against certain cancers, are recommended to be
given during the preteen (11-12) years. If your preteens or teens haven't already gotten their
vaccines, they should get caught up as soon as possible.
For other diseases, like whooping cough, the protection from vaccine doses received in childhood
wears off over time. That's why 11- and 12-year-olds are recommended to get the booster shot called
Tdap. Teens and adults, who have not gotten Tdap should get this booster as soon as possible. Tdap
is a version of the DTaP vaccine given to infants and young children.
To learn which vaccines your 7 – 18 year-old should recieve, visit the preteen vaccine pages.
HOW THIS RELATES TO SCHOOL
The Ohio Department of Health requires certain immunizations for pupils enrolled in kindergarten
through grade 12, unless they are exempt. Vaccinations required are to prevent diphtheria, tetanus,
pertussis, polio, measels, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, and chickenpox. If a child misses a shot, one
doesn't need to start over. Just go back to your child's pediatritian for the next shot. Talk with the
child's doctor if you have questions about vaccines.
Resources: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/CatchUpImmunizations/,
http://www.odh.ohio.gov/~/media/ODH/ASSETS/Files/dis/immunizations/directorsjournal-schoolrequirements%2005-2014.ashx