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Back-To-School and The Importance of Immunizations!
August is the perfect time to make yourself familiar with the importance of vaccinations, as it’s National Immunization Awareness Month and coincides with back-to-school appointments, sports physicals, and the beginning of flu season when many community members will be interacting with one another.
One of the best ways to protect your child’s health is with immunizations. It’s critical to get babies and young children their recommended vaccinations regularly, as their immune systems are not developed enough to be able to fight off germs as adults are. By getting them vaccinated early in life, they are less likely to contract infectious diseases such as COVID-19, measles, mumps, whooping cough and the flu.
The following childhood immunizations are recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Age - Shots
- Birth - 2 Months - Hepatitis B (Hep B)
- 1 - 4 Months - Hep B
- 2 Months - Diphtheria, Tetanus & acellular Pertussis (DTaP), Polio (IPV), Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV), Rotavirus
- 4 Months - DTaP, IPV, Hib, PCV, Rotavirus
- 6 Months - DTaP, IPV, Hib, PCV, Rotavirus
- 6 -18 Months - Hep B, IPV
- 6 months–59 months - Influenza (flu)
- 12 - 15 Months - Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR), Hib, PCV, Varicella (chickenpox)
- 12 - 23 Months - Hepatitis A (Hep A)
- 15 - 18 Months – DtaP
- 4 - 6 Years - DTaP, IPV, MMR, Varicella
- 11 - 12 Years - Tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap), Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV)*, Human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV)
* if vaccine not given at 11-12 years of age, should be given by age 15 or before entering high school
SIHF Healthcare follows the CDC recommended vaccine schedule which gives children the best protection from diseases.
Birth – 6 years: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/easy-to-read/child-easyread.html
7 – 18 years: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/easy-to-read/adolescent-easyread.html
If you have questions about vaccines, don’t hesitate to ask your provider. They know your child’s health history and can talk with you about specific vaccines recommended for their age group and assist with getting your child up-to-date with any required school or sport physicals and vaccinations. Click here to learn more about the vaccination services SIHF offers for patients of all ages. Click here for a list of the 30+ health center locations to find one near you.