School vaccines and your child: Here’s what to know before they go back to school

Here is important information to know about back-to-school vaccines:

Immunizations aren't only for babies

As your child grows your doctor will recommend different immunizations. These recommendations are usually based on age. They extend throughout your child's school years - even into high school. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) this schedule is designed to provide your child with the best protection against diseases like polio tetanus and whooping cough. Your little student's pediatrician is an excellent source of information about scheduling for school vaccines.

Vaccines can help your child avoid sick days

School attendance is an important factor in a student's success and vaccines can help your child stay well and avoid sick days. That's because vaccines prevent the kinds of serious illnesses that would otherwise require your child to take one or many sick days away from school. Vaccines prepare your child's body to fight the germs that cause certain illnesses.

The CDC explains that vaccines work by introducing the body to weakened or inactive versions of disease-causing germs. Because the germs have been weakened or killed your child won't actually get sick from the vaccine. The body reacts to vaccination by producing antibodies just as it would if they were living germs. This reaction trains the body to recognize these germs in the future and immediately go to work fighting them. That's why a person who is vaccinated is unlikely to get that disease and can avoid taking sick days.

School vaccines help keep everyone healthy

School vaccines are required because they help keep your child's entire classroom healthy. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) says that the concept of community immunity or herd immunity limits the spread of disease in a group. Because germs spread easily and quickly through a community they can rapidly cause a disease outbreak. You may have noticed that when one child in your child's class is sick many more are likely to get sick from the same illness? But when enough kids have been vaccinated it's harder for the germs to travel and make others sick. As a result the entire class is better protected from illness.

School vaccines are important to your child's overall health. If your child is inoculated according to the recommended schedule they're less likely to get sick from potentially serious diseases. Your child's immunity also helps keep their friends and classmates healthy too. If you need more information about immunizations or if your child needs vaccinations contact Reid Pediatric & Internal Medicine today and schedule an appointment.