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As the summer flies by and our children get ready to go back to school, we are busy buying school clothes and supplies; don’t forget to get their school physicals and immunizations updated. This is important for all children regardless of their age.
Too often we only see the children entering kindergarten because the school is asking for documentation that they have had a physical. All school-age children should have a physical every one or two years, whether they are healthy or have multiple medical problems. This is when your child’s immunization status will be reviewed.
Children entering kindergarten need to have several immunization boosters. They include diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox. This may seems like a lot of shots, but they are combined into three to four shots. This assumes they were already up to date with their immunizations. They also need to have completed their hepatitis B vaccine series. The booster for the chicken pox vaccine is a more recent recommendation.
Older children also need immunizations. Children who never had chicken pox or the vaccine should get vaccinated. Two doses are recommended at this time. A tetanus booster is also recommended for early adolescents, or at any age if not previously received. There are also some newer vaccines that are recommended.
The first is the meningococcal vaccine - meningitis vaccine. This vaccine prevents some strains of one type of meningitis, which often is deadly. This vaccine was previously available only for college- age students or those entering boarding school because it would only last for three to five years. The new version of this vaccine has the benefit of protecting against the same strains of bacteria and lasting for much longer. Therefore, it is recommended starting at age 11.
The other new vaccine is the human papilloma virus vaccine - HPV vaccine. The vaccine contains four strains of the human papilloma virus, the two strains that cause most cases of cervical cancer and the two strains that cause most cases of anogenital warts. At this time, it is only recommended for females. There are studies going on in males so in the future the recommendations may change.
Vaccinations are frequently changing. The industry has improved the vaccines to make them safer and more effective. New vaccines are being developed. Companies are also trying to do more combination vaccines so we can give fewer shots at each well visit.
Just a few weeks ago, a combination vaccine for infants, toddlers and preschoolers was put out on the market that will significantly decrease the number of shots they receive. Recommendations of when they should be given also change. The only way to know if your child continues to be up to date with immunizations is to routinely come in for a physical.
Even if your child does not need any immunizations, there are many other important aspects of this office visit. Your doctor will check your child’s growth, hearing, vision, school progress and many other things. Often we pick up early difficulties with development – growth - or vision that would have gone unchecked for years. Many of their problems are much easier to fix when caught early. We check for curvature of the spine – scoliosis - issues in diet and weight, sleeping difficulties and problems with bed wetting or incontinence.
One of the most important parts of these visits is something we call anticipatory guidance. This is where we go over many of the items that can cause problems for children if not addressed or at least thought about. These items are different for children of different ages. Wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle or a seat belt when riding in a car is discussed with all children. Use of tobacco and alcohol are usually discussed with teens. We find the parents and children learn something new at each visit.
Many children are in need of sports physicals for middle school and high school athletics. The schools will accept a physical done after May 1 for that coming school year. Patients just need to bring in their sports physical form, filled out and signed by a parent or guardian, and the physician can complete the rest.
With everything going on during the back-to-school time of year, don’t forget to contact your child’s physician to schedule a physical and update their immunizations.
Dr. Nancy Gideon, pediatrician, practices at Beacon Pediatrics, a part of Beacon Medical Group. She is accepting new patients and her office can be reached at 645-8212.
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