So, let the preparations begin. It’s already August. Fall is just around the corner and the kids are getting ready for new classes and friends, which inevitably bring all kinds of new and different germs with them. Backpacks…check. Back-to-school outfits…check. Immunizations…where do you fit these in?
Parents, as we rush around to make sure our little students have all the pens and paper they’ll need to successfully carry them through another school year, let’s not forget to put first things first and devote a little time to guarantee that they won’t be held back by illness. Vaccines will not only safeguard children against frequent disruptions like the seasonal influenza but will also protect them against the possibilities of rarer diseases. August is National Immunization Awareness Month. In the final days of summer, when there are no national holidays and no excuses, make immunizations your family’s priority; plan a happy outing that just happens to include a short visit with your friendly Spirit of Women nurses and physicians.
Every year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) releases an immunization schedule that will keep you and your kids on track. You can visit their website at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/default.htm for online tools and useful information that will assure your child has a healthy and uninterrupted school year.
Did you miss any dates on the schedule? Not to worry. The CDC, along with Georgia Tech, has created a new online tool called the Catch Up Immunization Scheduler to help you determine what the best options are to help get your kids back on track. It’s never too late to put health first.
As parents, it’s not only our job to protect our children against preventable disease with immunizations but also to make sure that they know WHY they need those dreaded shots. Once they understand that getting stuck by a needle will keep them from being held captive by sickness, they’ll feel much braver and wiser. By enabling our kids with the right decision-making tools, we are facilitating a life of endless possibilities for them. Let’s not cripple our children’s ability to achieve success, let’s help them flourish.
Good health = Good student = SUCCESS