Very soon, the store aisles that now display sunscreen, pool
toys, and beach towels will be filled with notebooks, pencils, and glue sticks.
As you go through the lists of things your child needs to return
to school in August, make sure that their vaccinations are updated. It will be
much easier on everyone if you get those taken care of now during the hazy,
lazy days of summer instead of waiting until the week that school starts.
This is especially important for children entering
kindergarten and seventh grade as there are special requirements for children
at this age.
That first day of kindergarten is a big day and parents
naturally want it to go very smoothly for their child. But if there’s no
current documentation of immunizations on file with the school, the child
cannot attend their first day and might end up getting their shots instead. Not
a great way to start off the school year for anyone.
If your child attends a licensed child care center or is home
schooled, these requirements apply as well. And while the Iowa Department of
Public Health immunization requirements do not extend to college students, many
colleges and universities have their own list of vaccination requirements for
students.
Getting all the recommended vaccines is one of the most
important things parents can do to protect their children’s health. Immunizations
not only help prevent their own child from getting ill and missing school, but
they are also protecting the wider community. Pertussis, also known as
“whooping cough,” can be deadly for newborns and infants.
Why Vaccinate?
Immunizations create a shield of protection at school and at
home. Given recent outbreaks, parents can protect children with a vaccine from
dangerous and highly contagious diseases like pertussis and measles.
Many parents have never witnessed the damaging effects of a
vaccine-preventable disease. As a result, they are not aware of the continued
importance of getting all children vaccinated.
Diseases like measles are only a plane ride away. Measles
epidemics are occurring in the Philippines with nearly 32,000 cases as of April
2014.
When a child comes down with a disease such as whooping
cough, chickenpox or the influenza, he or she may miss a lot of school while
recovering. And, someone will need to stay home to provide care and make trips
to the doctor.
In Iowa school districts, children are required to provide
proof of immunizations by the first day of the school year. Your student will not be admitted to school on
the first day without this proof. Parents should request a copy of their
child(ren)’s immunization records from the primary care provider and give a
copy to the school district. Vaccinations can be administered at several
primary care clinics or at the Grinnell Regional Public Health Clinic.
To schedule an appointment for immunizations at the public
health office, call 641-236-2385. Grinnell Regional Public Health is located in the Light Center for Community
Health at 306 Fourth Avenue in Grinnell.
Make a plan to start the new school year in a healthy way. Many serious infectious diseases still exist
and can be preventable through vaccination. Visit with your healthcare provider
or call us for more information.
Information on immunization requirements for all ages can be
found here . http://www.idph.state.ia.us/IDPHChannelsService/file.ashx?file=48B83034-AB88-4E48-877E-5F6F60F9023F
Or, visit the Iowa Department of Public Health, Bureau of
Immunizations and TB, at http://www.idph.state.ia.us/ImmTB/Immunization.aspx?prog=Imm&pg=Laws.
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