Back-to-school time is fast approaching, and one of the most important preparations for the new school year is to make sure your child's immunizations are up-to-date. Children are not allowed to return to school without documentation that they received the vaccines required for entry.

Several new childhood immunizations have been recommended by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. They are:

• A new rotavirus vaccine. To prevent most severe intestinal illnesses caused by this common virus, children should get this oral vaccine in three doses at two, four and six months of age. This is a new rotavirus vaccine that was tested in over 40,000 children and has been found to be safe.
• Yearly flu shots for younger kids. The flu vaccine is now recommended for all children ages six to 59 months and older children with underlying diseases that predispose them to serious complications from influenza. All those in close contact with these children also should get the vaccine. The influenza vaccine additionally is recommended for anyone who wants to avoid becoming sick with the flu. There is a nasal spray available for healthy individuals ages five to 49 years if getting a shot is the obstacle.
• A second dose of varicella vaccine. To improve protection against chicken pox, varicella vaccine is now repeated at four to six years of age.
• A new human papillomavirus vaccine. To help prevent infection with viruses that cause cervical cancer, this vaccine is recommended for girls ages 11 and 12 routinely and for those girls and women ages 13-26 who have not received the vaccine before. Given in three doses over six months, it can be used as early as age nine.

   While most parents/guardians make it a priority to update their children's immunizations, some children are still slipping through the cracks. They either are not immunized at all or are under-immunized, meaning they have missed some of the vaccine doses necessary to be fully protected.

   Many parents are reluctant to have their children immunized because of safety concerns. Physicians are just as concerned about safety as parents and guardians and would not recommend vaccines if there were not sufficient information to support the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines in preventing disease.

   "Immunizations are one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century," said Dr. Jane Siegel, director of Infection Control at Children's Medical Center Dallas and a professor of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern. "Vaccines work to prevent disease and keep our children and those around them healthy."

   Dr. Siegel cautioned that there must be continual vigilance about immunizations. "When we let down our guard and do not continue to provide recommended vaccines to our children, diseases such as polio, measles and mumps return," she said.

   If you have questions or concerns about individual vaccines, discuss them with your healthcare provider, Siegel added.  

   Resources:
    American Academy of Pediatrics     
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    National Network for Immunization Information                    

Last reviewed: August 2007