Is your child excited to start kindergarten this fall? Families are encouraged to attend Kindergarten Round Ups at their child’s school to prepare, according to a Barry-Eaton District Health Department (BEDHD) media release.
An important part of preparing for kindergarten is making sure kids are up to date on their immunizations. The health department wants to make sure that every child is protected before entering school in the fall.
“Immunization is the single most important way parents can protect their children, classmates and the entire community from serious disease,” said Jackie Anderson, RN, BEDHD’s immunization coordinator.
Thanks to vaccines, most of these vaccine-preventable diseases have become rare in the United States. However, when schools have low vaccination rates, these diseases can make a comeback. When this happens children can become very sick, leading to missed days of school and missed worked for parents.
To prevent outbreaks from occurring in schools and places where children congregate, a high percentage of children must be immunized. To protect all students enrolled in school, children who do not receive the required immunizations may be excluded from school if an outbreak occurs.
Before the first day of school a child entering kindergarten must have:
*4 doses of DTap (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis)
*4 doses of Polio
*2 doses of MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
*3 doses of Hepatitis B
*2 doses of Chickenpox (Varicella)
In addition to the required immunizations, the influenza (flu) and two doses of Hepatitis A are highly recommended.
If your child has not yet received all of the immunizations required for school entry, don’t wait. Take action now to get them protected before school begins. Make an appointment with your child’s doctor, or call the health department’s immunization clinic at 517-541-2630 in Eaton County or 269-798-4133 in Barry County.
If you are not sure if your child is up to date, please contact their doctor or the BEDHD immunization clinic to review their records.
