family by Avera Health
Get Immunizations to
Protect Your Whole Family With the start of the school year on the horizon, a rush of kids will make their appointments for annual physicals and well-child checks. Immunization shots are another important part of keeping children and teens ready for summer as well as the next school year – summer goes fast! But kids aren’t the only ones who need to keep up with their shots — adults also are at risk for illnesses immunization can effectively prevent. That’s the word from Ashley VanDyke, DO, Avera Medical Group family physician. She said some vaccinations, including tetanus and pertussis, need to be updated regularly throughout adulthood so that we maintain a continued immunity. “We want kids to stay healthy, but part of ensuring your child’s health is also staying healthy yourself,” VanDyke said. “Vaccination for things such as the flu and whooping cough can help you do that. I encourage all parents to discuss vaccinations with their family physician. They can explain recommendations and answer your questions.” Here’s a rundown of which immunizations are necessary at certain ages:
•B efore kindergarten: Children ages 4 – 6 should receive four vaccines, including the DTaP, which prevents tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and diphtheria (bacterial infection); MMR, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella; varicella, that wards off chicken pox; and the polio vaccine.
•F ifth and sixth grade: Physicians recommend that kids ages 11 – 12 get three vaccines: Tdap, the booster immunization against tetanus, pertussis and diphtheria; the HPV vaccine that prevents several types of cancers; and the meningitis vaccine.
62 |
July/August 2017 | thehoodmagazine.com
• High School: Adolescents ages 16– 18 should visit their physician for a meningitis booster.
• Adults: Men and women ages 19–60 should get a TdaP booster every 10 years. Recently physicians have seen an increasing number of children and infants diagnosed with whooping cough, a highly contagious respiratory sickness. The number of whooping cough cases reported in 2014 increased 18 percent from the previous year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Many infants who get pertussis get it from caregivers and siblings who might not even know they have the disease. VanDyke said boosters for other members of the family can prevent that. “One of the best ways to stop the spread of whooping cough in infants is to ensure parents, family members and anyone coming into contact with baby has been vaccinated,” VanDyke said. “Ask your provider if you are in need of a Tdap booster, especially if you are around infants and children.” Adults (ages 60 and older) should discuss shingles and pneumonia vaccinations with their doctor. Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash, and it’s the same virus that causes chicken pox. If you’ve ever had chicken pox, the virus can reactivate years later as shingles. n