The Importance of Back-to-School Vaccines for Kids and Well-Child Checkups

Besides new backpacks and shoes, parents should consider back-to-school immunizations and well-child check-ups as summer ends. Some kids have gotten behind in their regular vaccinations, but now is a great time to catch up.

We never know what awaits our little ones every school year, but vaccines have proven to safeguard children for many years, reducing once-common illnesses like mumps and measles to rarities.

In addition to school-required vaccines, the HPV vaccine is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for kids between the ages of 9 and 12 years old to prevent six different types of cancer.

Illnesses spread quickly in classrooms, and that is why it is so important to ensure your child gets a yearly influenza and COVID-19 vaccine to help protect them from those severe respiratory viruses that spread during the school year.

Additionally, you can also protect your children from the following diseases through vaccination:

• Rubella

• Diphtheria

• Tetanus

• Pertussis (whooping cough)

• Polio

• Hepatitis A and B

• Chickenpox

• Haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB)

• Neisseria meningitidis

• Pneumonia

Your primary care provider and your local health department can assist you in getting your child these vaccinations. Even if you don't have insurance, the Vaccines for Children in Montana Program is available to those who qualify.

We insist on seat belts, helmets, and other safety precautions to protect our children, and vaccines are just one more way we work to keep our children healthy and safe.

Along with vaccinations, it is very important to ensure your child gets a yearly check-up from your primary care provider. Well-child visits serve many purposes, but they are primarily an opportunity for your provider to ensure your child is growing and developing correctly. It is important to catch delays and disorders as early as possible to ensure children get the necessary treatment in a timely manner.

So, as you go through the back-to-school checklist, do not forget to add a well-child check to the schedule. Being prepared will ensure you and your child have a great start to the school year.

For more information and to make an appointment, visit intermountainhealth.org/mt.