August 2007
Are Back-to-School Vaccinations up to Date?
With about a month before the new school year starts, it’s time for parents to schedule their children for a checkup. Parents should use this time to make sure their child has all the immunizations they need to return to school or childcare.
Washington state law requires that all students have a Certificate of Immunization Status on file with their local public or private school or licensed child care center. If a child has had the measles, mumps, rubella (German measles) or chickenpox, a documentation of immunity with test results and a health care provider’s signature may be substituted. Parents may claim a medical, personal or religious exemption, with the understanding that their child may be excluded from school, preschool or childcare if there is an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease.
Here are required vaccines, as listed by the Washington State Department of Health:
Varicella (Chickenpox) – one dose is given on or after the first birthday or parent-reported history of the disease. This year it is required for students entering Kindergarten (ages 4-6), first grade, and sixth grade. Recommended, but not required, for other grades.
Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (Whooping Cough) – five doses of pertussis-containing vaccine (DTP or DTaP) are recommended; four doses are acceptable for children entering Kindergarten, provided the last dose is given on or after the 4th birthday. The Tdap vaccine is required for students attending sixth grade, who are age 11 years, and if it has been five or more years since they received a vaccine containing tetanus (DTaP, DT, or Td). The Tdap vaccine protects older children against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.
Polio – four doses are recommended; three doses are acceptable, provided the last dose was given on or after the 4th birthday. Required for all grades, K-12.
Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) – two doses of MMR are recommended; two doses of measles, one dose of mumps and one dose of rubella are acceptable. In either case, they must both be given on or after the first birthday and at least 28 days apart. Required for all grades, K-12.
Hepatitis B – three doses are required for students in grades K-9; three doses are recommended, but not required, for students in grades 11-12.
Beyond the requirements, the Department of Health and the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate (Hib) vaccine for babies; the Meningococcal vaccine (MCV4) for children ages 11-12, or age 15, or at college entrance if living in dorms; the Pneumococcal vaccine for ages 2-23 months and high-risk children ages 2-5 years; the Influenza vaccine annually for children 6-23 months and high risk children 6 months and older; and Hepatitis A vaccine (HepA), ideally administered in two doses, six months apart, at age 12-23 months. The newly available HPV vaccine, which protects against most types of the virus that causes cervical cancer, is recommended for girls ages 11-26. It is given in three doses over a six-month period.
For more information, contact:
The Washington State Department of Health Immunization Program, 1-866-397-0337, www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/immunize.
CHILD Profile and its immunization registry, 1-800-325-5599, www.childprofile.org.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, English/Spanish Hotline, 1-800-232-4636, www.cdc.gov – Click on “Healthy Living,” then on “Vaccinations and Immunizations.”
For help finding an immunization clinic or for free immunizations for families who cannot afford them, call your local county health department or the Family Health Hotline, 1-800-322-2588, www.withinreachwa.org.
To read about “The Debate on How Much to Vaccinate,” click here. To read “Is Your Child Physically Ready for School?” including information on well-child, ear and eye exams, click here.
A good resource for parents with concerns about whether to vaccinate is Developmental Delay Resources, a non-profit organization dedicated to meeting the needs of those working with children who have developmental delays in sensory motor, language, social, and emotional areas. DDR publicizes research into determining identifiable factors that would put a child at risk and maintains a registry, tracking possible trends. Go to www.devdelay.org and click on “Areas of Research” or “Vaccines” in the side menu.
This summary was compiled by Wenda Reed and by staff at the Washington State Department of Health.
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