Boy receiving a shotIt’s mid-August and many families are in the middle of the mad dash to get the kids ready for the coming school year. There are school supplies and clothes to buy, forms to fill out, busing/carpool schedules to arrange, and, if needed, ensuring that after school childcare is in place.

Then of course, there is the emotional side of getting the kids ready for school. Many kids get a little anxious about going back to school. For parents with children just starting kindergarten, there is a lot of time spent talking about what to expect and reassuring little ones that school will be fun. There may also be some battles over changes
in routine. In the summer, bedtime schedules are more lax, but with the start of a new school year, bedtimes and other routines go back to being a little more structured.

As part of the “back to school” process, many schools require proof that a child is up to date on immunizations against a variety of diseases. While no
one likes to get a shot, vaccines greatly reduce your child’s risk of serious illness and it can also reduce the
risk for others. Diseases have fewer chances to take hold in a community, when more of the population is up to date
on vaccinations.

Furthermore, high-risk people, like the elderly or individuals with health issues, gain protection when the people around them are immunized. If you want to learn more about immunization and vaccines, MedlinePlus has a great page with links to all sorts of information pertaining to
immunization.

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