In his monthly column, Dr. Kent Herbert answers your questions related to health care matters. Simply submit your question to stefaniw@newfalconherald.com. It’s your chance to ask the doc.Question: What can I do to prepare my kids to stay healthy as they go back to school?Answer: With school starting in about a month, it is not too soon to prepare for going back to school. This is true for medical issues as well, and there are several things to think about when making these preparations. We often think of well-child visits for infants and toddlers, but it is recommended that all children have a preventative visit and examination each year throughout childhood. This is a time to review growth and development, prevention of disease, eating habits, activity levels and safety issues. In addition, recently there have been significant changes to the recommended immunization schedule, so it is important to review these annually to make sure they are up-to-date.Summer is an excellent time for the well-child visit because children are typically healthier, and it doesn’t take time away from school. A thorough physical examination when they are healthy is important for children. While children are generally free from chronic diseases, there are several, such as testicular cancer that peak in the teenage and young adult years, and need to be part of a routine checkup. Education is very important as well, and time is spent during the well-child visit to teach kids what to look for as a sign of disease.Students in sixth grade and higher in Falcon School District 49 are now required to get the TDaP immunization. TDaP came out in 2005 and is similar to the standard tetanus shot, but adds protection against diphtheria and pertussis as well.Tetanus, or lockjaw, is a severe infection that is usually transmitted through contaminated wounds; it causes a locking up of all muscles of the body. It is rare but very serious, causing death in two out of every 10 people who get it. Some people wait until they cut themselves or step on a nail to get a tetanus shot, but it is far better to receive the vaccine beforehand, and a routine tetanus immunization lasts five to seven years.Diphtheria is a severe infection of the throat and was once thought to be eradicated but is making a comeback. In 1991, in the former Soviet Union, there were 2,000 cases of diphtheria, but after its breakup, immunization rates dropped dramatically, and in 1998, there were 200,000 cases. By requiring the booster in sixth grade, such resurgence should be prevented in the United States.Pertussis, or whooping cough, is an upper respiratory infection that causes severe chest colds and sometimes pneumonia, and it’s fairly common, with about 25,000 cases in the United States each year. Of these cases, about 15,000 are found in adolescents and young adults because younger children are typically regularly immunized before age 5. Because the protection wears off after several years, the TDaP booster can eliminate most of these cases.Several other vaccines are now recommended for teenagers as well. Gardasil is a new vaccine for HPV, or human papilloma virus, which is the virus that causes cervical cancer and genital warts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends routine immunization for girls at age 11-12 and as young as age 9. Gardasil is given as a three-shot series over six months and can be given at the same time as the TDaP.Also available and recommended is the meningococcal vaccine, which protects against meningitis, a severe infection of the lining of the brain. Meningitis is rare but potentially fatal if contracted, so prevention is extremely important. Many outbreaks of meningitis have been seen on college campuses, so most colleges now require the vaccine. It is a one-time shot that used to be given to high school seniors but now can be given to much younger children to give them earlier protection.Finally, the adult pneumonia shot is now approved for use in children as young as age 2, so this can be given at a well-child visit and will protect against the most common and severe types of pneumonia.There are many things to do to prepare to go back to school, and these medical issues are among them. Scheduling a preventative well-child exam, with a review of immunizations, is a good way to make sure these are done. By doing so, you can make sure your child stays at his or her healthiest for the school year.Dr. Kent HerbertBoard-Certified Family PhysicianFalcon Family Medicine7641 McLaughlin RoadFalcon, CO 80831(719) 494-2006(719) 494-8448 faxwww.FalconFamilyMedicine.com
