Aug 20, 2008 6:25 pm US/Central
Back-To-School Checkups Provide Key Immunizations
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
No matter what grade your child is about to enter, there's a yearly checklist of back-to-school "to-do's." At the top of the list is the pediatric checkup.
Much more than just filling out the school forms, it's a vital part of your child's healthcare.
"It's good to be healthy," 12-year-old Bane Toure said. "It's good to feel like you're healthy."
Toure actually looks forward to her back-to-school visits, with one exception.
"I don't like taking shots," Toure said.
"I don't want her to go to school and get sick," Bane's mother, Marie Fall, said.
The back-to-school physical is often the only one kids get for the year, so it's important that everything gets done then.
In addition to the basic physical exam, the doctor will check height, weight, hearing, vision and screen for behavioral problems.
"You can know if you're healthy or not, if you're obese…if you're too skinny," Toure said.
"I think a lot of people are, you know, obviously concerned about being up to date on immunizations, which is very important to us," Dr. Kenneth Gottesman, of St. Luke's Hospital, said.
The New Jersey Health Department recently announced that the flu vaccine is now required for preschoolers, and in New York it's strongly encouraged.
"The flue is a miserable disease," Gottesman said. "It's not just a runny nose or cough, it's several days of high temperature and significant illness involved."
Before kindergarten, most kids are due for their boosters of polio, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), chicken pox, and diphtheria tetanus and pertussis (DTP).
At ages 11 to 12, boosters of DTP, the cervical cancer vaccine known as HPV, and the meningitis vaccine are due.
If your child is involved in school sports, issues such as nutrition, training and exercise programs should be discussed. The young athletes should also be screened for overuse and overtraining injuries.
The NYC Department of Health runs an immunization Web site. Doctors can log on to check what shots their patents have received, and parents can learn more about vaccinations.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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