wellness
CDC: How to navigate vaccinations for your family
Today’s technology provides so much
information that learning the essentials
about an important topic like vaccination
can be overwhelming.
Vaccines play an important role in
keeping you and your family members
healthy, and when you make sure everyone
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receives the recommended vaccines
at the right ages, you will be helping to
protect them before they are exposed to
serious and potentially life-threatening
illnesses.
Th e Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) has launched a new
interactive guide (cdc.gov/vaccines/growing)
to help navigate the vaccines recommended
at each stage of life. Th is resource
teaches families about vaccine-preventable
diseases - like fl u, whooping cough
and HPV cancers - and highlights the
recommended timing for key immunizations.
Here’s a quick rundown of what you
need to know about vaccines at diff erent
ages.
Pregnancy
Did you know that when you get vaccinated,
you pass along some of the protection
to your baby? If you are pregnant
or plan to become pregnant, vaccination
is an important step in keeping you
and your baby healthy. Pregnant women
should always get a yearly fl u shot. In the
third trimester of every pregnancy, you
should get the whooping cough vaccine
(Tdap). Talk to your doctor about other
vaccines you may need before, during and
aft er becoming pregnant.
Infant and toddler years
Many of the diseases that vaccines prevent
can be especially serious for young
children. Making sure your babies get
all the recommended vaccines on time
is the best way for you to protect them
from 14 serious diseases before the age
of 2 years old. Check the interactive
guide for the full recommended immunization
schedule that is designed to
protect your babies early, before they
are exposed to potentially life-threatening
diseases.
Preschool and elementary
school years
From ages 3 through 6, your children
need additional doses of chickenpox
(varicella) vaccine; measles, mumps,
rubella (MMR) vaccine; polio vaccine
and Tdap vaccine, as well as a fl u vaccine
every year. From ages 7 through 10, your
children should continue to get a fl u vaccine
every year, by the end of October if
possible. Keep in mind that schools may
require a certifi cate of immunization to
enroll. If your children have missed any
vaccines, work with your doctor or nurse
to make sure they get caught up.
Preteen and teen years
As protection from childhood vaccines
wears off , adolescents will need booster
shots to extend immunity. Th ey will
also need protection from other diseases
before their risk of exposure increases.
Preteens need four vaccines to provide
protection now and in the future:
Tdap vaccine to protect against tetanus,
diphtheria and whooping cough; human
papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to protect
against cancers caused by HPV; meningococcal
vaccine to protect against meningitis;
and a yearly fl u vaccine. If you
have adolescents or teens that plan to
travel outside the Unites States, check
to see if additional vaccines are recommended.
Also, make sure they are up-todate
on all their vaccinations before they
head to college.
Into adulthood
While you are busy keeping your children’s
vaccines up-to-date, don’t forget
about yourself! All adults need a fl u vaccine
every year by the end of October,
if possible, as well as a tetanus and
diphtheria (Td) vaccine every 10 years.
Healthy adults 50 years and older should
get a shingles vaccine. Adults 65 years or
older need one dose of pneumococcal
conjugate vaccine (PCV13) followed by
one dose of pneumococcal polysaccharide
vaccine (PPSV23). Adults younger
than 65 years who have certain health
conditions like heart disease, diabetes,
cancer or HIV may also need one or
both of these vaccines.
Other vaccines may be recommended
at various stages of life based on health
conditions, job, lifestyle or travel habits.
Th e CDC’s new interactive tool provides
families with information on the
importance of on-time vaccination and
a detailed look at the vaccine schedule.
Find it at cdc.gov/vaccines/growing,
along with a guide you can print and
bring to your next doctor’s visit.
Courtesy BPT
/WWW.QNS.COM
