Preparing your child to return to the classroom also means making sure they are protected from infectious diseases. Getting your children vaccinated and making sure their shots are up-to-date will protect them for a lifetime, say medical experts.

Onequa Crump, who keeps track of immunizations in three-year-olds in Richmond County, urges parents to start immunizing their children after the school year finishes in June. She says parents that immunize their children over the summer avoid the rush before school starts. They should also wait until their children are at least four years old before they begin the vaccine regiment required by schools.

“Vaccinations are important public health measures that prevent the spread of deadly infectious diseases like Meningitis, Measles, and Polio,” said Judith S. Palfrey, MD, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Studies show modern vaccines are safe and effective.”

Before allowing your child to come in contact with other children at school, be aware of the immunization requirements your child must meet before the academic year begins.

According to Immunize North Carolina, children must have five doses of the Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis vaccine, four doses of the Polio vaccine, two doses of the Measles vaccine, two doses of the Mumps vaccine, one dose of the Rubella vaccine, four doses of the Haemophilus Influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine, three doses of the Hepatitis B vaccine, and one dose of the Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine.

State law says every parent or guardian is responsible for making sure the child receives the required immunizations.

If parents do not immunize their children before the school year, they are given chances to get their children’s shot during registration. Crump says she and a nurse are there in case a child needs a shot in order to complete registration.

“Some parents don’t want their children to associate shots with school, so they decline these shots we offer,” says Crump.

Parents who have not immunized their children when school starts will receive a letter from the nurse. If after a second letter the child has still not had his or her shots, they will not be allowed to return to school until after they meet immunization requirements, according to Crump.

Vaccines for school-age children can be free at the Health Department for those who meet the qualifications and Crump says the majority of Richmond County parents comply with the requirements.

“Unimmunized children are at risk of getting sick and dying of preventable illnesses,” Palfrey says. “For example, before the 1980s, there were about 20,000 cases of Hib disease, a leading cause of bacterial meningitis, which can be fatal. Now that we have a Hib vaccine, the number of cases a year in the United States has dropped to fewer than 100. However, the bacteria that causes Hib disease still exists, which is why children need the vaccine.”

Dawn Kurry can be reached at dkurry@yourdailyjournal.com or by calling 997-3111 ext. 15.