It is back-to-school season and this is a Nerdy Girl reminder for parents and carers to make sure your child’s vaccinations are up to date.
Here are a few reasons why your child’s immunizations should be part of your harm reduction toolbox:
1) Vaccines help prevent diseases and can be lifesaving. When you get a vaccine, it primes your immune system and trains it to recognize and fight off a specific pathogen. This way, if you come across this pathogen in the future, your body already knows how to fight it off, and you don’t get sick or get less sick. It’s like practicing before a big game so you’re ready when it really matters!
2) Vaccines are safe. Vaccines go through a rigorous safety assessment process before and after they become available. Yes, they may come with some side-effects, such as fever, irritation at site of injection, and soreness, but the benefits of protecting against severe disease outweigh these factors.
3) Vaccines provide an immunity wall to protect other children who are immunocompromised due to medical conditions or too young to be vaccinated.
Talk with your healthcare team about which vaccines are due for your children and make a plan to get them ASAP. You can get them at your child’s doctor or at a pharmacy. The U.S. directory of how and where to get childhood vaccines based on zip code could also be a helpful start. Additionally, you can find information about your child’s vaccine insurance coverage here.
If you can’t find your child’s vaccination records , the CDC recommends that you try to get a copy from your child’s doctor, your state’s immunization registry, or your child’s school.
➡ Do you have a child that gets very anxious about getting a vaccine? Here are some tips on how to talk to kids about vaccines and help ease their anxiety:
How do I talk to kids about vaccines?
➡ And if you want to learn more about how to talk to a family member who’s hesitant about vaccines, check out this earlier post:
I want to help my friends overcome vaccine hesitancy. How do I give a strong vaccine recommendation?
🖥 Scroll through the slides below for a list of the required vaccinations if your child is entering Preschool, Kindergarten, and Middle or High School.
Stay safe, and get that shot to avoid vaccine-preventable diseases!
Love,
Those Nerdy Girls
Resources:
How are vaccines developed, and how do we know they are safe? — Those Nerdy Girls
Your child needs vaccines as they grow! 2024 Recommended Immunizations for Birth Through 6 Years Old – CDC
Find pharmacies near you – Vaccines.gov
SchoolVaxView | SchoolVaxView – CDC
Five Important Reasons to Vaccinate Your Child – HHS
Safety Information by Vaccine | Vaccine Safety – CDC
Keeping Track of Records | Childhood Vaccines | CDC
How do I talk to kids about vaccines? — Those Nerdy Girls
I want to help my friends overcome vaccine hesitancy. How do I give a strong vaccine
recommendation? — Those Nerdy Girls
Paying for Vaccines – Vaccinate Your Family
Find pharmacies near you – Vaccines.gov
