Keeping Up-to-Date on your Child's Immunizations

CLICK HERE to download soundbites, b-roll, script and web article.

For download password, contact ccnewsservice@ccf.org.

CLEVELAND - August is National Immunization Awareness Month.

With school just around the corner, it’s a good reminder for parents to make sure their kids are up-to-date on all vaccines. 

“Vaccines are incredibly important for our kids. They help to protect us against diseases that can be severely debilitating and sometimes even life threatening,” said Kimberly Giuliano, MD, pediatrician for Cleveland Clinic Children’s. “So, it's tough to think about a poke or something that's going to produce a little bit of anxiety for your child. But, when you think about the alternative, having your child in the ICU or having them pass away, really, it's an easy choice to make.”

Dr. Giuliano said vaccine requirements depend on the child’s age.

For example, those going into kindergarten will need to get a series of booster shots, which include T-dap, polio, MMR and chicken pox.

Around 11 years old, they’ll be due for another T-dap booster shot, as well as the meningococcal vaccine, which protects against certain types of bacterial infections, and the HPV vaccine for human papilloma virus-associated cancers.

“National data still shows that we haven't recovered completely from the pandemic and that there are some families who continue to have some hesitancy regarding vaccines,” said Dr. Giuliano. “However, we are starting to see a shift in families wanting to have more dialogue with their pediatricians related to vaccines. And we do know that families who talk to their pediatrician about the vaccines are more likely to ultimately immunize their child.”

Dr. Giuliano said with children heading back to school, it’s also a good idea to get them vaccinated for influenza – especially if they have any underlying medical issues like asthma or diabetes.