Immunization
If you fi nd keeping track of your child’s immunizations overwhelming, talk to your health care provider
older siblings who are not adequately immunized. Even kids fully immunized before starting kindergarten are at risk for contracting and spreading pertussis. Regardless of previous vaccinations, children should receive a Tdap booster at age 11 to protect themselves and the infants with whom they come in contact. You can’t be too careful in getting your Tdap booster. This immunization is so important it is given to teens during ado- lescent pregnancy, to ensure protection of the newborn.
Most people are familiar with tetanus or lockjaw, although it is relatively rare. The disease is caused by bacteria found in soil, dust and water and causes severe muscle spasms. In some cases, the muscle spasms are so severe they pre- vent the person from breathing, leading to respiratory arrest and death. Diphtheria, like tetanus, is rare in most developed countries. Diphtheria begins with coldlike symptoms, a runny nose and mild fever. The toxin released by diphtheria produces a thick lining that coats the back
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of the throat and nose, eventually blocking the airway. Additionally, it can cause heart arrhythmias, damage to nerves and organ failure. One in fi ve children infected with diphtheria will not survive.
Hep A and Hep B
Hepatitis A, a virus that infects the liver, is spread through oral contact with infected feces. Because the virus is so contagious, even a microscopic amount of ingested hepatitis A can infect the liver. Luckily, rates of hepatitis A have dropped dramatically since the introduction of the immunization in 1995. Even if it’s not required prior to school entry, your child should receive the hepatitis A immuniza- tion if traveling anywhere outside the U.S. (with the exception of Canada, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan). It’s also important to ensure pro- tection against hepatitis A if your child has contact with an adoptee from a country with a high incidence of hepatitis A. Hepatitis B also infects the liver, although it’s spread through body fl uids, blood and
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