Get Healthy Carson City: Back to school time: Is your child ready?

This column appears in the Nevada Appeal’s Tuesday health pages. It addresses topics related to the health of our community.

The first day of another school year is right around the corner. For some in our community, this means letting go of summer, updating clothing, acquiring school supplies, and organizing schedules in a new way. It also means locating a record of immunization to see what is needed. Certain immunizations are required in Nevada for youth in day cares, public or private schools, and Nevada universities. Requirements to protect against communicable disease such as Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, Polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and chicken pox have been in place for quite some time in Nevada. For the 2017-2018 school year, Nevada has added Neisseria meningitides (meningitis) to the list. Youth enrolling in seventh grade, as well as freshman enrolling in a Nevada university, will now need to show proof of immunization against meningitis.

The included chart provides a more detailed look at the number of doses of each vaccine that are required and the typical age a child might receive these doses. The names used in the chart are similar to the alphabet soup that is found on most immunization records as they include abbreviations for the required vaccines.

The chart of immunization requirements is designed to make reviewing your child’s vaccination record as easy as counting 1, 2, 3 ... However, we here at CCHHS understand that it is not always that simple. Interpreting an immunization record can be overwhelming. We stand ready to help! Please feel free to walk-in during our routine Thursday Immunization Hours, 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-4 p.m., throughout the year. We will also be hosting special Back to School Immunization Days Aug. 14-18 and Aug. 21 during the same times as our Thursday hours mentioned above.

Breastfeeding support and WIC services are just two areas CCHHS is here for the community. For additional information about Health Department services, check out our website at gethealthycarsoncity.org or visit us at http://www.facebook.com/cchhs.