Back to School Immunizations: The Key to Keeping Your Child Healthy this School Year
Niccole LaDue
| 2 min read
Vaccinations are a very important and necessary part of keeping your children healthy. All school-aged children, from preschool to college, need vaccinations to prevent infectious illness. And although it’s rare, communicable disease outbreaks still happen. For example, in 2019, there were reported cases of measles in 28 different states.
Making sure your child is up to date on his or her vaccinations is one of the best ways to ensure your child’s long term health. If you’re not sure what vaccinations are required for Michigan schools, visit the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, for more information. College-aged students may have additional requirements specific to the program they’re enrolled in. Be sure to check with the college for vaccination information. Many colleges offer vaccinations on-site at their health centers.
For vaccination schedules by age, click the links below from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If you think you missed a vaccination, use the Catchup Immunization Scheduler developed by the CDC and Georgia Tech. This tool allows parents, or healthcare providers, to view a list of your child’s current vaccines and generate a personalized vaccination schedule based on your child’s age.
Talk to your child’s physician or contact your local health department to get your child scheduled for his or her vaccinations.
Photo credit: lmgorthand
