Children Immunization
updated: Aug 06, 2012, 11:00 AM

Source: The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department

Back To School Means Making Sure Children Are Immunized!

With the start of the school year just a few weeks away, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is urging parents to make sure their child's immunizations are up to date. By law, California schools must review children's immunization records to ensure that students have received all required immunizations for school entry.

Children entering kindergarten are required to be immunized against specific diseases such as polio, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, and hepatitis b. Students entering the 7th grade are required to have a Tdap booster which provides protection against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.

"Physicians and schools do an excellent job working with families to make sure children get the immunizations they need before they enter school," said Dr. Charity Thoman, Deputy Health Officer for the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department. "Making sure that children receive their immunizations is one of the most important things parents can do to ensure their children's health-as well as the health of friends, classmates, and others in the community." For more information about school immunization requirements, visit www.shotsforschool.org, contact your child's physician, school nurse or the Public Health Department Immunization Program at 346-8420.

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