HOUSTON – Texas schools require immunizations against preventable diseases and most of what’s required will be given before students enroll in Kindergarten.
Shots given before Pre-K/Kindergarten:
- Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP/DTP/DT/Td/Tdap)
- Polio (IPV)
- Measles/mumps/rubella (MMR)
- Chickenpox (varicella)
- At 9 years old, the HPV vaccine is recommended.
It’s been proven to prevent several types of cancers (cervical, vaginal, vulvar, anal, mouth, throat, head and neck cancers), and getting the vaccine before puberty helps the body respond best.
“When your immune system is green, you respond well and that is the case with all vaccines. So, hence, the recommendation to start young so that they are already immune and they have robust immunity for the virus,” explained pediatrician Dr. Suma Manjunath from Kelsey-Seybold Pearland.
By 11 years old, students need a booster of tetanus.
They can also start the two-dose series of the meningitis vaccine at this age. If your student is headed to a college campus, the meningitis vaccine needs to be complete by the time they go.
“All college-age kids are required to have taken two doses of the meningococcal vaccine,” Dr. Manjunath explained. “Meningococcal B vaccine is also available. That is the first type that is not covered in the four quadrivalent vaccine.”
If you are in need of any of these vaccines but don’t have insurance or can’t afford them, search your zipcode on the Health and Human Services website to find free or low-cost vaccines at a health center near you.
You can also call 311 if you live in the city of Houston to find a health clinic.
Q:
What if you’ve lost track and don’t know if you’re up to date?
A:
Your pediatrician has a record of these vaccines, even if you switched pediatricians.
It’s also available on MyChart if your doctor uses that.
There’s also a state website called Immtrac that you can register to be on and that’s accessible to you, your doctors and schools.