Pre-College Vaccinations
Most of us are familiar with the vaccination requirements for infants and small children, though they have changed a bit over the years. Thanks to the immunizations available to us today, many of the dreaded childhood diseases that plagued past generations, as well as their complications, have been virtually eliminated in this country.
What you may not realize is that in the last few years, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have begun to require or strongly recommend a number of immunizations for adolescents and young adults. Some are newly available vaccines that can protect adults from serious diseases, and others are ‘boosters’ for some of the childhood vaccines that don’t provide lifelong protection.
One of the most important adolescent vaccinations for you to consider for your adolescent or college bound child is the Meningitis or Meningococcal vaccine. In some states, the law requires this immunization before entering college, and most colleges and universities strongly recommend it.
Meningococcal disease is rare, but it is a very serious and potentially fatal bacterial infection. It is dangerous because its symptoms are very similar to other less serious illnesses such as the flu, but the disease becomes very serious within 24 hours, and can kill an otherwise healthy person in 48 hours or less. The CDC states that up to 1 in 5 people who get meningococcal disease will die. Of those who survive, 1 in 5 will suffer from permanent disabilities, such as brain damage.
The reason this vaccine is recommended for adolescents and young adults is that the disease is spread through close personal contact, and the incidence of the disease increases among populations who live or work in close quarters, such as high schools, college dorms or military barracks. The meningococcal vaccine has been demonstrated to be safe, and offers protection against 4 of the 5 most common strains of bacteria that cause the disease.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE FOR PARENTS
PLEASE remember to call or email the nurse with ANY new health or medication information that pertains to your child! When you write a note to the teacher or principal about illness or medication changes, please send a copy to me as well. The more informed the nurse is, the better prepared she will be to help your child at school. If she doesn’t have all the facts, she might make the wrong assumptions about your child’s complaints or problems, and waste precious time trying to help him.