<p>While your child is getting a physical, I’d recommend an EKG & cholesterol test. Make a medical statistics spreadsheet for him/her to load in computer with height, weight, blood type, allergies, blood pressure, pulse, cholesterol, meds etc. Have it updated after each physical.</p>
<p>Meningitis still spreads through college campuses that require the shot as students/families are still able to sign a waiver to receive exemption. The waiver literally is more of a ‘hold harmless’ agreement for the university in that the student, family, and heirs waive all rights to legal action against the university if the student gets meningitis (or hep B, if that’s the waiver).</p>
<p>I’m not making a case for or against the vaccines. That’s a very personal belief that I won’t even tread near. What I am pointing out is a policy of ‘all students must be vaccinated’ does not mean that all are.</p>
<p>How tragic, TXAggie! I read that this is the second case at Texas A&M this year.
In regard to the requirements, it may take time for states and colleges to catch up with this new recommendation for a booster. Colleges may consider the shot that was given at age 11 or 12 to be sufficient, but it is not. Medical knowledge advances from experience, and the surveillance now shows that antibodies wear off, which also may be accounting for some of the cases. Other cases may involve strains that are not in the vaccine, which unfortunately can also cause the disease, albeit less commonly.</p>
<p>I checked the CDC website and cannot find an easy way to get info on exactly what is needed. There are PDF files by type of vaccine, etc, but I just want to plug in my kids age and have it tell me what is needed. Is there someplace that makes this less confusing?</p>
<p>Thanks for the alert!</p>
<p>crizello, take a look at the website of the American Academy of Pediatrics. It has vaccination schedules, including those for adolescents.</p>
<p>crizello, I agree that it is not easy to decipher this, and the American Academy of Pediatrics has just reproduced the chart from the CDC, so it is the same thing. It is not clear on the chart that this meningitis booster is recommended - it is in a footnote! I am concerned that some providers might actually miss this unless specifically informed of this new recommendation.
Some of the state immunization registries are set up to “recommend” specific immunizations for your child based on his or her immunization history - but only health providers access these.
I am gratified that this message has so many hits on CC. If you think of other ways of getting the word out - please do it! For example, I have sent a message to our school PTO parents’ email group, as well as to the parent engagement coordinator for our school district and a couple of organizations that work with students in the district. Other ideas are more than welcome!</p>
<p>I emailed our school principal. She said the nurse was in the process of developing something for the students & parents. I will pass it along when I get it. I sent it to all my friends pointing out items 3 & 10. I will also bring it to my son’s doctor.</p>
<p>Thanks, FlMathmom! As many of you know, “herd immunity” contributes greatly to the control of infectious disease, so getting the word out any way you can is important.</p>