Time for a Check Up? [Productivity @ Home]
On Tuesdays, I share my thoughts on Family Life.
With the advent of the school year, I fine my desk and Google calendar cluttered with a proliferation of meetings, back to school nights, field trips, and other school related events. In addition to all of these responsibilities, both of my boys birthdays occur in September, making planning a real challenge.
Another thing that normally takes priority during September around our home is scheduling health appointments. While I always have the best of intentions about getting these out of the way in the summer months, I never seem to manage to do it. So September becomes the month for scheduling dental, physician, orthodontic and vision appointments.
Here’s some helpful planning information to help you determine if you need to be scheduling medical appointments for your family. According to PR Newswire:
discount store aisles filled with notebooks, pencils and lunch boxes.
And more than likely you’ve heard from your kids, who are begging for
the latest fashions before they step foot in the cafeteria. This is
also a good time to remember preventive care for your children and
teenagers.
“As parents start to think about back to school preparation, it’s
very important they make sure that their ‘tweens’ and teens get
recommended immunizations and a vision screening,” said Dr. Barry
Malinowski, medical director for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in
Ohio and a practicing pediatrician. “September is the perfect time to
schedule appointments with health care providers so that adolescents
are up to date on vaccines and that eye disease is detected and
prevented.”
Immunizations are not just for infants; they’re for adolescents as well.
– Influenza vaccine is recommended annually for all children and
adolescents, 6 months to 18 years. The best time to receive it is at
the beginning of flu season, however, the vaccination can be given
later.
– Meningococcal vaccine is recommended for all adolescents age
11-12 and at age 13-18 if not previously vaccinated. In addition,
college freshmen who plan to live in dormitories should be revaccinated.
– Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Tdap) is recommended for all
adolescents age 11-12 who have not received a tetanus and diphtheria
toxoids vaccine (Td) booster dose. Adolescents age 13-18 who missed the
11-12 Tdap dose, or received Td only, are encouraged to receive a Tdap
five years after their last Td/DTaP.
– Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine: All children should receive two
doses of the varicella vaccine at age 12-15 months and 4-6 years.
– Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all children and
adolescents who didn’t receive the hepatitis B vaccine series as
infants.
– Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR): All children should
receive two doses of the MMR vaccine. The first is recommended at ages
12-15 months and the second at ages 4-6. If not received previously,
children and adolescents age 7-18 should be vaccinated.
These recommendations may not apply to everyone, in every case, so
parents should be sure and talk to their health care provider about
what’s right for their child.
Vision
“A regular eye exam is a crucial part of back-to-school planning and
a successful school experience,” said Malinowski. “While most parents
schedule annual physicals and dental appointments, it’s easy to
overlook an annual eye exam as an essential part of any preventive
health routine.”
in fewer activities than their “sighted” peers, didn’t regularly spend
as much time with friends and were more dependent on their parents for
transportation. Studies also show that 80 percent of learning in
children occurs visually, and approximately one in four school-aged
children have visual disabilities which affects their ability to learn.
On the Bookshelf:
YOU: The Owner’s Manual, Updated and Expanded Edition: An Insider’s Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger
Related Resources:
Original post here: Lisa M. Hendey
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