For families with school-aged children, August is a transitional month. The looser, lazier days of summer give way to busy school and fall-activity schedules. Kids rejoin their friends in classrooms and cafeterias. It’s a time for community and gathering—which also makes it a time to ensure that we take steps to keep all our children healthy.

It’s no coincidence that August is National Immunization Awareness Month. Schools are settings in which communicable illnesses can easily spread. Fortunately, today’s childhood immunizations have virtually eliminated many of the most dangerous diseases.

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To learn more about Family Medicine Services at Prowers Medical Center or to schedule an appointment, call 719-336-6767 or visit prowersmedical.com

“Immunizations are a very effective way to prevent illness,” said Prowers Medical Center Family Nurse Practitioner Kelli Bitner. “People used to die in droves from diseases like measles. Entire communities would be wiped out. But now, thanks to routine vaccination, children and families are much safer.”

Vaccine Schedules

Staying current with your children’s vaccinations is one of the best ways to help them remain healthy.

Prowers Medical Center follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination schedules. Scientifically tested, perfected and tracked over decades in millions of Americans, the vaccines that prevent diseases like whooping cough, mumps, and hepatitis A have proven highly effective and safe.

“I want parents to inform themselves about vaccine science and recommendations,” Bitner said. “Education from reputable sources is important. The Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics are the best authorities on vaccinations in children.”

CDC vaccine schedules are extensive and complex. And what about kids who may have missed some check-ups and fallen behind on their vaccine schedules? Understandably, this happened a lot during the pandemic. When you bring your children in to Prowers Medical Center for all their recommended well-child exams, providers will check the children’s Colorado Immunization Information System records and make sure they’re staying up-to-date on their many vaccinations.

Combination Vaccines

The more dangerous illnesses we can prevent with vaccinations, the better. But as the list of nearly eradicated diseases grows longer, so do the number of shots children need. It can seem like a lot.

But that’s where combination vaccines come in. Over the years, medical scientists have tested combining several vaccines into one immunization. The Tdap vaccine, for example, protects children against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) with just one shot.

“Combination vaccines are what we use here,” Bitner said, “which means fewer shots. And some vaccines can be taken orally.”

The Flu Vaccine

According to Bitner, most parents who bring their families to Prowers Medical Center agree that keeping their children’s vaccinations current is important. But the flu vaccine is too often seen as optional.

“It’s a common misconception that the flu vaccine can give you the flu,” Bitner said. “It can’t. The shot does not contain a live virus. What it does do is activate your immune system, and that’s why some people get mild symptoms like fever, muscle aches and fatigue after a flu shot.”

Influenza itself, however, is dangerous, Bitner emphasized—especially in children younger than 5. It can even be fatal. While the flu vaccine doesn’t always prevent children from getting a mild case of the flu, it does protect them from severe symptoms and death.

Community Benefits

Not only do childhood vaccinations help keep kids healthy—they help everyone stay healthy. When more people are vaccinated, communicable diseases can’t spread. Instead, they die out.

“Community immunity is one of the main benefits of vaccinating all children,” Bitner said. “It helps keep your family healthy and benefits your whole community, too. It also helps protect vulnerable and ill children who can’t get vaccinated.”