By Joy Pierce Mathews for Summit Medical Group

If you're preparing your preschool, grade school, middle school, or high school student for school,  there are some important steps to take to help keep him or her healthy throughout the school year.

If your child is entering preschool, he or she should be:

• Screened for hearing and vision
• Vaccinated for
  • Diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis
  • Measles/mumps/rubella
  • Polio
  • Hepatitis A and B
  • Chicken pox
  • Influenza
• Tested for food allergies
• Given a dental check up

If your child has an allergy to eggs, click here to read Egg Allergy, Vaccinations, and Your Child. "Research shows that even some people with sensitivity to chicken or egg protein can be vaccinated safely when they are under the care of an allergist," says Summit Medical Group pediatrician Michelle Bender, MD, FAAP. "If you're unsure whether your child should be vaccinated for influenza, be sure to discuss all your child’s allergies with your pediatrician. He or she will tell you whether your child should be vaccinated or referred to our allergists or further evaluation."

If your child is entering grade school, he or she should be:

• Screened for vision problems
• Vaccinated for influenza
• Given a physical examination that includes discussion about all medical conditions, including asthma, diabetes, weight and nutrition concerns, activity level, and allergies as well as attention and behavior problems

Middle school students should be:

• Vaccinated with boosters for tetanus, pertussis, and meningitis

Even if their vaccinations are up to date, adolescents as young as middle school can benefit from having a physical examination and the opportunity to discuss other concerns, including emotional, sexual, and medical issues with their physician at the start of the school year. In addition to getting boosters for certain vaccines, some adolescent boys and girls are being vaccinated with Gardasil® to protect against the human papillomavirus (HPV) that is associated with risk for cervical and other cancers. Click here if you’d like to read more about sexually transmitted infections.

Click here to print Questions for Your Doctor that your adolescent can take to his or her doctor’s appointment. Having it handy can help your child remember important things to ask the doctor.

For more information or to schedule an appointment,
please call Summit Medical Group Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
at 908-273-4300.