| Photo by Governo do Estado de São Paulo via Wikimedia Commons
NEW YORK – With the first day of public school opening on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, the NYC Health + Hospitals is reminding parents and guardians to schedule appointments for wellness checks and immunizations for children before that day. They can call for appointments for pediatric and adolescent services available at NYC Health + Hospitals locations citywide at little or no cost at 844-NYC-4NYC (844-692-4692).
“As we send our children back to school, we are acutely cognizant of the number of new infections that our children have been exposed to over the last two years, from COVID-19, its Omicron variant, and the new possibility of polio in the New York City and Tri-State Area,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Machelle Allen, MD. “Therefore, it is of utmost importance that all children remain up to date with their well visits and immunizations. In addition, children benefit most when the family lives a healthy lifestyle including healthy foods, plenty of exercise, and a good night’s sleep.”
New York City requires all children attending child care, public school, or private school to meet specific health requirements. New students must get a physical exam, including vision and hearing screenings. Your child’s NYC Health + Hospitals provider will fill out a form to bring home and show their school before the start of class. Kids receiving child care for the first time, including Pre-K, must also be tested for anemia and the presence of lead. Lead exposure in children can cause:
- Learning and behavioral problems
- Damage to the brain and nervous system
- Slowed growth and development
- Hearing and speech problems
Vaccines protect children from getting and spreading diseases that can make them sick. Kids aged two months to 18 years are required to get the following immunizations before attending class:
- DTaP (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis)
- Poliovirus
- MMR (measles-mumps-rubella)
- Varicella
- Hepatitis B
“A child’s readiness for school is built on a foundation of family and community support, as well as the mental and physical wellbeing of both the child and their family,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Assistant Vice President of Pediatrics Katherine Piwnica-Worms, MD, MHS. “A child’s pediatric primary care medical home is a core component to addressing many of these needs, from staying up to date on preventive care like vaccinations and vision screening, to addressing emerging physical and mental health needs, and helping families to navigate social determinants of health community referral needs.”
According to NYC Health + Hospitals, vaccination is also the best way to reduce COVID-19 risk. NYC Health + Hospitals offers the Pfizer vaccine to patients ages six months to 17 years. It said that shots are safe, effective, and available in the pediatric practices of any of their hospitals.
For a child six months to four years old and an NYC Health + Hospitals patient, they suggest calling the child’s pediatrician to schedule an appointment. For five to 17, they can schedule an appointment for their children’s vaccine here.
If a child is not an NYC Health + Hospitals patient, they suggest using the City’s Vaccine Finder or calling 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692) to schedule an appointment.
NYC Health + Hospitals also recommend flu vaccines which have been updated for the 2022-2023 season. It said children younger than five years old are at higher risk of developing serious flu-related complications, including pneumonia and dehydration. In rare cases, it can lead to death. Also, they can receive the flu vaccine simultaneously as all other vaccines, including the one to protect against COVID-19.
NYC Health + Hospitals also offers parents and guardians eight pieces of health advice to help children prepare for the school year, including vaccination requirements, flu shots, nutrition, sleep, setting routines, and more.
–With Jay Domingo/PDM
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