The next school year will be here before we know it. Get your child’s required school vaccine appointment scheduled now so you don’t have to worry about it the rest of the summer.
To keep students healthy and present in school, Iowa has health requirements for enrollment in specific grades:
- Kindergarten: There are five required vaccines to enroll in kindergarten: DTaP, Polio, MMR, Hepatitis B and Varicella.
- Seventh Grade: The Tdap booster and Meningococcal vaccine are required. The HPV vaccine is strongly recommended.
- 12th Grade: Two doses of the Meningococcal vaccine are required.
If your child does not have the required vaccinations, they could be withheld from school or school activities until they get them.
It is also required that students have proof of vision screenings if enrolling in kindergarten or third grade and proof of dental screenings if enrolling in kindergarten or ninth grade.
To learn more about student health requirements for schools, visit the Iowa Department of Education website.
Schedule an immunization appointment with your family doctor or, if your child is eligible for the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, you can make an appointment at the Dallas County Public Health Department.
In order to qualify for VFC, your child must be Medicaid enrolled, uninsured, underinsured or American Indian or Alaskan Native. Call the Dallas County Public Health Department at 515-993-3750 to schedule an appointment. Spots are limited and fill up quickly, so plan ahead.
Even if your child is not entering one of the grades with health requirements, now is a good time to schedule their yearly check-ups with their physician and eye doctor and to plan a bi-annual visit with their dentist to ensure your youngsters are healthy and ready for the school year.
Talk to your child’s primary care provider if you have any questions about school health requirements.
Natalie Peters is the community heath educator in the Dallas County Public Health Department.
