Back-to-School Vaccines Are Often Overlooked — Is Your Child Up to Date?

Back-to-school season is a busy time: There are school forms to complete, supplies to buy, and daily schedules to be overhauled and reorganized. With so much to do, it’s easy to overlook your child’s vaccination record, especially if you think they’re already up to date.

When it comes to school-age vaccines, many parents think they only need to keep up with the ones required by their school district. However, school requirements only cover the baseline. Vaccines play an essential role in helping your child stay healthy all year round — especially in close environments like classrooms where germs spread easily. 

At Bridgewater Primary Care & Cardiology, LLC, John Terzian, MD, FACC, and his team offer complete primary care services, including preventive care like vaccines. In this post, learn why vaccines are so important for kids of all ages and what you can do to ensure your child is fully immunized.

Know the schedule

Maybe you recall the seemingly complex vaccination schedule from your child’s infancy and preschool years. Tracking those requirements takes effort, and keeping up with what they need as they grow is no different.

Fortunately, the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other health agencies keep up-to-date lists of vaccine recommendations for kids of all ages (as well as their parents). Comparing your child’s vaccine records with the online list of recommendations can help you stay on track.

If you don’t have complete records, our team will help you determine which vaccines your child needs, according to the guidelines and other health-related recommendations we may have.

Vaccines aren’t just for younger kids

Many parents associate vaccinations with infancy and early childhood, but important vaccines are also recommended for preteens/teens to adults. This includes annual flu vaccines.

For preteens and teens, several important vaccine updates can easily be overlooked, particularly if your child hasn't had a recent physical. The Tdap vaccine is a good example. Initially given during the early years of childhood, immunity starts to wane by the preteen years. Having a Tdap at age 11 or 12 preserves your child’s immunity to tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough (pertussis).

The HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine is also recommended for preteens and teens. This vaccine protects against several HPV strains that increase the risk of certain types of cancer. In fact, because HPV is so common, this vaccine can be given as early as age 9. Preteens and teens should also receive meningococcal vaccination, with routine doses recommended at ages 11–12 and 16.

For Massachusetts families, some of these vaccines are also tied to school entry requirements. Specifically, for the 2026–2027 school year, Massachusetts requires Tdap vaccination for students entering grades 7–12. The state also has meningococcal vaccination requirements for students in grades 7–12, with the specific requirement depending on the grade. You can find the complete list of school requirements here. 

What if your child missed a vaccine?

A missed dose doesn’t automatically mean starting an entire vaccine series over. During your child’s visit, we'll review their health records and provide “catch-up” recommendations to make sure they stay protected. 

Scheduling a back-to-school physical allows us to review your child’s immunization record and make sure they start the school year on healthy footing. Book an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Bridgewater Primary Care & Cardiology in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, today.