From promoting a healthier lifestyle to complying with certain school requirements, there are many reasons to vaccinate your child. Childhood vaccines protect children from serious and potentially fatal diseases such as measles, meningitis, polio, tetanus and more. By vaccinating your child as an infant, you are helping to protect them, and the immunocompromised and elderly population around them.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on-time vaccination throughout childhood is essential because it helps provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases. Vaccines are tested to ensure that they are safe and effective for children to receive at the recommended ages.
It’s important to stay on schedule and track your child’s immunizations. Here are some helpful cheat sheets to keep you organized:
Note that the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services requires students have a minimum of six vaccines to attend school. These include:
- Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTP, DTaP)
- Hepatitis B
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
- Meningococcal Conjugate
- Polio
- Varicella (Chickenpox)
Learn more information and get the guidelines here. There are other vaccines you may want to discuss with your child’s pediatrician including the HPV vaccine. According to the American Cancer Society, this vaccine can prevent more than 90% of HPV cancers when given at the recommended ages, between 9 and 12 years old. You can ask your health plan if this and other vaccines are included in your benefits.
Keeping track of vaccines
You may be wondering – how do I keep track of all these immunizations?
There are a variety of ways to track your child’s immunizations. Download these immunization schedules from the CDC to help you stay on track. In Michigan, there is also a state resource called the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR) which seeks to collect reliable immunization information. There you can find tips for finding old records, immunization forms and FAQs.
Vaccines are Preventive Care
Vaccines are considered preventive care and are covered through most health insurance plans.
Many health insurance providers and medical networks also offer online tools to track your medical history, including immunizations. Phone apps and online tools allow users to see their health timeline, schedule appointments, view lab results and record vital information such as immunizations, allergies and health issues. Priority Health members can learn more about their preventive care benefits or access their plan-specific information here.
Paying for these immunizations doesn’t have to break the bank. Since vaccines keep your children healthy and avoid the onset of disease, they are considered preventive care and are covered through most health insurance plans. Immunization services for children age 0-18 who are enrolled in group or individual health plans have access to vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) with no copayments or other cost sharing requirements when provided by an in-network provider.
Keeping your child healthy by protecting them against preventable diseases is important. Make your life a little easier by keeping track of immunization records and making sure you are scheduling the vaccine appointments at the right time. If your child has a pediatrician or primary care provider, they will help keep you on track at each well-child checkup.
