Experts remind parents about importance of back-to-school health checks

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – A child wellness exam is an annual back-to-school ritual to make sure they’re growing and thriving and protected from infection with the proper immunizations.

“Our mobile health center is in the community we alternate weekends and throughout the week we offer vaccinations for the uninsured as well as school physicals and health exams,” said Jennifer Reilly-Miller, Director of Nursing

Kids entering childcare, daycare, pre-k, and kindergarten need to have up-to-date vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella, or M.M.R, the varicella vaccine for chicken pox, the combination vaccine of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, or DTaP,  the polio vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine and the vaccine for hepatitis-B.

Kids between the ages of 10 and 11 should get a tetanus booster and meningococcal vaccine to protect against meningitis.

And last but not least, the flu vaccine is recommended every year for both kids and adults.

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“By not getting vaccinated you put yourself at risk for illnesses which are definitely preventable. many of these can be very chronic in nature and really affect the children’s overall health and wellness,” Reilly-Miller said.

There are free immunization programs in both Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

• From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Saturday, Aug. 13, at Memorial Primary Care Center, at 4105 Pembroke Rd., in Hollywood.

• From 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., on Friday, Aug. 12, at Broward Health System’s Cora E. Braynon Family Health Center, at 200 NW Seventh Ave., in Fort Lauderdale, and at the Pompano Pediatric Primary Care Center, 601 W. Atlantic Blvd., in Pompano Beach. Immunizations are free and physicals are $30.

UHealth also has a pediatric mobile clinic that provides free medical care to kids including annual physicals, check-ups, vaccines/immunizations, screenings, and well-visits.

Their schedule for August is here: https://umiamihealth.org/treatments-services/pediatrics/uhealth-community-pediatrics-program/uhealth-pediatric-mobile-clinic/uhealth-pediatric-mobile-clinic-monthly-schedule