Medical Experts Urging Teens To Keep Up With Vaccinations
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A new call to action by several leading medical groups aims to combat disturbingly low vaccination rates among adolescents.
Normally you think of vaccinations for infants and young kids, but it's really important for teens too, reports CBS2's Dr. Max Gomez.
When adolescents go off to school, they're exposed to any number of potentially serious, even deadly diseases.
Pediatricians want to make sure teens are fully protected, such as 15-year-old Andrew Stemberger. His dad, Allen, makes sure he sees the pediatrician once a year.
"My job as a parent is to keep them as healthy and protected as possible," said Allen.
Andrew isn't due for any shots now, but next year when he turns 16, a few are recommended.
Since vaccination rates remain low for adolescents, several leading medical groups are urging the establishment of a 16-year-old immunization visit.
Dr. Jay Berger is the chief medical officer at ProHEALTH Care in New York.
"It gives the opportunity for the pediatricians and families to sit down and review the vaccine schedule and find if there are any holes," said Berger.
Among the vaccines teens can get at that visit are the meningitis B vaccine and the second dose of the meningitis vaccine that protects against several other strains. The first dose is usually given at age 11 or 12.
"In addition, our teenage vaccines include the human papillomavirus, the HPV vaccine, which we give usually starting at 11 but sometimes we catch up or start at later in the teen years," said Berger.
Data shows only 44% of kids complete the meningitis vaccine by their 18th birthday, and only 49% of adolescents have received the full HPV series.
Allen says his son will continue to get his vaccines as recommended.
"Because if he doesn't, then he falls behind and he goes to college and you're never going to see him," he said. "Making sure he's prepped out now is important."
Many colleges now require the meningitis vaccine in addition to the usual childhood vaccines, but parents should not wait for one vaccine: The flu shot. Last year a disproportionate number of flu deaths occurred in children and adolescents, so get it now.
