Citizens Memorial Hospital | Vitality | Winter 2020

Even during COVID-19, don’t skip your child’s shots Families are focused on staying healthy during the pandemic. And that’s the right thing to do. But health experts have an important reminder for parents. COVID-19 prevention shouldn’t mean skipping your child’s vaccines. Vaccines help protect kids of all ages from serious diseases. Those include diseases like whooping cough and measles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends children get many of their shots by age 2. Despite that recommendation, it seems that fewer kids have been getting their shots during the coronavirus crisis. SCHEDULEYOUR CHILD’S SHOTS Doctors’ offices are taking steps to keep their patients safe during checkups and vaccine visits. If you think you may have fallen behind on your child’s shots, talk to their doctor. They can fill you in on vaccine recommendations for your child. Here are some shots that kids of different ages may need. CHILDREN’S HEALTH TIMETO CATCH UP If you’ve delayed well-child care during the pandemic, your provider can help you get back on track. Home, safe home for baby Do you have a little one on the way? If so, it’s a good time to check your home for hidden hazards and make it as safe as possible for your baby. Follow these tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Office on Women’s Health. Store hazards away from baby. Certain items should be stored out of sight and out of reach, such as inside a locked cabinet, long before your baby starts to crawl and get into things. Among them: » Cleaning products. » Dish and laundry soaps. » Nail polishes and makeup. » Medicines and supplements. Keep an eye out for small objects. Get into the habit of checking rooms (especially floors) for small objects that pose swallowing or choking risks. This includes button batteries, beads, coins and any older siblings’ toy parts. Remove small refrigerator magnets that could fall onto the floor. Make sure your crib meets current safety standards. Older models may not. Visi t cpsc.gov or call 800-638-2772 to find out. Baby-proof your home. Here are some steps you can take before your baby learns to crawl, toddle and walk: » Cover electrical sockets. » Use safety gates to block stairs or unsafe areas, like bathrooms, kitchens and laundry areas. » Set your water heater to 125 degrees or lower. Hotter water can cause bad burns. » Use hardware kits (available at stores) to secure bookcases or TVs that could tip over. » Make sure your baby cannot reach cords from window blinds. They can strangle a baby. Infants and toddlers (birth to age 2 years) » DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis). » MMR (measles, mumps and rubella). » Chickenpox. » Pneumonia. » Hepatitis A and B. » Polio. Preschoolers and school- aged kids (ages 3 to 10) » DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis). » MMR (measles, mumps and rubella). » Chickenpox. » Polio. Preteens and teens (ages 11 to 18) » HPV. » Meningitis. » Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis). citizensmemorial.com 7