The back to school frenzy is in full swing as parents and students prepare for the start of the new school year. At the 4th annual Back to School Bonanza held at Lufkin's First United Methodist church in August, our staff from Angelina Pediatrics and the Children's Clinic try to alleviate some of the running around by screening 402 Angelina County school aged children to determined whether or not they had met the immunization requirements of their school districts. Angelina Pediatrics nurse practitioner, Robyn DeVore said the number of children screen for immunizations this year was a 50% increase over last year's event. Also this year, our staff immunized 43 children which also included testing for tuberculosis.
Each year, the Children's Clinic and Angelina Pediatrics in collaboration with the Junior League of Lufkin and Buckner Children and Family Services, participants in this community-wide program by providing free immunizations and the certified personnel to administer shots. The importance of having up-to-date immunizations is vital especially as children return back to school and will be in contact with others.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, vaccines save lives from serious and sometimes fatal diseases such as polio and measles. Moreover, vaccines are 90% to 99% effective in preventing disease. By not getting your child immunize, you put your child at risk, as well as other children at their school. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tests all vaccines to ensure that vaccines are safe. To learn more about immunization schedules, please contact at our clinics and/or click on the links to Healthy Children and American Academy of Pediatrics available on our website.
