An immunization is the process of making a person resistant to an infectious disease. Immunizations are done to keep the general public safe and healthy. They are especially important in school settings as children are in close proximity of one another for 8 hours a day. Small children, especially, are susceptible to illnesses and infections because their immune systems do not fully develop until they are around 7 or 8 years old. Even children with strong immune systems are vulnerable to germs because they may lack hygienic maturity—ie washing their hands, using sanitizer, etc.

To keep children safe, Arizona public schools require that students receive immunizations in order to enroll. Here is a list of the immunizations:

  • Hepatitis B (Hep B or HBV)—this vaccine protects your child from serious liver infection
  • Poliomyelitis/Polio (IPV or OPV)—this vaccine protects your child from a virus that destroys nerve cells in the spinal cord and causes muscle wasting and paralysis
  • Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR or MMR-V)—this vaccine protects your child from a viral disease that causes fever and a red rash
  • Varicella (chickenpox) (VAR or MMR-V)—this vaccine protects your child from a rash of itchy inflamed blisters and mild fever
  • Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis—this vaccine protects your child from the following:
    • Diphtheria: a nose and throat infection where a sheet of thick, gray matter covers the back of the throat and makes breathing difficult
    • Tetanus: a bacterial infection that causes painful muscle spasms and death
    • Pertussis: whooping cough
  • Quadrivalent Meningococcal (MenACWY or MCV4)—this vaccine protects your child from infections of the lining of the brain, spinal cord, and bloodstream

Where to Get Immunizations in Phoenix

Pediatrix can ensure that your child’s immunizations are up to date and get your child ready to start the school year. Request an appointment today.