Between studying for tests, extracurricular activities and working to maintain good grades, teenagers are busy and there isn’t time in their schedules for illnesses. Immunizations are one way to protect your teen from diseases.

 

“There have been a number of new immunizations introduced over the past few years,” says Jennifer Ammons, MD, from Roseville Pediatrics and chairman of the Lancaster County Immunization Coalition. “Although some of those vaccines are for younger children, it is important for teens to get caught up.”

 

Important vaccines that are either recommended for teenagers or weren’t available when they were younger include:

 

The HPV vaccine is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for girls ages 11-12. It can be administered as early as age 9 or in females ages 13-26 who have not yet received the 3 dose vaccine series.

 

The vaccine protects against the two types of HPV that cause 70 percent of the cervical cancer cases, and the two types of HPV that cause 90 percent of genital warts cases.

 

“The vaccine does not treat HPV,” Dr. Ammons says. “It must be administered before exposure to
be effective.” Although boys can be carriers of HPV, only girls currently receive the vaccine.

 

Hepatitis A is a virus that can cause a potentially fatal liver disease, but can be prevented by a vaccine.

 

It is typically spread through close personal contact with an infected person. Though infants are now receiving the two-dose vaccine, older kids who have not received the vaccine can be immunized to receive lifelong protection from the virus, Dr. Ammons says.

 

“If you are traveling to a country where Hepatitis A is more common, we strongly recommend immunization at least a month before departure, and ideally six months before.”

 

There’s a chance some teenagers missed the vacirella vaccine for chickenpox, or may have not received the recently recommended booster. It is typically administered to children when they are 12-15 months old, with a booster for children ages 4-6.

 

Anyone older, including teenagers, can still receive the two doses as long as they have not had chickenpox.

 

Meningococcus is the leading cause of the potentially fatal bacterial meningitis in children ages 2-18. The
MCV4 vaccine is now given to children ages 11-12 years, or older if not yet vaccinated.

 

“Before, it was only given to teenagers when they went to college or for military duty,” Dr. Ammons says. “But research has shown that 15-18 are the peak ages at risk for contracting this infection.”

 

The Tdap vaccine protects you from tetanus, a painful tightening of the muscles known as lockjaw; diphtheria, which can lead to breathing problems; and pertusis, or whooping cough.

 

Children ages 11-18 are urged to receive a Tdap booster, since the initial immunization protects a child for about 10 years. “Infants face the most serious consequences from pertusis,” Dr. Ammons says. “So what might be a minor issue for a teenager or an adult could be fatal to an infant.”

 

Check with your pediatrician if you have questions about your child’s immunization schedule, and to answer questions about these vaccinations.