HHS HealthBeat (September 28, 2009)

Do you have this school supply?

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ted Pestorius with HHS HealthBeat.

Bookbag, yeah. Paper, pencils, calculator, yeah. And there’s something else many kids may need for school – a meningitis vaccination.

Bacterial meningitis can spread from person to person, and can be life-threatening. Pre-teens, adolescents, and college freshmen who live in dormitories are at an increased risk. But it can be prevented with a vaccine.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Amanda Cohn:

[Dr. Amanda Cohn speaks] "There’s a vaccine that doctors recommend kids get at their 11- to 12-year-old annual check-up. For the kids who missed the vaccine during their 11- to 12-year-old visit, it’s definitely not too late to get vaccinated, especially right before going to college."

The infection can be treated with antibiotics. But up to one quarter of kids die or have long-term consequences such as losing a limb or having problems hearing.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ted Pestorius.

Last revised: September, 28 2009