School is a great way for kids to spend time with one another and build social skills with their peers. However with so many students in such close proximity, the possibility of illnesses being transmitted also increases drastically.

Keeping up with your children's vaccine schedule is the best way of ensuring they build up an immunity to dangerous diseases like measles, diphtheria, and polio at an early age. If you have children entering school for the first time this fall, you should make sure their vaccines are up to date.

Dr. David Torr, a medical health officer with the SAH, explains:

"There are boosters at the 4-6 year age group. So children going to school should be up to date with their immunizations. If not, we have schedules to help them catch up."

There are also boosters for students going into grade 6 and grade 8. The reason for spacing out the timing of these booster shots is due to the rate at which children develop.

"We want the children to get immunity at the earliest possible time. With the vaccines we have, research has shown that immunizations are most beneficial at combating specific diseases at specific times."

Children are at particular risk for diseases such as measles, polio, and diphtheria because their immune systems are still developing. In parts of the world where immunization policies are not as thorough, these diseases are making a comeback with dire consequences.

"A lot of these children who have not been immunized and contract these infections get a quite serious illness first of all and then quite serious complications from the illness. Measles can cause inflammation of the brain and ear and polio can result in life-long paralysis of certain muscles."

In the past, some vaccines were less refined than they are now and there were rare cases when people could experience reactions to the immunization. Nowadays, however, with the progress made in vaccines, Dr. Torr says there is almost no chance of patients suffering similar reactions.

"The risks are like one in a million. Now vaccines are very safe. The thing you have to look at is the benefit of the vaccine versus the risk of getting the actual infection. The infection has many more potential dangers that it can cause."

With this in mind, Dr. Torr recommends that everyone follow their immunizations schedules as closely as possible. Even adults should track when they need to get their tetanus boosters as these need to be updated about every 10 years. If you don't remember when your's or your child's next vaccination is scheduled for, just call the public health office and they can check their records to tell you when you need to come in next.