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Archives / 2016 / August
  • National Immunization Awareness Month, week four: Making the most of adolescence

    By Perdita Henry

    The Texas Department of State Health Services is wrapping up the final week of National Immunization Awareness Month by focusing on pre-teens and teens. Once your young patients reach the age of 11, it’s recommended that they receive Tdap, HPV, meningococcal vaccines and catch up on any immunizations they may have missed. ImmTrac is a convenient tool that allows parents to keep track of vaccination schedules as their children age. Also many of your pre-teen and teen patients may be eligible to participate in the Texas Vaccines for Children Program, which provides low-cost vaccines for children from birth through age 18.

    If you are looking for additional support in the vaccination conversation with caretakers, visit ImmunizeTexasOrderForm.com. There you will find the Love Them & Protect Them ImmTrac brochure, the childhood immunization schedule, the Halt HPV brochure, and much more.

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  • National Immunization Awareness Month, week three: Keeping little ones safe

    Tags: NIAM, immunizations, DSHS

    By Perdita Henry

    Texas Department of State Health Services is kicking off week three of National Immunization Awareness Month by focusing on infants and children through age six. Did you know that there’s a website that can assist the busy parents of your littlest patients keep track of immunization schedules? ImmTrac is an online portal that allows parents to register and keep track of their child’s vaccination schedule. Safe and secure, ImmTrac is a convenient tool that can help new parents make sure they are keeping their little ones safe.

    DSHS also notes that many of your tiny patients may be eligible for Texas Vaccines for Children Program which aims to ensure that all families have the tools to protect their children from vaccine-preventable diseases.

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  • National Immunization Awareness Month, week two: Keep mama and baby safe during pregnancy

    Tags: NIAM, immunizations, DSHS

    By Perdita Henry

    August is National Immunization Awareness Month and this week’s focus is on immunizations that keep pregnant women and babies healthy across the state. The Texas Department of State Health Services offers resources to help you educate your patients on the importance of vaccines during pregnancy. The Pertussis Cocooning brochure, Protect Two from the Flu brochure, and the ImmTrac newborn consent are just a few of the documents currently available for download at ImmunizeTexasOrderForm.com.

    If you are planning an NIAM activity or event and would like to have it featured on the Regional Events and Activities map, fill out the NIAM activity form and email it to Linc Allen, Coalitions and Partnerships Coordinator at linc.allen@dshs.state.tx.us.

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  • A Texas-sized problem: Texas has among the highest rate of hepatitis C, lowest HPV vaccination numbers in the U.S.

    Tags: HPV, immunizations, hepatitis B

    Untitled Document

    By Carolyn Aldigé and Erich M. Sturgis, MD, MPH

    As a family physician, your patients rely on you — not just for annual check-ups, diagnoses, prescriptions, and treatments, but also to inform them of what they need to know to enjoy long, healthy lives. But a growing number of patients say they are not getting much-needed guidance from their primary care physicians on a major public health problem: certain viruses that can lead to cancer.

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