Vaccines Are Our Best Shot to Keep Georgia Children Healthy.
Protecting your child from disease may be the most important thing you can do for his health. Immunizations help keep children safe from diseases that once struck routinely.
Vaccines have done a great job getting rid of these diseases or making them very rare. So most Georgia parents have never known the fears of earlier generations. Before vaccines, almost every parent could expect his or her child to get some of the illnesses listed on the back of this brochure. Hundreds sometimes thousands - of people died each year from them. Today. vaccines protect most Georgia children from these deadly illnesses.

Vaccines Protect Your Child from These Diseases

Diphtheria is a bacterium that causes a throat infection so bad a patient can't swallow or breathe. It can make a poison in the body that can cause heart failure or paralysis. The "D" part of the DTaP, DTP or Td vaccine protects against it.
Hepatitis Type B is a virus that can cause liver damage. Many people who get it become lifelong carriers and can infect others. Hepatitis B vaccine protects against it.
Hib (Haemophilu5 influenzae type b) is a bacterium that causes meningitis, a swelling of the brain covering. It can also cause very bad ,throat or joint infections, pneumonia and hearing loss. Hib vaccine has been very successful in preventing this disease in young children.
Measles is a very contagious virus that causes a high fever and rash. It can lead to ear infections, pneumonia or swelling in the brain. The first "M" in the MMR vaccine protects against measles.
Mumps causes painful swelling around the cheeks and jaw. The virus can result in hearing loss or meningitis. The second "M" in the MMR vaccine protects children from mumps.
Pertussis (whooping cough) causes. coughing spells so violent that a child can't breathe, eat or drink. The virus can lead to pneumonia, seizures or even a coma. The "P" part of the DTaP or DTP vaccine protects against whooping cough.
Polio is a virus that can paralyze people, make their muscles weak or cause them to need a machine to help them breathe. IPV or OPV protects against the disease.
Rubella (German Measles) can harm unborn babies early in pregnancy. The "R" in the MMR vaccine protects against rubella.
Tetanus (lockjaw) causes muscle spasms so bad they can break bones. The bacteria get into the body through a wound. The "T" in DTaP, DTP or Td protects children. Everyone needs a tetanus booster every 10 years.
Varicella Zoster (chickenpox) is a virus that causes itching and blisters. It can be severe in some people and can lead to pneumonia or skin infections. Varicella vaccine was added as a requirement to attend day care and school in Georgia beginning August I, 2000.

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Georgia Chapter
American Academy of Pediatrics

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DPH OO.SHW Form 3193 (Rev. 7-2002)

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Georgia Immunization Requirements for Day Care and School Attendance
Information for Parents
Georgia Department of Human Resources Division of Public Health
Georgia Immunization Program Two Peachtree St., W, 13th Floor, Suite 447 . Atlanta. GA 30303-3186
www.health.state.ga.us/programs/immunization 404-657 -3158

Georgia Requirements
Your child needs to be up-to-date on immunizations to enter school or attend day care. Vaccines help keep him and his friends well, and it's the law in Georgia.

Georgia law requires that all children who attend day care and enter school be protected against these diseases: diphtheria, hepatitis B, Hib, measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis, tetanus, varicella (chickenpox) and polio.

Georgia requirements are based on the schedule

Your child's

recommended by doctors and scientists:

doctor or clinic can the Advisory Committee on Immunization

answer any questions Practices, the American Academy of

you might have about Pediatrics, and the American Academy of

vaccines and the

Family Physicians. There are other shots

schedule.

you may also want your child to have, and

scientists are working to find new vaccines to

protect against even more diseases. And remember

that your child may need boosters such as tetanus later

in life.

A Parent's Responsibility

Protect Your Child from Disease Be sure to make those well checkup appointments during your child's early years. At each visit, check to see if your child's immunizations are up-to-date. If he gets behind, ask your doctor to help him catch up. Keep your own complete record of your child's shots. This is very important in
case you move or change health-care providers. Ask your doctor or clinic for an immunization record and take it to each visit to be updated.

Required Form for Day Care and School Attendance

The immunization form you need for your child to attend

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day care or school in Georgia is

called "Georgia Department of

Human Resources Certificate

of Immunization, FOnD 3231."

Your child's immunization

record must be reviewed by a Georgia doctor or health clinic to get the certificate. Your job is to be sure to ask

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your child's doctor or clinic

to give you a new certificate

each time your child has a shot. Then take it to your child's day care or school.

Each facility your child attends should have a copy of the certificate on file.

A photocopy is OK. For instance, if your second-grader goes to an after-school

program at a private day care center, the school may have the original and the

day care a photocopy.

To register for school in Georgia, your child will also need a Form 3300 "HearingIVisionlDental Form," a birth certificate, Social Security card and proof of residence.

Age Requirements

Younger than 4: New Shot, New Certificate, New Expiration Date

Babies and children who attend day care must show proof that their

shots are up-to-date for their age. Since children are scheduled for

shots at many of the well checkups during their early years, you will

need to get a new immunization certificate each time your child

gets new shots.

The doctor will mark a new "Date of Expiration" on each new

certificate - that's the date your child is due for another shot. A child

whose certificate has not been replaced within 30 days after the "Date

of Expiration" is not allowed to attend school or day care in Georgia.

Be sure to take this new certificate to your child's

school or day care.

The number

4 or Older: X Marks the Spot When children are four to six years old, most will complete the shot schedule they need to enter school and protect them from serious diseases.
When your child reaches this milestone, the doctor will mark an "X" in the "Complete for School Attendance"

of shots - and the dates on the form -
are diHerent depending on your
child's age.

box on the certificate. This certificate with the "X" mark

does not expire and is the last one the child will need for school.

Children registering for school at age five years or older must have

proof of immunization against all the diseases listed on the back of this

brochure except Hib.

Catching up If a child's record does not meet the requirements, he may attend day care or school while he is catching up. Your doctor or clinic will mark a new expiration date on the form 3231 each times he gets a new shot until all requirements are met.
The number of doses a child receives depends on the age when he enters school and when he started getting his shots.