Yes, Vaccines Still Matter—Here’s Why Back-to-School Checkups Are Non-Negotiable

As summer winds down and the back-to-school checklists come out, there’s one item I hope every parent prioritizes this year:

✅ Wellness checkups
✅ Sports physicals
✅ Immunizations

These aren’t just boxes to tick—they’re meaningful ways we protect our children’s health and give them the strongest possible start to the school year.

According to a recent article from the Statesman, these preventive visits remain essential for tracking growth, catching emerging concerns early, and ensuring children are fully protected against vaccine-preventable diseases.

🧠 Why This Still Matters (Even in 2025)

In today’s world, conversations around vaccines have become more politicized than ever. With public figures like RFK Jr. and others questioning long-standing immunization guidance, some families feel understandably confused or concerned.

Here’s what I want you to know as a physician, mother, and advocate for evidence-based care:

• Vaccines remain one of the safest, most effective public health tools we have.
  
• They’ve saved millions of lives and prevented countless outbreaks—from measles and mumps to meningitis and HPV-related cancers.
  
• Delaying or skipping them doesn’t just impact your child—it affects the entire school community, including immunocompromised classmates who rely on herd immunity.
  
  

This isn’t about politics. It’s about protection, prevention, and public health.

👩‍⚕️ The Full Power of a Well Visit

Back-to-school appointments aren’t just about shots. These visits offer:

• A full growth and development screening
  
• Vision and hearing checks
  
• Mental health conversations
  
• Support for nutrition, sleep, and stress—especially important for tweens and teens
  

They also give you, as a parent, a chance to ask the questions you really want answered.

💬 A Gentle Reminder with Big Impact

As a physician who sees the ripple effects of missed checkups and under-vaccination, I can’t stress this enough:

A single well-visit can change a child’s school year—and sometimes even their life.

If you haven’t scheduled that appointment yet, now’s the time.

And if you’re on the fence about vaccines, I’m always here to talk it through—judgment-free, science-backed, and with your family’s wellness at heart.