Help Teens Understand Vaccines

August is National Immunization Awareness Month and a good time to help your teens with special needs learn about and get control of their personal medical records regarding immunizations.

Keeping Track of Vaccines Can Be Overwhelming

For any young person, keeping track of the dozens of immunizations currently recommended can be a daunting task. But, for teens with special needs, it can feel downright overwhelming.

Yet, in a few short years, many of your students will be responsible for keeping track of their own records.

Help them get a handle on this vitally important adult skill with this free lesson on vaccinations.

In this lesson, students will:

1. Be directed to the CDC: The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has the latest information on recommended vaccinations and cutting edge research.

2. Check vaccination schedules for their gender and age. Students can compare this schedule against their vaccination records to determine if they’re caught up on all required shots.

3. Create a Plan of Action. Students can then list missing doses and create a plan to catch up with necessary vaccines before they go off to college or encounter additional risk factors.

Addressing the Vaccine Controversy

If you need help in discussing this controversial subject, Staying Healthy from Daily Living Skills has a clear discussion on vaccinations. Spoiler alert: this book does decidedly come down on the side of the CDC and most reputable science that finds vaccines do not cause autism and are a life-saving step in personal health and public safety.

For Further Information

More ideas for teaching teens with special needs to take care of their health are offered in Staying Healthy from the Daily Living Skills Series. Written on a 3rd/4th-grade level, these workbooks, nevertheless, honor a teen’s sensibilities and maturity while meeting Indicator 13 skills and federally mandated transition services for teens with special needs.