The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) is encouraging parents of students who will be entering seventh grade this coming school year to schedule a well-child visit because children undergo significant physical, emotional and social change as they approach adolescence.
As children prepare to transition from elementary to middle school, ensuring their health and well-being through a well-child visit that includes a comprehensive physical exam is important.
Vaccines help protect children from serious diseases. Many children have not received vaccines since kindergarten, meaning some of the protection they had when they started school has declined. Additionally, an incoming seventh grader is now old enough to receive additional vaccines to prevent other serious diseases.
Staying current with immunizations safeguards children and helps prevent disease outbreaks in schools, contributing to overall health.
Hawai‘i law requires all students to submit official documentation to their school indicating that they have received the required vaccinations and undergone a physical exam before the first day of school.
Before the first day of the 2025-26 school year, all seventh-grade students must provide official documentation of having received the following vaccines:
- Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis vaccine (Tdap)
- Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV)
- Human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV)
Children new to Hawaiʻi schools must also complete a tuberculosis (TB) clearance form with their healthcare provider.
.Well-child visits allow healthcare providers to monitor a child’s growth and development while addressing physical activity, nutrition, health concerns and behaviors.
The Department of Health encourages parents to contact their children’s healthcare provider for more information or to schedule an appointment. Assistance in connecting with a healthcare provider can be obtained via a call to Aloha United Way at 211.
For more information visit www.VaxToSchoolHawaii.com.
