Starting kindergarten in the UAE? Here’s what parents need to know about vaccines

Dubai: For parents, getting a child ready for kindergarten usually means thinking about uniforms, school bags, lunch boxes, and those all-important first-day nerves. But there is another item that should be checked before the school year begins, the child’s vaccination record.

Health experts across the UAE are urging parents to review vaccination records early, particularly if a child has received vaccines in another country or if parents are unsure whether any doses have been missed.

The key point is that children should be up to date with the vaccines appropriate for their age under the UAE national immunisation programme and any applicable school or local health authority requirements.

For Dr. Sundus Khuder, consultant paediatrician at RAK Hospital, the first step is not just asking whether a child has been vaccinated, but checking whether the vaccinations were given at the right time and in the right sequence.

By around kindergarten age, children should already have received the routine infant and early-childhood vaccines covering illnesses such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib, hepatitis B, pneumococcal disease, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, and meningococcal disease, as applicable to the schedule followed.

“The important point is not simply that the child ‘has been vaccinated,’ but that the number of doses, ages at administration, and intervals between doses are appropriate,” Khuder told Gulf News.

She has advised parents to take the child’s official vaccination card or record to a paediatrician, primary healthcare centre, or school-health service and have it compared with the UAE’s age-appropriate schedule.

A vaccination check is easier when it is done weeks rather than days before school begins.

Dr. Ensiyeh Rahimi, specialist in infectious diseases at Laser Medical Centre, has urged parents to review their child’s vaccination card or digital record several weeks before school starts. 

“Records issued outside the UAE should clearly show the vaccine names and administration dates,” shared Rahimi.

If doses are missing or the record is unclear, parents should consult an authorised vaccination centre. A healthcare professional can then create an age-appropriate catch-up plan based on the child’s previous vaccinations.

Rahimi has noted that children reaching the five-year vaccination visit should have their records reviewed for the vaccines and boosters due under the current UAE national immunisation programme, including any outstanding booster or varicella doses.

Children who do not have documentation of two valid MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) doses should also be assessed by a healthcare professional.

Moreover, she has pointed to seasonal influenza vaccination, which is recommended for eligible children from six months of age.

The reason vaccination becomes important when children enter school is simple, they are suddenly spending more time in close contact with other children.

“Vaccination is more than a school requirement, it is an essential step in giving every child a healthy and protected start to school.”

Rahimi has emphasised that vaccination protects not only the child but also classmates, family members, and vulnerable people in the wider community.

For some parents, the biggest concern is not finding the vaccination record but deciding what to do when several vaccines are due.

Dr. Siddharth Arora, specialist paediatrician at Medcare Women and Children Hospital, has revealed that parents commonly ask about side effects, multiple vaccines being given during the same visit, and whether children still need vaccines against diseases that may appear uncommon.

He has encouraged parents to raise those questions with their paediatrician.

“Most vaccine-related reactions are mild and temporary, such as soreness at the injection site or a low-grade fever,” described Arora.

Parents should consider these temporary effects alongside the benefits of vaccination and the risks posed by the infections vaccines are designed to prevent. 

Additionally, Arora has advised parents to rely on their child’s healthcare provider and reliable health authorities when seeking information, rather than social media or informal sources.

Dr. Shahid Gauhar, specialist neonatologist and paediatrician at Prime Hospital, has recommended giving families enough time to deal with any gaps in their child’s vaccination history.

His advice is to arrange a paediatric consultation four to six weeks before school starts. Parents should take all vaccination cards and previous medical records to the appointment, including records from another country.

The paediatrician can then compare the documented doses with the child’s age and work out whether any vaccinations are outstanding.

Depending on the child’s age and previous doses, boosters for DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis), polio, and chickenpox may be due around five to six years. 

After completing the required doses, parents should obtain an updated vaccination certificate for the school.

He has also addressed questions many parents have when their child is slightly unwell.

“Most vaccine reactions, such as mild fever, soreness, or swelling, are temporary. Serious reactions are extremely rare. Scientific evidence confirms that recommended vaccines do not cause autism and that giving multiple vaccines during one visit is safe,” explained Gauhar.

He added, “Vaccination review should be considered an essential part of school readiness.”

For a child starting kindergarten, the vaccination check does not have to become another source of stress. The first step is simply to find the vaccination card or digital record and have it reviewed by a healthcare professional. 

If a dose has been missed, parents should not assume the vaccination series has to begin again. And if parents have concerns about side effects, doctors encourage them to ask.

As children take their first steps into UAE classrooms, doctors say the goal is to make sure their vaccinations are up to date for their age, their records are in order, and any outstanding doses are addressed well before the first school bell rings.