MinuteClinic® Is Your Spot For Back to School Protection! @MinuteClinic #GoBackHealthy #ad

Back to school has started in many parts of the country, and we are getting ready for it as well! As a parent I am always concerned with my son’s back to school needs: proper clothing, classroom supplies, and health!

Planning back to school means we parents have to think ahead. Our kids bed times may be in vacation mode, and changing that, starting a week before school, is super important! I also adjust my son’s eating schedule so he is ready to go back to school knowing that he has to have eaten breakfast, and that lunch is going to be at a certain time for the next 10 months, and not random throughout the day!

Health is also the key to a successful back to school, and this is where the MinuteClinic comes in! The back to school services available at MinuteClinic include acne services, sports physicals and vaccinations.  If you are thinking that the order of importance that I wrote these is reversed, then I am guessing that you do not have a teenager in the house! My son just turned 13 a few months ago, and he is all about skin care! I love his new fondness for cleanliness!

MinuteClinic offers personalized consultations and treatment recommendations for all ages:
-They diagnose and treat your acne and can provide prescriptions (Accutane patients and severe acne cases will be directed to other healthcare providers).
-No appointment necessary.
-Available 7 days a week, including evenings and weekends.
-Most insurance is accepted.

A teenager cannot wait weeks for a dermatologist appointment! Their entire social life depends on them getting immediate help! He was happy to join me in the store to look at our acne fighting options:

Here Are Tips for Preventing Acne, My Son Has Been Studying These:
1. Keep your face clean: wash your face twice daily.
2. Moisturize and look for “noncomedogenic” on the moisturizer’s label, which means it should not cause acne.
3. Try an over-the-counter acne product: these contain ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, or others. That is what I grew up using.
4. Use makeup sparingly.
5. Watch what you put on your hair: use a gentle shampoo and conditioner. If your hair is oily, those oils may get onto your face and clog your pores.
6. Keep your hands off your face. Oil from your hands can easily be transferred to your face.
7. Stay out of the sun. And apply sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher at least 20 minutes before sun exposure.
8. Feed your skin. In the old days they told us that chocolate causes pimples. It doesn’t! Avoid greasy food and junk food.
9. Exercise daily. Shower or bathe right after exercise. Walking long distances in the 90 degree heat counts as exercise.
10. Relax and stay calm. No one needs stress pimples.

Back to School Vaccinations: Meningitis, Pertussis, and HPV are very important vaccines to consider getting at the MinuteClinic. It is so easy to pop into CVS to get set up!

–Meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord known as the meninges. This inflammation is usually caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis is usually caused by bacteria or viruses, but can be a result of injury, cancer, or certain drugs.

At MinuteClinic, their practitioners will:
1. Review the Vaccine Information Sheet.
2. Your practitioner will administer the vaccine.
3. At the end of your visit, your practitioner will provide you with a summary, a receipt and educational material.
4. The summary of your visit can be sent to your primary care provider with your permission.
5. Your practitioner will recommend that you remain in the clinic waiting area for 20 minutes to ensure you have no adverse reactions. Practitioners are trained to respond to anaphylactic reactions.

–Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease. It is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis is known for uncontrollable, violent coughing which often makes it hard to breathe. This of special concern to my family as my son has asthma and one of the triggers is a violent cough.

1. To prevent pertussis, infants should be vaccinated as soon as they are old enough. Older adults who were vaccinated should get boosters as the vaccine fades over time.
2. MinuteClinic recommends that those over 18 should get a booster vaccination immediately if they haven’t received one and/or have contact with infants.

–Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States. There are more than 40 HPV types and many people who become infected don’t even know they have it. This vaccine has been in the media a lot over the last few years and is becoming an increasingly important tool to help prevent the spread of this virus.

1. Get vaccinated. HPV vaccines are safe and effective. They can protect males and females against diseases (including cancers) caused by HPV when given in the recommended age groups. HPV vaccines are given in three shots over six months; it is important to get all three doses.
2. The full vaccination series requires 3 visits over 6 months. To be fully protected, you will need to return for the second injection in 2 months and then the third injection 4 months later.
3. Their practitioners can provide this vaccine to patients between the ages of 9 and 26. Patients over age 26 can complete the series as long as they received at least one dose before age 27.
4. Patients are able to receive the second and third injection at MinuteClinic® even if we didn’t administer the first.

This is general information. Stop by your MinuteClinic for more details, and protect yourself and your family right away!

Lastly, Sports Physicals Are Available at MinuteClinic:
1. Also called pre-participation physicals, sport physicals are a great way to make sure an athlete can safely play. Even if your state or school doesn’t require it, sports physicals also help to keep immunizations up to date and provide an opportunity to discuss any concerns you may have.
2. Insurance is not accepted for physicals at MinuteClinic and payment is due at time of visit. Bring any required forms including a completed health and immunization history.

My son plays football and basketball, there are always multiple forms required from his middle school before participation. We have a MinuteClinic nearby, and the fact that they can help me with these forms, is a great convenience. Check out the MinuteClinic site for more information!

Disclosure: I’m proud to partner with MinuteClinic as part of their Back to School #GoBackHealthy campaign. As part of my involvement, I have received sponsorship from MinuteClinic for my posts and activities, but all opinions expressed are purely my own.