You're sending your child back to school and the best way to protect them is to get them vaccinated from preventable diseases.

But you probably have a lot of questions: Which vaccines do they need? When do they need certain vaccines?

“Especially right now, we think immunizations are extremely important,” said Dr. Shelley Mahaffey, pediatrician at Medical Group of the Carolinas - Pediatrics – Westside. “There are a lot of things out there on the internet that are simply not true.”

Many schools require that students receive vaccinations including meningitis and whooping cough before attending school.

Many children receive vaccines when they are infants to three years old. Once children get to school age, vaccines include diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, Hepatitis and polio.

“We are now seeing breakthroughs of cases that we haven't seen in a long time due to the un-immunized population,” Dr. Mahaffey said. “As pediatricians we see everything that can happen when a child is not immunized. You are not only keeping your child healthy, but keeping the community healthy.”

Medical Group of the Carolinas physicians follow the American Academy of Pediatrics schedule of when your children need immunizations, starting at birth.

Physicians and nurse practitioners can answer any questions you have about what your child needs and what is safe for your child.

Check which vaccines are required by your state. If you need a physician to give a vaccine, find a doctor at MedicalGroupOfTheCarolinas.com.