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12 Hudson Valley Parent n September 2016 By LISA IANNUCCI W hen parents think about immunizations for their children, protections for infants usually come to mind. But somewhere around the start of the school year or when it's time for a sports team try-out physical exam, parents realize that preteens and teens need shots, too. According to Dr. Maria Reyes, a pediatrician with Middletown Medi- cal, the immunization list for pre- teens and teens includes Tdap (for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis [whooping cough]), meningococcal vaccine, flu vaccine and the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. For the record Although flu vaccines aren't re- quired for public school attendance, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends them for every- one, as every year, influenza - an airborne virus spread from coughing and sneezing - causes everything from mild to severe illness to those infected. Another vaccination that is cur- renlty considered optional is human papillomavirus - or HPV. According to the CDC, HPV is a common virus that spreads by genital contact. About 14 million people become infected with HPV each year and it can cause cervical, vaginal, and vul- var cancers in women, penile cancer in men and genital warts, anal and throat cancer in both men and wom- en (although not all of these cancers are caused by just HPV). "The HPV vaccine protects against nine strains of the Human Papilloma Vaccines for Teens: What You Should Know