By — Dorie
Dear Dorie, Can you tell me why my preschool wants me to test my 3-year-old for TB? Do I have to do this? I understand the vaccination thing, but this seems a little silly. — Having TB Test Trauma Dear Traumamom, As a vaccinating mom, the idea of yet another needle going into my child, perhaps unnecessarily, seemed utterly ridiculous. I empathize with your feelings.
So why do they make us do it? Good question. When I asked my circle of early childhood professionals your question, they all had the same response: the group. Your child will be spending a few hours a day with a large group of children and adults. Should any one of these members be infected, the other members are at risk. You wouldn’t want your little one to get TB or give it to someone else, thus the test. FYI, most schools have a TB waiver if your child does not have any risk factors present. Contact your school and health professional for more information about that option.
In the meantime, hang in there for the shots and the paperwork. Your little preschooler will be entering into a whole new wonderful world of friends and fun. It’s well worth it.
READER UPDATE: Wednesday, Sept. 7, is the first day of school. If you have a 4-year-old (or a child that will be 4 by Dec. 2), it is not too late to enroll in preschool. The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District has openings in a variety of preschool programs throughout the city. Call 310-399-5865 for enrollment information. (Submit your questions to “Dear Dorie” at, or call (310) 452-6132.)
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 23, 2005. Read the original PDF.