Help! I can't locate my son's immunization records.

Joyce,

First let me say shame on your son's school in Chicago. According to the Illinois State Board of Education, his shot records are to be a part of his permanent school records and maintained for a period of 60 years.

However, all hope is not lost. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in cooperation with individual state goverments has started the National Immunization Program to maintain an electronic immunization record for all children. Each state has its own program, so you can't contact the CDC directly. Instead you need to contact the board of health for the state in which your child received his shots.

In the State of Illinois, where I'm assuming your son received his most recent shots, the program is called TOTS (Tracking Our Toddlers Shots) and you can call their help desk at 800-942-0024.

For contact information in other states use one of these two web pages maintained by the CDC:
State Health Departments - Select state from a drop down list to go to their Department of Public Health web site.
State IIS Staff - Directory of technical contacts for each states immunization registry. If you can't find a phone number to call from the above web page, use this one to find someone you can ask for further help.

Most, if not all states have started an immunization registry, but not all doctors participate. Ask your child's doctor if they participate in the registry. If they don't, ask them if they are planning on doing so. If not, contact your state department of health to either find another doctor who does participate or if you have your child added manually.

Publicly funded clinics usually participate in the registry.