Ah, Fall: the days are getting shorter, the weather is cooling down, and the kids are a few months into school. And while we’re setting up our Halloween decorations, buying pumpkin-spice-everything, and cozying up the house, it’s important to be aware of a common virus kids can get when they’re packed like sardines in a classroom: Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease.

Every fall, as flu season collides with back-to-school events, Arkansas vaccination rates often dip where access is lowest, leaving entire communities vulnerable. In Sevier County, however, Dr. Randy Walker Family Practice & Allergy Clinic is flipping the narrative by meeting patients at schools, churches, and even grocery stores to ensure shots reach the arms that need them most.

Kaleb walks into the school gymnasium, bright-eyed and hopeful. Tables adorned with colorful posters, branded swag, and neatly stacked brochures line the room. A recruiter from Mercy Hospital smiles at him from the first table. Kaleb has always had questions about the medical field but never knew who to ask. Guess this is my chance, he thinks as he approaches the recruiter.

Women remain at great risk of dying from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications. Notably, Arkansas has consistently had a higher maternal mortality rate than the national average for at least the last five years. But the tide is starting to turn.

As summer winds down, families start thinking about pencils, backpacks, and back-to-school shopping. But keeping children up to date on their health requirements, such as vaccines, physicals, and medication, is also important to add to the list.

Over the last decade or so, a serious epidemic has emerged in Arkansas. It’s not COVID, the flu, or even RSV. Pregnant women in Arkansas have experienced a fivefold increase in congenital syphilis rates since 2017, well surpassing the number of perinatal HIV cases seen at the height of the HIV epidemic. Nevertheless, providers and healthcare specialists can help moms fight this uphill battle through education and preventive care initiatives.