Immunizations protect your child against several serious, life-threatening diseases. Your child should have shots according to the following schedule. If your child's shots are not up-to-date, call your health care provider's office for an appointment.

Routine Immunization Schedule for Infants and Children

 
       Age of Child          Immunization 
   --------------------------------------------------------
      birth to 2 weeks        Hep B 
              2 months        DTaP, IPV, Hib, Hep B, PCV7
              4 months        DTaP, IPV, Hib, PCV7
              6 months        DTaP, Hib, Hep B, PCV7
        6 to 18 months        IPV
   6 months to 5 years        Influenza (yearly)
       12 to 15 months        MMR, Hib, Var, PCV7
       12 to 18 months        DTaP, Hep A 
       18 to 36 months        Hep A
          4 to 6 years        DTaP, IPV, MMR 
        11 to 12 years        Tdap, MCV4 
   --------------------------------------------------------
  
   Explanation of abbreviations: 
   DTaP  = diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) 
   Hib   = Haemophilus influenzae type b 
   Hep A = Hepatitis A
   Hep B = hepatitis B
   MCV4  = meningococcal conjugate vaccine, 4-valent
   MMR   = measles, mumps, rubella 
   IPV   = inactivated poliovirus 
   Tdap  = tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis 
   Var   = chickenpox (varicella) 
   PCV7  = pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, 7-valent

Reference:  American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on 
            Infectious Diseases, Recommended Childhood 
            Immunization Schedule, January 2006. Web Site: 
            http://www.cispimmunize.org

Descriptions of Immunizations

Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP/Tdap) vaccine

Whooping cough is a very dangerous disease, especially for babies. The risk of suffering and death caused by whooping cough is far greater than the possible side effects of the shot. A child who has not been immunized against pertussis has a chance of 1 in 3000 of getting whooping cough. In contrast, a child who gets the shot is estimated to have a chance of 1 in 2 million or less of having neurological damage from the vaccine.

If your child is between 11 and 18 years of age and has had a tetanus (Td) booster, he or she may need to have a tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) booster as well. Ask your health care provider if your child needs this shot.

Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine

Outbreaks of measles have made it necessary for children to have 2 MMR vaccines. They should have the first shot when they are 12 to 15 months old and the second when they are 4 to 6 years old. These diseases are nearly gone from the U.S. However, they will come back if children are not fully vaccinated. If your child has not received 2 MMR vaccines after the age of 12 months, call your health care provider's office during office hours.

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine

Haemophilus influenzae is a type of bacteria that causes several life-threatening diseases in young children (such as meningitis, epiglottitis, and pneumonia). Before the vaccine was available, over 10,000 children in the U.S. developed haemophilus meningitis each year. About 500 of them died and 3800 became mentally retarded, blind, or deaf, or got cerebral palsy as a result of the disease. Because of the vaccine, Haemophilus influenzae type B is now uncommon in the U.S. The Hib vaccine does not protect against flu and meningitis caused by viruses.

Hepatitis B vaccine (Hep B)

Vaccination against hepatitis B prevents this type of hepatitis and the severe liver damage that can occur 20 or 30 years after a person is first infected. More than 5000 adults die each year in the U.S. from hepatitis-related liver cancer or cirrhosis. The younger the age when the infection occurs, the greater the risk of serious problems.

If you have an older child who was not vaccinated against hepatitis B as an infant, ask your provider whether he or she should have the shots. Your child needs a total of 3 hepatitis B shots.

Polio vaccine

The polio vaccine protects children from this now rare but crippling disease. The inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) is recommended for all polio doses.

Chickenpox (Varicella) vaccine

The chickenpox vaccine is usually given between the ages of 12 and 18 months, but it can be given to older children if they have not had the vaccine or the disease yet. Children age 13 or older should get 2 doses at least 4 weeks apart.

This vaccine is 70% to 90% effective in preventing chickenpox. If your child had the vaccine, but still gets chickenpox, it will be a milder form of the disease. By getting the chickenpox vaccine, you can reduce the chance of missed work and school, skin infections, medical costs, and getting shingles later in life.

Pneumococcal (PCV7) vaccine

Pneumococcal infections are serious bacterial infections that may cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections, and meningitis. The PCV7 vaccine protects against the 7 types of pneumococcal bacteria that cause most of these serious diseases. The vaccine also prevents a small percentage of ear infections caused by pneumococci.

Routine use of PCV7 is now recommended for infants and toddlers. Some children (up to age 5) who have a serious illness may benefit from the vaccine.

Influenza vaccine

It is recommended that all healthy children age 6 months to 5 years old get the influenza vaccine. Those less than 2 years old are at a greater risk of getting severely ill or needing to go to the hospital because of the flu. The influenza vaccine is also recommended each year for children ages 6 months and older if they have certain medical risk factors. Caregivers of young children should also get the influenza vaccine each year. The vaccine can be given to anyone to avoid getting influenza.

Other Vaccines

Hepatitis A vaccine

The hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for all children over one year of age. It should also be considered for older children and adolescents in selected states and regions, and for certain people at high risk. Talk to your health care provider or local public health department for more information.

Meningococcal vaccine

Meningococcal disease can often be prevented in adolescents and young adults by a vaccine. Meningococcal conjugate vaccine is recommended for all 11 to 12-year olds, adolescents starting high school, or young adults before they move into college dormitories.

Reasons Not To Vaccinate

If any of the following conditions apply to your child, talk to your provider before getting your child vaccinated.

1. Your child had an allergic reaction to a previous vaccine.
2. Your child has a serious neurologic disease.

   The pertussis vaccine (DTaP) should not be given if a child has a serious neurologic disease. Your child can still have the tetanus and diphtheria vaccine without the pertussis vaccine.

3. Your child has immune system problems.

   Children with immune systems that are weakened by certain diseases or medicines should not get live virus vaccines (for example, chickenpox, oral polio, or MMR). A live virus vaccine can cause the actual disease if the immune system is very weak.

4. Your child has egg allergies.

   Children who have a severe allergy to eggs should not receive the influenza vaccine. However, children who are allergic to eggs can receive all other routine immunizations. Although the measles and mumps vaccines are grown in chick cells, the egg proteins are removed from these vaccines and the vaccines can be given without having your child skin-tested for an egg allergy.

Unwarranted Reasons Not to Vaccinate

Some children in the U.S. have not received all of the recommended immunizations. Unnecessary precautions have led parents to postpone or cancel scheduled immunizations. The following list of conditions are NOT routine reasons for postponing or canceling immunizations.

Your child CAN still get immunizations if:

• Your child had soreness, redness, or swelling at the injection site after a previous DTaP shot.
• Your child had a fever of less than 105°F (40.5°C) after a previous DTaP shot.
• Your child has a mild illness such as a cold, cough, or diarrhea without a fever.
• Your child is recovering from a mild illness such as a cold, cough, or diarrhea.
• Your child has recently been exposed to an infectious disease.
• Your child is taking antibiotics.
• Your child was premature.
• Your child is breast-feeding.
• Your child has allergies (unless it is an egg allergy).
• Your family has a history of convulsions or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).