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Needed to read PDF's |
Vaccine Information
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Key |
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ALL children should be immunized at this age. |
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SOME children should get this dose of vaccine or preventive antibody at this age |
Vaccine or Preventive Antibody | Birth |
1 Month |
2 Months |
4 Months |
6 Months |
7 Months |
8 Months |
12 Months |
15 Months |
18 Months |
19 Months |
20–23 Months |
2-3 Years |
4-6 Years |
RSV antibody |
Depends on mother’s RSV vaccine status
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Depends on child’s health status
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Hepatitis B |
Dose 1
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Dose 2
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Dose 3
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Rotavirus |
Dose 1
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Dose 2
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Dose 3
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DTaP |
Dose 1
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Dose 2
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Dose 3
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Dose 4
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Dose 5
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Hib |
Dose 1
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Dose 2
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Dose 3
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Dose 4
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Pneumococcal |
Dose 1
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Dose 2
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Dose 3
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Dose 4
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Polio |
Dose 1
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Dose 2
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Dose 3
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Dose 4
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COVID-19 |
At least 1 dose of the current COVID-19 vaccine
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Influenza/Flu |
Every year. Two doses for some children
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MMR |
Dose 1
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Dose 2
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Chickenpox |
Dose 1
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Dose 2
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Hepatitis A |
2 doses separated by 6 months
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Many vaccines are given in a group or series. It may seem like your child is getting a lot of vaccines all at once.
But according to the CDC, there’s no data that supports spacing out childhood vaccines. In fact, delaying a child’s vaccinations can do more harm than good, leaving them vulnerable to pathogens that can cause serious illness or complications.
Do infants have natural immunity?
Babies may get some temporary protection from mom during the last few weeks of pregnancy, but only for diseases to which mom is immune. Breastfeeding may also protect your baby temporarily from minor infections, like colds. These antibodies do not last long, leaving your baby vulnerable to disease.
Haven't we gotten rid of most of these diseases in this country?
Some vaccine-preventable diseases, like pertussis (whooping cough) and chickenpox, remain common in the United States. On the other hand, other diseases vaccines prevent are no longer common in this country because of vaccines. If we stopped vaccinating, the few cases we have in the United States could very quickly become tens or hundreds of thousands of cases. Even though many serious vaccine-preventable diseases are uncommon in the United States, some are common in other parts of the world. Even if your family does not travel internationally, you could come into contact with international travelers anywhere in your community. Children who don’t receive all vaccinations and are exposed to a disease can become seriously sick and spread it through a community.
Combination vaccines reduce the number of shots your child needs while protecting against the same number of serious diseases.
Fewer shots, but same protection
Combination vaccines take two or more vaccines that could be given individually and put them into one shot.
At a doctor's visit, your child may only get two or three shots to protect him from five diseases, instead of five individual shots.
Several vaccines are so common that they are generally known by their initials: MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) and DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis). Each protect your child against three diseases. However, today these two particular vaccines are not considered true combination vaccines because in the United States, you cannot get separate vaccines for all of the diseases that MMR and DTaP protect against.
Vaccine Name | Combination and Protection From |
Pediarix | DTaP + Hep B + IPV Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, and polio |
Pentacel | DTaP + IPV + Hib Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, and Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) |
Kinrix Quadracel | DTaP + IPV Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and polio |
Vaxelis | DTaP + IPV +Hib +HepB Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, hepatitis B, and Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) |
ProQuad | MMR + varicella Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella |
Did you know?
Combination vaccines have been in use in the United States since the mid-1940s.
Benefits of combination vaccines
Combining vaccines into fewer shots may mean that more children will get recommended vaccinations on time. And that means fewer delays in disease protection.
Benefits for Children Benefits for Parents Fewer shots Fewer visits to doctor Less pain and discomfort Less hassle and cost with fewer visits On-time protection Less time off from work or family activity
Before a combination vaccine is approved for use, it goes through careful testing to make sure the combination vaccine is as safe and effective as each of the individual vaccines given separately. And, just as with individual vaccines, there are systems in place to watch for any rare reactions to combination vaccines that can be detected only after the vaccine is used widely.
Side effects from combination vaccines are usually mild. They are similar to those of the individual vaccines given separately.
Sometimes combination vaccines cause slightly more pain or swelling where the shot was given. But if your child got the shots individually, he or she might have pain or swelling in two or three spots, instead of just one.
If your child has moderate or serious side effects from a combination vaccine, tell your child's doctor. If the separate vaccines are available, the doctor may be able to give additional doses of certain vaccines separately.
Side effects from combination vaccines are usually mild.
As scientists develop and test new vaccines to protect children against more diseases, more combination vaccines may become available. This will allow children to get additional protection with fewer shots.
Recommendations for the MMRV vaccine
The MMRV vaccine combines the MMR (for measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine with the chickenpox vaccine.
Some children who get the first MMRV shot at 12 through 23 months of age may have a higher chance of a seizure caused by fever after the shot. But this is not common.These "febrile" seizures are scary for parents, but they are not harmful to children. Because of this slightly higher risk of seizures, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that children under 4 years old get the first dose of MMR and chickenpox vaccines separately.
Vaccine-Preventable Disease | Disease Complications |
RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus) Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs; spread through air and direct contact | Infection of the lungs (pneumonia) and small airways of the lungs; especially dangerous for infants and young children |
Hepatitis B Contagious viral infection of the liver; spread through contact with infected body fluids such as blood or semen | Chronic liver infection, liver failure, liver cancer, death |
Rotavirus Contagious viral infection of the gut; spread through the mouth from hands and food contaminated with stool | Severe diarrhea, dehydration, death |
Diphtheria * Contagious bacterial infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs; spread through air and direct contact | Swelling of the heart muscle, heart failure, coma, paralysis, death |
Pertussis (Whooping Cough) * Contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airway; spread through air and direct contact | nfection of the lungs (pneumonia), death; especially dangerous for babies |
Tetanus (Lockjaw) * Bacterial infection of brain and nerves caused by spores found in soil and dust everywhere; spores enter the body through wounds or broken skin | Seizures, broken bones, difficulty breathing, death |
Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) Contagious bacterial infection of the lungs, brain and spinal cord, or bloodstream; spread through air and direct contact | Depends on the part of the body infected, but can include brain damage, hearing loss, loss of arm or leg, death |
Pneumococcal Bacterial infections of ears, sinuses, lungs, or bloodstream; spread through direct contact with respiratory droplets like saliva or mucus | Depends on the part of the body infected, but can include infection of the lungs (pneumonia), blood poisoning, infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, death |
Polio Contagious viral infection of nerves and brain; spread through the mouth from stool on contaminated hands, food or liquid, and by air and direct contact | Paralysis, death |
COVID-19 Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, or lungs; may feel like a cold or flu. Spread through air and direct contact | Infection of the lungs (pneumonia); blood clots; liver, heart or kidney damage; long COVID; death |
Influenza (Flu) Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs; spread through air and direct contact | Infection of the lungs (pneumonia), sinus and ear infections, worsening of underlying heart or lung conditions, death |
Measles (Rubeola) † Contagious viral infection that causes high fever, cough, red eyes, runny nose, and rash; spread through air and direct contact | Brain swelling, infection of the lungs (pneumonia), death |
Mumps † Contagious viral infection that causes fever, tiredness, swollen cheeks, and tender swollen jaw; spread through air and direct contact | Brain swelling, painful and swollen testicles or ovaries, deafness, death |
Rubella (German Measles) † Contagious viral infection that causes low-grade fever, sore throat, and rash; spread through air and direct contact | Very dangerous in pregnant women; can cause miscarriage or stillbirth, premature delivery, severe birth defects |
Chickenpox (Varicella) Contagious viral infection that causes fever, headache, and an itchy, blistering rash; spread through air and direct contact | Infected sores, brain swelling, infection of the lungs (pneumonia), death |
Hepatitis A Contagious viral infection of the liver; spread by contaminated food or drink or close contact with an infected person | Liver failure, death |
*DTaP protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis
†MMR protects against measles, mumps, and rubella
This easy-to-read schedule is recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
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