Why Vaccinate?
On-time vaccination throughout childhood is essential because it helps provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases. Vaccines are tested to ensure that they are safe and effective for children to receive at the recommended ages.
Infant and Toddler Years: Birth to Age 2
Vaccination helps give infants and toddlers a healthy start. More than one dose is necessary for many vaccines, to build and boost immunity.
Because influenza viruses are constantly changing and the body’s immune response declines over time, everyone over the age of 6 months needs a flu shot every year.
Recommended vaccines:
- Chickenpox (varicella) vaccine: At 12 through 15 months
- Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccine: At 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and 15 through 18 months
- Flu vaccine: Every year by the end of October, if possible, starting at 6 months Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine: At 2 months, 4 months, 6 months (if needed; depends on brand), and 12 through 15 months
- Hepatitis A vaccine: At 12 through 23 months and a second dose 6 months following first dose
- Hepatitis B vaccine: Shortly after birth, at 1 through 2 months, and at 6 through 18 months
- Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine: At 12 through15 months; however, infants 6 through 11 months old should have one dose of MMR vaccine before traveling abroad
- Pneumococcal (PCV13) vaccine: At 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and 12 through 15 months
- Polio (IPV) vaccine: At 2 months, 4 months, and 6 through 18 months
- Rotavirus (RV) vaccine: At 2 months and 4 months (for Rotarix brand); or 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months (for RotaTeq brand)
Chickenpox (varicella) vaccine
Varicella vaccine protects against chickenpox, which can be serious and even life-threatening, especially in babies, adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include tiredness, a fever, and an itchy rash of blisters.
Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccine
DTaP vaccine protects against three serious diseases:
- Diphtheria is a serious infection that causes a thick covering in the back of the nose or throat. It can lead to difficulty breathing, heart failure, paralysis, and even death.
- Tetanus is a potentially deadly infection that causes painful muscle stiffness and lockjaw.
- Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious disease known for uncontrollable, violent coughing that often makes it hard to breathe. It can be deadly for babies.
Flu vaccine
Seasonal flu vaccine protects against flu, a potentially serious, contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. Changes in immune, heart, and lung functions during pregnancy make pregnant women more likely to get seriously ill from the flu. The flu may also increase the chances that the developing baby will have serious problems. Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every year by the end of October, if possible.
Hepatitis A vaccine
Hepatitis A vaccine protects against a serious, contagious liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. Symptoms can include fever, loss of appetite, tiredness, stomach pain, vomiting, dark urine, and yellow skin and eyes. Infected children may not have symptoms, but may still pass the disease to others.
Hepatitis B vaccine
Hepatitis B vaccine protects against hepatitis B, a virus that can cause chronic swelling of the liver and possible lifelong complications. Nine out of 10 infants who contract hepatitis B from their mothers become chronically infected.
Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine
Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine protects against three serious diseases:
- The measles virus can cause a fever that can get very high, a distinctive rash, cough, runny nose, and red eyes. Sometimes, it can also cause diarrhea and ear infection. It can also lead to pneumonia (infection in the lungs), brain damage, deafness, and death.
- Mumps typically starts with a fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite. Then, most people’s salivary glands swell, which causes puffy cheeks and a swollen jaw. Mumps is pretty mild in most people but can sometimes cause lasting problems, such as deafness, meningitis (infection of the covering around the brain and spinal cord), and swelling of the brain, testicles, ovaries, or breasts.
- Rubella may cause a rash or fever, but many people have no symptoms. Rubella can cause miscarriage or serious birth defects in a developing baby if a woman is infected while she is pregnant. Infected children can spread rubella to pregnant women.
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23)
PCV13 protects against 13 strains of pneumococcal bacteria and PPSV23 protects against 23 strains of pneumococcal bacteria. Both vaccines provide protection against illnesses like meningitis and bacteremia. PCV13 also provides protection against pneumonia. Talk to your doctor and child’s doctor about which vaccines they recommend.
Polio (IPV) vaccine
IPV vaccine protects against polio, a highly infectious disease caused by a virus that can invade the brain and spinal cord. Polio can cause lifelong paralysis and even death.
Rotavirus (RV) vaccine
RV vaccine protects against a contagious virus that causes severe diarrhea, often with vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain, requiring hospitalization. It is most common in infants and young children. Adults who get rotavirus tend to have milder symptoms.