Which Vaccines Do Kids Need?

What Vaccines Do Kids Need?

It’s back to school time again, and that means it may be time for your kids to get more vaccines. The vaccine schedule seems to change all the time, and it can be hard to keep up. What vaccines do kids need? Here are the current recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Birth

Your newborn should receive their first Hepatitis B (HepB) vaccine before they leave the hospital. The hepatitis B virus is contagious and causes liver swelling. This swelling can cause lifelong liver problems like liver damage or cancer.

1-2 Months

It’s time to start building up your infant’s immune system with the following vaccines:

• 2nd dose of HepB

• Polio (IPV)

• Diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (pertussis) (DTaP)

• Pneumococcal (PCV)

• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

• Rotavirus (RV)

4 Months

At 4 months of age, it’s time to start giving booster doses of vaccines your child has already received. Many vaccines need multiple doses to be effective. Vaccines your baby should get at 4 months include:

• 3rd dose of HepB

2nd dose of:

• Polio (IPV)

• Diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (pertussis) (DTaP)

• Pneumococcal (PCV)

• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

• Rotavirus (RV)

6 Months

Your 6-month-old baby should receive more booster shots as well as their first flu vaccine. The vaccines a 6-month-old should get include:

• 1st dose of Influenza (flu)

3rd dose of:

• Polio (IPV)

• Diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (pertussis) (DTaP)

• Pneumococcal (PCV)

• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

• Rotavirus (RV)

7-11 Months

Most babies don’t need any vaccines from the ages of 7-11 months. The primary exception would be to get caught up on any vaccines they haven’t received yet.

12-23 Months

The second year of a child’s life is about continuing to develop immunity to preventable diseases. They should get the following vaccines and boosters from 12-23 months:

• Diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (pertussis) (DTaP)

• Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)

• Pneumococcal (PCV)

• Hepatitis B (HepB)

• Hepatitis A (HepA)

• Polio (IPV) (between 6 through 18 months)

• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

• Chickenpox (Varicella)

Children should also get the annual flu vaccine every year starting when they are 6 months old. There is a new strain of the flu every year, so it’s crucial to the current year’s vaccine each fall.

2-3 Years

Apart from the yearly flu vaccine, children shouldn’t need any vaccines from 2 to 3 years old apart from getting caught up on any they’re behind on.

4-6 Years

As your child enters kindergarten age, they will need the following booster shots:

• Polio (IPV)

• Chickenpox (varicella)

• Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (pertussis) (DTaP)

• Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)

• Yearly influenza (flu) vaccine

7-10 Years

Your child should get the influenza (flu) vaccine every year. They generally won’t need any other vaccinations during this time.

11-12 Years

As your child nears middle school age, it’s time for a new round of vaccines, including:

• HPV vaccine

• Meningococcal conjugate vaccine

• Tdap

• Flu vaccine every flu season

13-18 Years

Teenagers should be completely caught up on their vaccines by the time they enter high school. If not, now is the time to get them caught up. As always, teens should get the yearly flu vaccine. PlushCare takes content accuracy seriously so we can be your trusted source of medical information. Most articles are reviewed by M.D.s, Ph.D.s, NPs, or NDs. Click here to meet the healthcare professionals behind the blog.

Sources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Recommended Vaccines by Age. Accessed online on August 14, 2019 at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/vaccines-age.html

• WebMD. Back-to-School Vaccinations Made Simple. Accessed online on August 14, 2019 at https://www.webmd.com/parenting/back-to-school-vaccinations-made-simple#1