Vaccinating your children according to the recommended schedule is one of the best ways you can protect them from 14 harmful and potentially deadly diseases before their second birthday.
Children who don’t receive recommended vaccines are at risk of, one – getting the disease or illness. And two – having a severe case of the disease or illness.
You can’t predict or know in advance if an unvaccinated child will get a vaccine-preventable disease, nor can you predict or know how severe the illness will be or become.
Vaccines don’t just protect your child. Immunization is a shared responsibility. Families, healthcare professionals, and public health officials must work together to help protect the entire community – especially babies who are too young to be vaccinated themselves.
Most parents are vaccinating their children. Estimates from a CDC nationally representative childhood vaccine communications poll (April 2012 online poll) suggest that most people are vaccinating according to schedule. In fact, 88.3% of parents reported that they are vaccinating according to schedule or are intending to do so.
Most young parents in the U.S. have never seen the devastating effects that diseases like polio, measles, or whooping cough (pertussis) can have on a family or community. It’s easy to think of these as diseases of the past. But the truth is they still exist.
Diseases like measles and rubella are only a plane ride away. Measles epidemics are occurring in Great Britain, and rubella cases have skyrocketed in Japan. Large outbreaks of pertussis (whooping cough) have occurred in parts of the U.S. over the past few years.
Information for Parents
- Following the recommended schedule protects as many children as possible before they are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases.
- Depending on the vaccine, more than one dose is needed to build high enough immunity to prevent disease, boost immunity that fades over time, help to make sure people who did not get immunity from a first dose are protected or protect against germs that change over time, such as the flu.
- Every dose of a vaccine is important because they all protect against infectious diseases that are a threat today. These diseases can be especially serious for infants and very young children.
- Children do not receive any known benefits from following schedules that delay vaccines. We do know that delaying vaccines puts children at known risk of becoming ill with vaccine-preventable diseases.
- Check the CDC’s childhood immunization schedule for all recommended vaccines.
- Missed a shot? Check the CDC’s vaccine catch-up scheduler – for parents, caregivers, and health care professionals.
- Get answers from a Mayo Clinic physician about why infants need so many vaccines so quickly.
Parents agree that feeding and sleep schedules are important to help keep their children healthy. The same goes for childhood immunizations.
Vaccinating children on time is the best way to protect them against 14 serious and potentially deadly diseases before their second birthday.
“The recommended immunization schedule is designed to offer protection early in life,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat, Assistant Surgeon General and Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “when babies are vulnerable and before it’s likely they will be exposed to diseases.”
Public health and medical experts base their vaccine recommendations on many factors. They study information about diseases and vaccines very carefully to decide which vaccines kids should get and when they should get them for the best protection.
Although the number of vaccines a child needs in the first two years may seem like a lot, doctors know a great deal about the human immune system, and they know that a healthy baby’s immune system can handle getting all vaccines when they are recommended. Dr. Schuchat cautions against parents delaying vaccination. “There is no known benefit to delaying vaccination. In fact, it puts babies at risk of getting sick because they are left vulnerable to catch serious diseases during the time they are not protected by vaccines.”
When parents choose not to vaccinate or to follow a delayed schedule, children are left unprotected against diseases that still circulate in this country, like measles and whooping cough.
Parents who are concerned about the number of shots given at one time can reduce the number given at a visit by using the flexibility built into the recommended immunization schedule. For example, the third dose of hepatitis B vaccine can be given at 6 through 18 months of age. Parents can work with their child’s health care professional to have their child get this dose at any time during that age range.
If you have questions about the childhood immunization schedule, talk with your child’s doctor or nurse. The CDC has more information about vaccines for children of all ages.
Healthcare professionals are parents’ most trusted source of information about vaccines for their children. They play a critical role in supporting parents in understanding and choosing vaccines.
Parents are encouraged to talk to their healthcare professionals about their vaccine-related questions and concerns.
The CDC’s vaccine website for parents has additional information about reasons to vaccinate, diseases vaccinations prevent, vaccine schedules, and what to expect at the appointment.
Families who need help paying for childhood vaccines should ask their healthcare provider about the Vaccines for Children program, which provides vaccines at no cost to eligible children who do not otherwise have access to immunization.
Hep B vaccine protects against hepatitis B.
All children should get their first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine at birth and should have completed the vaccine series by 6 through 18 months of age.
- Spread: through contact with bodily fluids.
- Symptoms: There may be no symptoms, or there may be fever, stomach pain, loss of appetite, vomiting, fatigue, jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes), and dark urine.
- Complications: liver failure, joint pain, kidney, pancreatic, or blood disorders.
RV vaccine protects against rotavirus.
All children should get their first dose of RV between 6 weeks and 14 weeks and 6 days of age.
- Spread: through the mouth.
- Symptoms: diarrhea, fever, and vomiting.
- Complications: diarrhea, dehydration.
DTaP vaccine protects against diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis.
Children should get 5 doses of DTaP, one dose at each of the following ages: 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months and 4-6 years.
Diphtheria
- Spread: through the air and direct contact.
- Symptoms: sore throat, mild fever, weakness, sore glands in the neck.
- Complications: swelling of the heart muscle, heart failure, coma, paralysis, death.
Tetanus
- Spread: exposure through cuts in the skin.
- Symptoms: stiffness in neck and abdominal muscles, difficulty swallowing, muscle spasms, fever.
- Complications: broken bones, breathing difficulty, death.
Pertussis (whooping cough)
- Spread: through the air and direct contact.
- Symptoms: severe cough, runny nose, apnea (pause in breathing in infants).
- Complications: pneumonia (infection in the lungs), death.
Hib vaccine protects against haemophilis influenzae type b.
It is recommended for all children younger than 5 years old in the US, and it is usually given to infants starting at 2 months old.
- Spread: through the air, direct contact.
- Symptoms: may be no symptoms unless bacteria enter the blood.
- Complications: meningitis (infection of the covering around the brain and spinal cord), intellectual disability, epiglottis (life-threatening infection that can block the windpipe and lead to serious breathing problems) pneumonia (infection in the lungs), death.
PCV vaccine protects against pneumococcus.
The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, PCV13 or Prevnar 13®, is currently recommended for all children younger than 5 years of age. Pneumovax® is a 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine (PPVSV23) that is currently recommended for use for children who are 2 years and older and at high risk for disease (e.g., sickle cell disease, HIV infection, or other immunocompromising conditions).
- Spread: through the air, direct contact.
- Symptoms: There may be no symptoms, or there may be pneumonia (infection in the lungs).
- Complications: bacteremia (blood infection), meningitis (infection of the covering around the brain and spinal cord), death.
IPV vaccine protects against polio.
Children get 4 doses of IPV, at these ages: 2 months, 4 months, 6-18 months, and a booster dose at 4-6 years.
- Spread: through the air, direct contact, through the mouth.
- Symptoms: There may be no symptoms, or there may be sore throat, fever, nausea, or headache.
- Complications: paralysis, death.
Flu vaccine protects against influenza.
A yearly flu vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
- Spread: through the air, direct contact.
- Symptoms: fever, muscle pain, sore throat, fever, cough, extreme fatigue.
- Complications: pneumonia (infection in the lungs).
MMR vaccine protects against measles/mumps/rubella.
Recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
Measles
- Spread: through the air, direct contact.
- Symptoms: rash, fever, cough, runny nose, pinkeye.
- Complications: encephalitis (brain swelling) pneumonia (infection in the lungs), death.
Mumps
- Spread: through the air, direct contact.
- Symptoms: swollen salivary glands (under the jaw), fever, headache, tiredness, and muscle pain.
- Complications: meningitis (infection of the covering around the brain and spinal cord), encephalitis (brain swelling) pneumonia (infection in the lungs), inflammation of testicles or ovaries, deafness.
Rubella
- Spread: through the air, direct contact.
- Symptoms: Children infected with the rubella virus sometimes have a rash, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.
- Complications: very serious in pregnant women – can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, and birth defects.
Varicella vaccine protects against chickenpox.
Recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
- Spread: through the air, direct contact.
- Symptoms: rash, tiredness, headache, fever.
- Complications: infected blisters, bleeding disorders, encephalitis (brain swelling), pneumonia (infection in the lungs).
Hepatitis A vaccine protects against hepatitis A.
Recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
- Spread: through direct contact, contaminated food, or water.
- Symptoms: There may be no symptoms, or there may be fever, stomach pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, jaundice (yellowing of skin or eyes), and dark urine.
- Complications: liver failure, joint pain, kidney, pancreatic, and blood disorders.
Even though you are keeping her safe from diseases, it’s hard to see your child cry when she gets her shots. But you can take some steps before, during, and after a vaccine visit to ease the pain and stress of getting shots:
- Read about the shots your child will get in advance. Bring your child’s vaccine record to show the doctor. Pack a favorite toy, book, blanket, or other comfort item. For older children, be honest—shots can pinch or sting, but not for long. Remind them that shots help keep them healthy.
- Ask your child’s doctor any questions you have about vaccines. You may even want to ask about cooling or numbing the area of your child’s arm or leg before the shots.
- Distract your child with a toy, a story, a song, or something interesting in the room. Make eye contact with your child and smile, talk softly, or sing. Hold your child tightly on your lap, if you can. Take deep breaths with an older child to help “blow out” the pain.
- After the shot, hug, cuddle, and praise your child. For babies, swaddling, breastfeeding or a bottle may offer quick relief. Comfort and reassure older children if they cry.
- “Read the Vaccine Information Sheets from your doctor so you know what to expect after the shots,” said Dr. Melinda Wharton, Deputy Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Some children have pain or swelling where a shot was given, a rash, or a fever. These reactions are usually mild and resolve on their own without needing treatment. If you notice redness, soreness, or swelling from the shot, place a clean, cool washcloth on the area. If your child runs a fever, try a cool sponge bath. You can also use a non-aspirin pain reliever if your doctor says it’s OK. Some children eat less, sleep more, or act fussy for a day after they get shots. Make sure your child gets plenty to drink. If you’re worried about anything, call your doctor.
Learn more from the CDC about childhood vaccines or call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).