Before childhood immunizations, many children were afflicted with serious childhood illnesses. Some cases of these illnesses caused severe disability or even death. Immunizing your child can help prevent or lessen the effects of these illnesses. Immunizations are a weakened form of the actual illness that will not make your child sick with the illness. When introduced to the child’s body, it will produce antibodies to fight off the illness if the child is exposed.
There are a few different types of vaccines, depending on which illness they prevent. Some are able to protect the body from ever catching an illness over an entire lifetime. Some will require follow-up or “booster shots” in order to keep a person immune. For example, Hepatitis B vaccines will offer a lifetime of protection is the entire course of shots are given. Tetanus, diphtheria and measles need “booster shots.”
Read on to learn what vaccines your child needs to receive at different times of their life and what diseases all these vaccines immunize against and most importantly, baby vaccination schedule.
Baby Vaccination Schedule By Disease Type
Immunizations can help to reduce contagious or communicable illnesses. Childhood immunization schedules are put into place by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The CDC monitors communicable illnesses in people such as; measles, mumps, rubella, influenza, etc.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians endorses these schedules and assists doctors in educating parents on when to vaccinate their children. If you have not vaccinated your child according to recommended dates, your pediatrician can help you get caught up on them. Here is a list of childhood illnesses and when the vaccinations are given:
|
Disease |
When To Get It |
|---|---|
|
DTaP (Protects against Diphtheria, Tetanus, acellular Pertussis) |
|
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Hepatitis A (Protects against Hepatitis A/Liver Disease) |
Two-shot series 6 to 18 months apart |
|
Hepatitis B (Hepatitis B/Liver Disease) |
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HiB (Haemophilis Influenza – complications include pneumonia, epiglottitis and meningitis) |
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HPV (Protects against Human Papilloma Virus – Cause of genital warts and certain reproductive cancers) |
|
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Influenza Vaccine (Protects against classic influenza and H1N1 Swine Flu) |
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Meningococcal (Protects against bacterial meningitis in children and teenagers) |
|
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MMR (Against Measles, Mumps, Rubella) |
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Pneumococcal (PCV –protects against pneumococcal infection that can lead to pneumonia, ear infections and meningitis) |
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Polio (IPV –Inactivated Polio Virus to protect against polio which can cause paralysis) |
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Rotavirus (an oral vaccine to protect against this virus which causes severe diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration and fever) |
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Varicella (Protects against chicken pox) |
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Baby Vaccination Schedule By Age
Birth to 5 Years
|
Baby Age |
Vaccines Offered |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
Birth |
|
BCG -Tuberculosis – not commonly given in U.S. OPV – Oral polio Dose 1 – not given in U.S. Hepatitis B Dose 1 |
|
6 to 8 Weeks |
|
DTaP – Dose 1 HIB – Dose 1 PCV – Dose 1 Rotavirus – Dose 1 OPV – Dose 2 (In U.S. IPV shot 1 is given) Hep B – Dose 2 *DTaP, HIB and IPV are available in a combination shot. |
|
10 to 16 Weeks |
|
DTaP - Dose 2 HIB – Dose 2 PCV – Dose 2 Rotavirus – Dose 2 OPV – Dose 3 (In U.S. IPV shot will be given Dose 2) *DTaP, HIB and IPV are available in a combination shot. |
|
14 to 24 Weeks |
|
DTaP – Dose 3 HIB – Dose 3 PCV – Dose 3 Rotavirus – Dose 3 OPV – Dose 4 (In U.S. IPV shot Dose 3) *DTaP, HIB and IPV are available in a combination shot. |
|
6 Months |
|
Dose 1 (Optional, but highly recommended) |
|
7 to 8 Months |
|
Dose 2 (After the first two doses, one shot is given every year during the fall or winter months.) |
|
9 to 12 Months |
|
Measles may be combined with Mumps and Rubella OPV – Dose 5 |
|
12 to 18 Months |
|
Varicella - Dose 1 Hepatitis A - Dose 1 |
|
15 to 18 Months |
|
HIB – Booster DTaP – Booster 1 |
|
18 to 24 Months |
|
OPV – Booster 1 Hepatitis A – Dose 2 |
|
2 Years |
|
Typhoid is a respiratory illness and spread via food and water. Not common in U.S. – Dose 1 |
|
4 to 5 Years |
|
Typhoid - Dose 2 OPV – Booster 2 MMR – Booster DTaP – Booster Varicella – Dose 2 |
For Teens
|
11 to 12 Years |
|
HPV - For males and females. 3 Doses over 6 month period. DTaP – Booster Meningococcal - Booster |
|
College Students |
|
Highly recommended for college kids entering campus housing environments. |
watch the following video in which a mom shares her baby’s vaccination schedule:
Notes: Vaccination schedules differ from country to country and also from year to year depending on outbreaks of certain childhood illnesses. It is important to stay current on any new recommendations.
Watch a video for more information on baby vaccination scheduleļ¼
When choosing to vaccinate your child, you may hear many different thoughts on vaccinations from parents who are either for or against vaccinations. Education on the actual illnesses can help you make the best possible decision for you and your child.
