their last DTP or DTaP shot. In 2005, the FDA approved a new tetanus and acellular pertussis vaccine for adolescents (Tdap adolescent preparation), given in one dose to children who miss their 11-12-year Td/Tdap booster. Everyone should get a Td booster every 10 years.
Hib
If a baby gets Hib conjugate vaccines at 2 and 4 months, he or she doesn’t need a third dose at 6 months. The final dose in the series should not be given before the child is 12 months old. Avoid DTaP/Hib combination products for the first three doses because they may not provide the same level of immunity as the separate vaccines.
Polio
The oral vaccine (OPV) containing live bacteria is no longer recommended for children in the United States and as of 2000, the CDC recommends using the inactivated form (IPV) for all four doses. Children should receive four doses of IPV at 2 months, 4 months, 6-18 months, and on or after the 4th birthday.
Pneumococcal (PCV)
Recommended for all children 2 to 23 months of age and children aged 2 to 5 who are at high risk for pneumococcal infection or with weak immune systems. Children under 24 months get four doses of PCV at 2, 4, 6, and 12 to 15 months of age, and children over 24 months of age get one dose of PCV if they have been partially immunized.
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Rota
The Rotavirus vaccine should be administered in three doses, at ages 2, 4, and 6 months. (If Rotarix vaccine is used, the third dose at 6 months is not needed.) The first dose should be given at 6 to 12 weeks, with subsequent doses at four to 10-week intervals. The vaccine should not be started when the child is older than 15 weeks or continued after 32 weeks.
MMR
The first dose should be administered at 12 to 15 months of age. Experts recommend the second dose of MMR at 4-6 years, but kids can receive it anytime at least 4 weeks after the first dose (as long as they get both after 12 months of age). If they miss the second dose, they can get it anytime up to age 18.
Var
Susceptible babies (those who lack a reliable history of chickenpox) should get this vaccine at 12 to 15 months and a second dose at 4 to 6 years of age. Susceptible children over age 13 should get two doses at least 4 weeks apart.
Hep A
This vaccine is now recommended for all children at the age of 1 year. There are two doses, given 6 months apart. Children older than 1 year can have the vaccine if they missed it earlier and immunity is desired.
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Influenza vaccine
A yearly flu shot is recommended for all children aged 6 months to 18 years. Children under 9 who are getting vaccinated for the first time should receive two doses separated by at least a month. Healthy people between the ages of 5 and 49 can opt for the nasal spray vaccine instead of the injected version.
MCV4
The FDA approved Meningococcal conjugate vaccine in January 2005. All children 11 to 12 years old, previously unvaccinated adolescents and college freshmen living in dormitories should also receive MCV4.
HPV
The new human papillomavirus vaccine comes in three doses, with the second and third dose following at two and six months after the first dose. The CDC recommends routine immunization for girls who are 11 to 12 years old, though vaccination can start as young as 9. The CDC also recommends a catch-up vaccination for females between 13 and 26 who haven’t been immunized or completed the full vaccine series.
Every year the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American Academy of Family Physicians revise their schedule of childhood immunizations.
For a PDF version of the CDC’s 2022 immunization schedule, click here.
