Infant and toddler health (24)
- Vaccines: Keep your child's shots on track
- Language development: Speech milestones for babies
- Childhood vaccines: Tough questions, straight answers
- see all in Infant and toddler health
Newborn health (26)
- Baby bath basics: A parent's guide
- Newborn care: 10 tips for stressed-out parents
- Crying baby: What to do when your newborn cries
- see all in Newborn health
Infant health (24)
- Infant choking: How to keep your baby safe
- Solid foods: How to get your baby started
- Spitting up in babies: What's normal, what's not
- see all in Infant health
Toddler health (16)
- Temper tantrums in toddlers: How to keep the peace
- Potty training: How to get the job done
- Kids' swimming: Keep health risks at bay
- see all in Toddler health
Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Vaccines: Keep your child's shots on track
Childhood vaccines offer protection from serious or potentially fatal diseases. Know which vaccines your child needs now and which vaccines are coming up.
By Mayo Clinic staffThe vaccine schedule is designed to ensure that children receive vaccines at the optimal time to protect them from infectious diseases. The schedule is updated every year, and changes range from the addition of a new vaccine to tweaks of current recommendations.
Given the schedule's complexity and frequent updates, it can be challenging for parents to stay on top of which vaccines their children need and when. Use this guide to find out which vaccines your child needs now and which vaccines are coming up based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If your child has health issues, such as HIV or diabetes, or if you're planning to travel outside the U.S., talk to your doctor about whether your child needs to follow a different vaccine schedule.
If your child misses a dose of a vaccine, ask your child's doctor about scheduling a catch-up vaccination. If you're ever unsure about which vaccines your child needs, don't hesitate to ask the doctor. You might also ask about combination vaccines to reduce the number of shots in a single visit.
Birth
The first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine is usually given at birth. A second dose may be given at age 1 month or at 2 months when other vaccinations are typically given.
- Hepatitis B vaccine, first dose
Age 2 months
At age 2 months, a series of several vaccinations usually begins. Combination vaccines are generally used to reduce the number of shots.
- Hepatitis B vaccine, second dose if not given at 1 month
- Rotavirus (RV) vaccine, first dose
- Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine, first dose
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine, first dose
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), first dose
- Inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), first dose
Age 4 months
At age 4 months, follow-up doses of the vaccines administered at 2 months are usually given. Check with your child's doctor about catch-up vaccinations if your child is behind schedule or has missed any doses of vaccines.
- Rotavirus (RV) vaccine, second dose
- Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine, second dose
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine, second dose
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), second dose
- Inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), second dose
Age 6 months
At age 6 months, a third round of vaccinations is given. A yearly seasonal influenza (flu) vaccine also is recommended beginning at age 6 months and continuing through age 18 years. For children younger than age 2 years, the influenza vaccine is given as a shot. The first time a child receives the vaccine, it's usually divided into two doses. Ask your child's doctor for details.
- Hepatitis B vaccine, third dose
- Rotavirus (RV) vaccine, third dose if needed
- Diphtheria toxoid, tetanus toxoid and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine, third dose
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine, third dose
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), third dose
- Inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), third dose
- Influenza vaccine, once a year
Ages 12 to 18 months
The final doses of both Hib vaccine and PCV13 are usually given between ages 12 and 15 months. The fourth dose of DTaP is usually given between ages 15 and 18 months. However, in some cases, the fourth dose can be given as early as age 12 months — as long as it's been six months since the previous dose.
In addition, the first doses of MMR, varicella and hepatitis A vaccines are usually given at this time. The second dose of the hepatitis A vaccine can be given between ages 12 months and 23 months — as long as it's been six months since the previous dose.
- Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine, fourth dose
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine, fourth dose
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), fourth dose
- Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, first dose
- Varicella vaccine, first dose
- Hepatitis A vaccine, two doses given at least six months apart
- Influenza vaccine, once a year
(1 of 2)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Recommended Immunization Schedules for Persons Aged 0 Through 18 years and Adults Aged 19 Years and Older — United States, 2013. MMWR. 2013;62:1. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm62e0128a1.htm. Accessed Jan. 29, 2013.
- The childhood immunization schedule and safety: Stakeholder concerns, scientific evidence, and future studies. Institute of Medicine. http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2013/The-Childhood-Immunization-Schedule-and-Safety.aspx. Accessed Jan. 29, 2013.
Find Mayo Clinic on