Childhood Immunization

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics

See, Play and Learn

• Images
• Health Check Tools

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Teenagers
• Patient Handouts

Summary

Today, children in the United States routinely get vaccines that protect them from more than a dozen diseases such as measles, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). Most of these diseases are now at their lowest levels in history, thanks to years of immunization. Children must get at least some vaccines before they may attend school.

Vaccines help make you immune to serious diseases without getting sick first. Without a vaccine, you must actually get a disease in order to become immune to the germ that causes it. Vaccines work best when they are given at certain ages. For example, children don't receive measles vaccine until they are at least one year old. If it is given earlier it might not work as well. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publishes a schedule for childhood vaccines.

Although some of the vaccines you receive as a child provide protection for many years, adults need immunizations too.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Start Here

• Childhood Vaccines: What They Are and Why Your Child Needs Them (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• For Parents: Vaccines for Your Children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Frequently Asked Questions about Immunizations (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Immunization Schedule (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Immunization Schedules for Infants and Children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
• Immunization Schedules for Preteens and Teens (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
• Instant Childhood Immunization Schedule (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Recommended Immunizations for Children from 7 Through 18 Years Old (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Vaccines for Your Children: Protect Your Child at Every Age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Vaccines.gov (Department of Health and Human Services) Also in Spanish
• What Is a Vaccine? (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Related Issues

• After the Shots... What to Do If Your Child Has Discomfort (Immunization Action Coalition) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Community Immunity: How Vaccines Protect Us All (National Institutes of Health)
• Current Vaccine Shortages and Delays (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Do Vaccines Cause Autism? Is it OK to Skip Certain Vaccines? Get the facts (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Frequently Asked Questions about Thimerosal (Ethylmercury) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Immunizations: Active vs. Passive (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• Ingredients of Vaccines (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Is There a Connection Between Vaccines and Autism? (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Possible Side-Effects from Vaccines (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Questions Parents Ask about Baby Shots (Immunization Action Coalition) - PDF
• Travelers' Health: Vaccine Recommendations for Infants and Children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Understanding Thimerosal, Mercury, and Vaccine Safety (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
• Vaccinating Your Preteen: Addressing Common Concerns (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• Vaccination Records for Kids (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Vaccine Safety (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• What Would Happen If We Stopped Vaccinations? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• Immunizations for Preterm Babies (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• Your Baby's First Vaccines (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Images

• Vaccine-Preventable Disease Photos (Immunization Action Coalition)

Health Check Tools

• Instant Childhood Immunization Schedule (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Statistics and Research

• 2012 National Immunization Survey Data (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• FastStats: Immunization (National Center for Health Statistics)
• Safeguarding Our Health: Vaccines Protect Us All (National Institutes of Health)
• VaxView: Vaccination Coverage [data] in the U.S. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Childhood Immunization (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Recommended Immunization Schedule for Children...
• Article: A randomized trial to assess retention rates using mobile phone...
• Article: Update: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for...
• Childhood Immunization -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Overview of the Immune System (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Find an Expert

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Also in Spanish

Children

• Kids Guide to Shots (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Vaccination: An Act of Love (Pan American Health Organization) - PDF Also in Spanish

Teenagers

• Immunizations (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Vaccinations for Preteens and Teens, Age 11-19 Years (Immunization Action Coalition) - PDF Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Recommended Immunizations for Children from 7 Through 18 Years Old (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Your Baby's First Vaccines: What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF