Vaccine Schedule

Immunizations are an important part of keeping young children healthy. Unfortunately, keeping up with the schedule can be confusing, particularly since it changes periodically, and new vaccines and combinations of vaccines are constantly being developed. Your child’s particular immunization schedule will depend on the particular combinations and sequence of previous vaccines.

There are a few constants that may help you keep track of your child’s schedule:

  • Your child’s schedule of well-child visits does not change based on the immunization schedule. The appropriate vaccines are given at each well-child visit. For more on the well-child visit schedule, click here.
  • Shots are given at most of the physicals between ages 2 months and 18 months.
  • The primary vaccine series will be completed by 18 months of age. After that, booster shots are needed between ages 4-6 years.

The immunization schedule is developed based on extensive research on the optimal timing and spacing of vaccine doses to give maximal intensity and duration of immune system response and protection from disease. Recommendations and guidelines on vaccines are developed by the medical and public health communities and are revised annually and as needed.

Below is the recommended vaccine schedule at Covenant Care Pediatrics. The schedule may change slightly from child to child based on previous immunization history.

Age Recommended Vaccines
Birth Hepatitis B usually given in the hospital
1 month Hepatitis B
2 months DTaP, IPV, Hib, PCV13, rotavirus; hepatitis B if needed
4 months DTaP, IPV, Hib, PCV13, rotavirus; hepatitis B if needed
6 months DTaP, IPV, Hib, PCV13, rotavirus; hepatitis B if needed; flu during flu season
9 months Hepatitis B if needed; flu seasonally
12 months MMR, PCV13, hepatitis A; flu seasonally
15 months Hib, varicella (chickenpox); flu seasonally
18 months DTaP, hepatitis A; flu seasonally
2 years None unless needed; flu vaccine annually during flu season
3 years None unless needed; flu vaccine annually during flu season
4-5 years DTaP, IPV, MMR, varicella boosters; flu vaccine annually during flu season
6-10 years None unless needed; flu vaccine annually during flu season
11-12 years Tdap, MenACWY; HPV (girls and boys) if desired; varicella booster if not given previously; flu vaccine annually during flu season
13-15 years catch-up vaccines including hepatitis A; HPV if indicated; flu vaccine annually during flu season
16 years MenACWY booster; catch-up vaccines including hepatitis A; HPV if indicated; flu vaccine during flu season
17-21 years catch-up vaccines including hepatitis A; HPV if indicated; flu vaccine annually during flu season; MenB if desired for college

DtaP: Diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (whooping cough)
Hib: Haemophilus influenzae type b
IPV: inactivated polio vaccine
PCV: pneumococcal conjugate vaccine
MMR: measles-mumps-rubella vaccine
Tdap: tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (whooping cough)
HPV: human papillomavirus vaccine
MenACWY: meningococcal conjugate vaccine for groups A, C, W, & Y

CDC Schedules

 

Learn more at the CDC website.