10 Things You Need to Know About Childhood Immunizations

Immunizations protect children from dangerous childhood diseases. Any of these diseases can cause serious complications and can even kill. More...

• Diphtheria
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib disease - a major cause of bacterial meningitis)
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV - a major cause of cervical and other cancers)
• Influenza
• Measles
• Meningococcal
• Mumps
• Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
• Pneumococcal (causes bacterial meningitis and blood infections)
• Polio
• Rotavirus
• Rubella (German Measles)
• Tetanus (Lockjaw)
• Varicella (Chickenpox)

Note: Also available are audio, text-only, and other language versions of the Vaccine Information Sheets.

The following vaccinations are recommended by age two and can be given over five visits to a doctor or clinic:

• 4 doses of diphtheria, tetanus & pertussis vaccine (DTaP)
• 3-4 doses of Hib vaccine (depending on the brand used)
• 4 doses of pneumococcal vaccine
• 3 doses of polio vaccine
• 2 doses of hepatitis A vaccine
• 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine
• 1 dose of measles, mumps & rubella vaccine (MMR)
• 2-3 doses of rotavirus vaccine (depending on the brand used)
• 1 dose of varicella vaccine
• 1 or 2 annual doses of influenza vaccine (number of doses depends on influenza vaccine history)

Recommended doses can also be viewed in chart form. And, concerns about multiple vaccines given in one visit are addressed.

Side effects can occur with any medicine, including vaccines. Depending on the vaccine, these can include: slight fever, rash, or soreness at the site of injection. Slight discomfort is normal and should not be a cause for alarm. Your health care provider can give you additional information. More...

Serious reactions to vaccines are extremely rare. The risk of serious complications from a disease that could have been prevented by vaccination is far greater than the risk of a serious reaction to a vaccine. More...

If you think your child is experiencing a persistent or severe reaction, call your doctor or get the child to a doctor right away. Write down what happened and the date and time it happened. Ask your doctor, nurse or health department to file a VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) report or go to VAERS web site to file this form yourself electronically.

Children under 5 are especially susceptible to disease because their immune systems have not built up the necessary defenses to fight infection. By immunizing on time (by age 2), you can protect your child from disease and also protect others at school or daycare. More...

A vaccination health record helps you and your health care provider keep your child's vaccinations on schedule. If you move or change providers, having an accurate record might prevent your child from having to repeat vaccinations he or she has already had. A shot record should be started when your child receives his/her first vaccination and updated with each vaccination visit. More...

A federal program called Vaccines for Children provides free vaccines to eligible children, including those without health insurance coverage, those enrolled in Medicaid, American Indians and Alaskan Natives and those whose health insurance does not cover vaccines. More...

• General immunization questions can be answered by
  The CDC Contact Center at 1-800-CDC-INFO
  (1-800-232-4636) English and Español
  Contact CDC-INFO
• Questions about vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases frequently asked by people calling the TTY Service Hotline at
  1-888-232-6348 (TTY hotline)