Infant Immunization

Immunization is one of the best ways parents can protect their infants and young children from potentially serious diseases. Over the years, immunization has saved millions of lives.

To recognize the significant role immunization plays in the health of our children, April 25–May 2, 2009, has been designated National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) as well as Vaccination Week in the Americas. Since 1994, NIIW has been a call to action for parents, caregivers, and healthcare providers to ensure that infants are fully immunized against 14 vaccine-preventable diseases.

During this week, hundreds of communities throughout the U.S. are expected to sponsor activities emphasizing the health benefits of timely vaccination and the importance of maintaining high vaccination coverage. One key message will be the need for an ongoing relationship between parents and their child's healthcare provider. CDC encourages parents to talk to their child's doctor whenever they have questions about vaccinations.

Infants and young children need to be immunized because the diseases prevented by vaccination can strike at an early age. Also, these diseases can be far more serious among infants or young children. For example, approximately 50% of children younger than 6 months old who get whooping cough (pertussis) must be hospitalized, and this age group accounts for about 92% of all deaths from the disease.

Today, we can protect children younger than two years old from 14 serious diseases:

• Bacterial Meningitis
  
• Diphtheria
  
• Hepatitis A
  
• Hepatitis B
  
• Influenza
  
• Measles
  
• Mumps
  
• Pertussis (whooping cough)
  
• Pneumococcal disease
  
• Polio
  
• Rubella (German measles)
  
• Tetanus (lockjaw)
  
• Rotavirus
  
• Varicella (chickenpox)

Find out if your child is due for a vaccination. You can call your child's healthcare provider or your local health department to make an immunization appointment. If you go to a private doctor, your child's vaccinations might be covered by your health insurance. If not, the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides vaccines at no cost for children who are enrolled in Medicaid, don't have health insurance, or who are American Indian or Alaska Native. (If you are not Medicaid-eligible, you may have to pay a fee for the nurse to give each vaccination, in addition to paying routine office-visit fees.) If your insurance does not cover all vaccines for your child, then he or she may be able to receive those vaccines at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) or Rural Health Clinic (RHC). If you need help finding a vaccination provider in your community, contact your local or state health department or the CDC at 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).

Remember, if you have questions about immunization:

• Talk with your child's healthcare provider, contact your local or state health department, or call the CDC at 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).
• Visit the CDC's Vaccines & Immunizations home page.
  
• Review CDC's Parent's Guide to Childhood Immunizations.
• Watch CDC's newest videos about childhood immunization:

  Get the Picture: Childhood Immunizations ( 6:27 mins)
  Real moms get answers to their tough questions about childhood immunization.

  Welcome to Parenthood ( 1:01 mins)
  An entertaining look at some of the challenges facing new parents.