Childhood Immunization (Print Version)

Also called: Also called: Shots

Today, children in the United States routinely get vaccines that protect them from more than a dozen diseases such as measles, polio and tetanus. 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

2009 Childhood & Adolescent Immunization Schedule(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/child-schedule.htm
Childhood Vaccines: What They Are and Why Your Child Needs Them(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/vaccines/028.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/healthy/vaccines/028.printerview.html
Frequently Asked Questions about Immunizations(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/fact_myth_immunizations.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/general/fact_myth_immunizations_esp.html

Overviews

Immunization Chart(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/medical/immunization_chart.html
Parent's Guide to Kids' Vaccines(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/kidsvaccines073107.html
Protecting Your Child against Serious Diseases: Making Sure Kids Get All Their 'Shots'(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/opacom/lowlit/shots.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.fda.gov/opacom/lowlit/sshots.html
Vaccine-Preventable Childhood Diseases(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/child-vpd.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/inmunizacion/nenes.htm
Vaccines: Top 5 Myths about Childhood Vaccines(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/vaccines/CC00014/METHOD=print
What Is a Vaccine?(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/vaccines/understanding/