do our kids really need all of this??
I heard somewhere that kids get some where around 157 immunizations from birth to school.http://www.babycenter.com/shotsRecommended immunization schedule
If your child has gotten behind on immunizations, ask your doctor about the "catch-up" schedule.
DTaP, to protect against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough):
At 2 months
At 4 months
At 6 months
Between 15 and 18 months (can be given as early as 12 months as long as it's at least six months after the previous shot)
Between 4 and 6 years old
A booster shot at 11 or 12 years of age
Hepatitis A, to protect against hepatitis A, which can cause the liver disease hepatitis.
Between 12 and 23 months, two shots at least six months apart
Hepatitis B (HBV), to protect against hepatitis B, which can cause the liver disease hepatitis:
At birth
Between 1 and 2 months
Between 6 and 18 months.
Hib, to protect against Haemophilus influenza type B, which can lead to meningitis, pneumonia, and epiglottitis:
At 2 months
At 4 months
At 6 months (not needed if the PedvaxHIB or ComVax brand of vaccine was given at 2 and 4 months)
Between 12 and 15 months
HPV, to protect against human papillomavirus, the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States and a cause of cervical cancer:
Three doses between 11 and 12 years, for girls (one version of the HPV vaccine prevents genital warts in males, but isn't on the official schedule)
Influenza (the flu shot or, for age 2 and up, nasal spray vaccine), to protect against seasonal flu and H1N1 (swine flu):
Age 6 months and up, every year in the fall or early winter
Two doses for children 6 months to 8 years old who are getting the seasonal flu vaccine for the first time, who had only one dose of the seasonal flu vaccine in the previous flu season, or who didn't get the H1N1 vaccine during the 2009-2010 season
One dose for all other children
Meningococcal, to protect against meningococcal disease, the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in U.S. children in pre-vaccine days:
Between 11 and 12 years
MMR, to protect against measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles):
Between 12 and 15 months
Between 4 and 6 years old
Pneumococcal (PCV), to protect against pneumococcal disease, which can lead to meningitis, pneumonia, and ear infections:
At 2 months
At 4 months
At 6 months
Between 12 and 15 months
Polio (IPV), to protect against polio:
At 2 months
At 4 months
Between 6 and 18 months
Between 4 and 6 years old
Rotavirus, to protect against rotavirus, which can cause severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and dehydration (given orally, not as an injection):
At 2 months
At 4 months
At 6 months (not needed if the Rotarix brand of vaccine was given at 2 and 4 months)
Varicella, to protect against chicken pox:
Between 12 and 15 months
Between 4 and 6 years.