Health Groups Release New Immunization Schedules

Children and adolescents can now be protected against more diseases than ever before, according to the 2007 Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedules released jointly by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).

The 2007 schedules include new immunization recommendations for rotavirus, human papillomavirus (HPV), varicella (chickenpox) and childhood influenza. For the first time, the recommended childhood and adolescent immunization schedule is divided into two schedules: one for children from birth to 6 years of age and a second for those 7 to 18 years of age.

Changes

2, 4 and 6 months
Receive the oral rotavirus vaccine. Rotavirus is a virus that causes severe diarrhea in babies and young children.
4 years to 6 years
Receive a second dose of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine to further protect against the disease. The first dose is recommended at 12 to 15 months of age. Older children, adolescents and adults should also receive a catch-up second dose if they previously had received only one dose.
6 months to 5 years
Receive the influenza vaccination (includes household contacts and caregivers for these children). The previous recommendation was for children 6 months through 23 months. Now children from 6 months through 59 months are recommended for annual influenza vaccination.
Girls 11 to 12 years
Receive a three-dose series of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, with the second dose two months after the first dose and the third dose at least four months after the second dose. The recommendation also allows for vaccination of girls beginning at nine years old as well as vaccination of girls and women 13 to 26 years old. HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer in women.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends vaccinations at the following intervals:

2007 Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule:

Child's Age	Vaccine and Dose	Protects Against
At Birth	Hepatitis B Dose 1 of 3	Hepatitis B virus (chronic inflammation of the liver, lifelong complication)
1 to 2 months	Hepatitis B Dose 2 of 3
2 months (part of well-baby visit)	DTaP Dose1 of 5	Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough
	HiB Dose 1 of 4	Infections of the blood, brain, joints or lungs (pneumonia)
	Polio (IPV) Dose 1 of 4	Polio
	Pneumonococcal conjugate (PCV) Dose 1 of 4	Infections of the blood, brain, joints or inner ear
	Rotavirus Dose 1 of 3	Rotavirus diarrhea (and vomitting)
4 months (part of well-baby visit)	DTaP Dose 2 of 5	Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough
	HiB Dose 2 of 4	Infections of the blood, brain, joints or lungs (pneumonia)
	Polio (IPV) Dose 2 of 4	Polio
	Pneumonococcal conjugate (PCV) Dose 2 of 4	Infections of the blood, brain, joints or inner ear
	Rotavirus Dose 2 of 3	Rotavirus diarrhea (and vomitting)
6 months (part of well-baby visit)	DTaP Dose 3 of 5	Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough
	HiB Dose 3 of 4	Infections of the blood, brain, joints or lungs (pneumonia)
	Pneumonococcal conjugate (PCV) Dose 3 of 4	Infections of the blood, brain, joints or inner ear
	Infections of the blood, brain, joints or inner ear	Rotavirus diarrhea (and vomitting)
6 to 18 months	Hepatitis B Dose 3 of 3	Hepatitis B (chronic inflammation of the liver, lifelong complications)
	Polio (IPV) Dose 3 of 4	Polio
6 months or older	Influenza Yearly	Flu and complications
12 to 15 months	HiB Dose 4 of 4	Infections of the blood, brain, joints or lungs (pneumonia)
	Pneumonococcal conjugate (PCV) Dose 4 of 4	Infections of the blood, brain, joints or inner ears
	MMR Dose 1 of 2	Measles, mumps and rubella (German Measles)
	Varicella Dose 1 of 2	Chickenpox
12 to 23 months	Hepatitis A Dose 1 of 2	Hepatitis A virus (inflammation of the liver)
15 to 18 months	DTaP Dose 4 of 5	Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough
18 months or older	Hepatitis A Dose 2 of 2 (follows six months after Dose 1)	Hepatitis A virus (inflammation of the liver)
4 to 6 years	DTaP Dose 5 of 5	Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough
	Polio (IPV) Dose 4 of 4	Polio
	MMR Dose 2 of 2	Measles, mumps and rubella (German Measles)
	Varicella Dose 2 of 2	Chickenpox
11 to 12 years	DTaP	Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough
	MCV4 Dose1	Meningococcal conjugate vaccine
	HPV Dose 1 of 3	Human papillomavirus (females only)
	HPV Dose 2 of 3 (follows two months after Dose 1)	Human papillomavirus (females only)
	HPV Dose 3 of 3 (follows four months after Dose 2)	Human papillomavirus (females only)
13 to 18 years	MCV4 Dose1	Meningococcal conjugate vaccine

Additional vaccines: Consult your child’s physician about catch-up vaccinations, and vaccines for travelers and those in high-risk groups.