Childhood vaccines
How vaccines may help protect your child every step of the way
There are many ways to protect kids as they grow. Planning for vaccines is an important step you can take to help protect your child from up to 16 serious diseases by age 18.1 There can be many questions about when and why to schedule vaccines. Here, you'll find resources to help guide you on what you need to know about vaccines and how they work.
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Get the facts. Gain immunity.
Here are a few of the most common questions related to child vaccinations.1
Yes, vaccines are very safe. Every licensed vaccine goes through years of safety testing by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure they are as safe as possible. Currently, the United States has the safest vaccine supply in its history. The most common side effects are typically very mild, such as pain or swelling at the injection site.
It is recommended that parents have young children vaccinated while their immune systems are still developing, so they are able to build antibodies to protect themselves. The recommended schedule protects infants and children by providing immunity early in life, before they come into contact with life-threatening diseases.
Children get several vaccines up to their second birthday, but receiving multiple vaccines at one time does not overload the immune system. Children‘s immune systems are built to successfully fight off thousands of antigens at one time, and even multiple vaccines are fewer than what they are exposed to already, every day.
Serious side effects from vaccinations are extremely rare. Most side effects are mild (such as redness or swelling at the injection site) and go away within a few days.
Here are a few convenient options for determining which vaccines your child may be due for and when to vaccinate.
- View the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended child immunization schedule:
- Talk to your child’s doctor
- Call the number on your health plan ID card to speak with a health professional
- Learn more about all the recommended preventive care for your child and get an age-appropriate checklist
When it comes to your child and vaccines, you may have questions. Here’s a list of questions you may want to ask your doctor at your child’s next appointment.
- At what age should my child start getting vaccines?
- What are the benefits of getting my child vaccinated?
- What diseases do vaccines prevent?
- Are vaccines safe?
- How are vaccines made?
- Can vaccines cause side effects?
- Which vaccines does my child need and when?
- Could multiple vaccines given at the same time overwhelm my child’s immune system?
- What ingredients are in vaccines and what do they do?
- Could my child get a disease after being vaccinated?
- Could the vaccine give my child the disease?
It is recommended children get an annual flu vaccine. Research shows annual childhood flu vaccines can lessen pediatric flu symptoms, reduce doctor's visits for flu and missed school days and lower the risk of flu-related hospitalization and death.2
Children younger than 5 years old — especially those younger than 2 — and children with certain chronic health conditions, like asthma and diabetes, are at higher risk for serious flu complications. It is especially important these children get an annual flu vaccine.2
Healthy children 5 years and older can also get very sick from flu or spread the flu to vulnerable family members like infants younger than 6 months.2 There is not a newborn flu vaccine or infant flu shot for those younger than 6 months. 2
Flu shots are approved for use in children 6 months and older. The nasal spray vaccine is approved for healthy children over age 2.
Some children ages 6 months through 8 years old need 2 doses of flu vaccine:2, 3, 4
- Children in this age group getting vaccinated for the first time
- Children who have received fewer than 2 doses before July 1, 2024
- Children whose flu vaccination history is unknown
Children getting 2 doses can get the first dose as soon as the vaccine is available. Children getting 1 dose should get the vaccine ideally by the end of October.2
Protection for a lifetime
At every age, there are specific vaccinations recommended for children and teens. Below, you’ll find a list of which vaccinations are recommended for specific age groups. These vaccines are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Getting the right protection, right away
Vaccines can help protect babies from serious, preventable diseases.4 The recommended schedule for healthy children includes few vaccinations that are given at birth and others that are spread out much later. Recommended vaccines for children under 2 protect against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rotavirus, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), pneumococcal, polio, COVID-19, influenza (flu), measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (chickenpox).5 It is recommended that children 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccine.2
Protection that grows as they do
Continue with important vaccinations that protect against pertussis, mumps, measles and varicella. Also, your child will continue to receive flu shots yearly.
Preparing for their teen years
Preteen vaccinations can help protect against human papillomavirus (HPV), meningitis and mononucleosis. Also, your child will continue to receive flu shots yearly.
For immunity into adulthood.
Continuing recommended vaccines and annual flu shot through age 18 can help your child stay healthy.
Take the next step
Whether you’re looking for more information or ready to schedule an appointment, here’s some help to take the next step.
View preventive care guidelines
