Getting a jump on germs
By using a weakened or inactive version of a germ or a piece of a germ, a vaccine shows your immune system how to block that germ's plays.
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There have been a lot of questions about the safety of childhood vaccines in the news lately, and we recognize that many parents are concerned.
At Boston Children’s, our priority is children’s health. Research conducted in the United States and elsewhere continually demonstrates that vaccines are safe, effective, and help protect children from serious illness.
For this reason, we follow the recommended pediatric immunization schedule supported by national physician organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Medical Association. These childhood vaccines help protect children from preventable diseases as they grow and develop.
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about pediatric immunizations. If you have additional questions about childhood vaccines, please speak with your child’s doctor.
What are pediatric immunizations?
Pediatric immunizations (vaccines) work with your child’s natural defenses to protect them from getting sick. Most childhood vaccines use a weakened or inactive version of a germ (such as a virus) to train the immune system to produce antibodies that fight that germ. Pediatric immunizations help children build resistance to certain harmful diseases: If they are exposed to that particular germ in the future, their immune systems remember how to fight it.
Most pediatric immunizations are given by injection, although some are given by mouth. Most vaccines for children require more than one dose to be most effective. Childhood vaccines help protect against harmful and potentially life-threatening diseases such as measles, polio, and meningitis.
Are vaccines safe for children?
Yes. It’s understandable to have questions about childhood vaccine safety. The good news is that these vaccines have undergone years of rigorous testing and monitoring to ensure their safety. Researchers have also confirmed that there is no link between certain childhood vaccines and autism.
Why are vaccines important for children?
Children come in contact with any number of viruses and other germs — at school, on the bus, and on play dates to name a few. Vaccines help keep children from getting sick with harmful viruses and other germs.
Why are vaccines important for communities?
While the vaccine benefits for children are clear, pediatric immunizations help protect everyone, thanks to “herd immunity.” Not everyone can get vaccinated, such as people who are extremely ill or who are allergic to certain vaccine ingredients. When enough people in a community get vaccinated against a germ, it makes it harder for that germ to spread easily. When your child receives pediatric immunizations, you are also helping protect other children and adults who cannot be vaccinated.
In the past, herd immunity was achieved for diseases including measles, polio, rubella, and diphtheria. Thanks to childhood vaccines, these diseases have been eliminated in many countries. However, herd immunity isn’t permanent unless a disease is fully eradicated worldwide.
The importance of immunization
Immunization against older known infectious diseases such as polio and measles can protect your child from serious illness.
Why does my child need so many vaccines?
Unfortunately, there’s no single vaccine that will protect your child from every type of germ they could encounter. Rather, each vaccine is developed to prime the immune system to recognize and fight a specific germ. Vaccine schedules are designed to align with the ages at which children and teens are most vulnerable to infection. This helps ensure that your child is protected at the right time.
The recommended vaccines for children include:
This is the first vaccine most babies receive — usually within 24 hours of birth. They will also need two follow-up doses: one at ages 1 to 2 months, and one between ages 6 and 18 months old. Babies who are infected with hepatitis B have a much higher risk of developing liver damage and liver cancer later on. Most people who receive the HepB vaccine are immune to the virus for life, although some adults — such as those in the health care field — may need a booster.
Children receive two or three doses of this vaccine between ages 2 and 15 months. It offers protection against lung infections, ear infections, and meningitis, which can be fatal.
This vaccine is given in four doses between ages 2 months and 6 years. It protects against polio, a disease that causes paralysis and death.
Given in four doses between ages 2 and 15 months, this vaccine helps prevent bacterial pneumonia, bacterial meningitis, and sepsis, all of which are potentially fatal.
Children need two doses of the MMR vaccine: one at ages 12 to 15 months and another at ages 4 to 6 years old. The MMR vaccine helps prevent measles, mumps, and rubella, diseases that can cause symptoms such as fever, rash, muscle aches, and diarrhea. Measles can also trigger seizures, while mumps may lead to deafness. Rarely, they can lead to brain damage and death.
A dose of this vaccine at ages 12 to 15 months and a second at ages 4 to 6 years can help prevent chickenpox, a highly infectious disease that causes a rash and fever, as well as complications like pneumonia and encephalitis.
Two doses of the HepA vaccine given six months apart between ages 1 and 2 can offer lifelong protection against hepatitis A, a serious liver disease.
We recommend the flu vaccine to everyone over 6 months old. If your child is 9 years old or younger and has never previously received the flu vaccine, they will need a second booster dose four weeks later. The flu can be fatal in children and can also trigger a rare complication called acute necrotizing encephalopathy, which causes brain damage.
The COVID vaccine is recommended for all children ages 6 to 23 months because they are at highest risk for severe disease and hospitalization. Kids and teens over 2 years old may need the vaccine if they have risk factors for COVID.
The HPV vaccine prevents six different kinds of cancer, including cervical and most oral cancers. Children should receive two doses of the vaccine, starting between ages 9 and 12. Teens who receive their first dose of the HPV vaccine at age 15 or older will need three doses.
Your child should receive their first dose of the meningococcal vaccine at age 11 or 12. The meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY) vaccine protects against four bacterial strains, while the meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine protects against a different strain of the bacteria. The MenABCWY vaccine combines these into one product. Your child’s physician will help you decide which is best for them. Teens ages 16 and older should get a booster dose, especially since meningococcal bacteria are easily spread in close confines like college dorms and military barracks. Meningitis can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated within just a few hours.
Children receive one dose of this booster vaccine at age 11 or 12. It contains lower amounts of the diphtheria and pertussis vaccines than the DTaP your child was given as a baby, but the same amount of tetanus vaccine. They should get a Tdap booster every 10 years or so as an adult.
Childhood immunization schedule: What vaccines do children need and when?
At Boston Children’s, we follow the science-based vaccine schedule for children recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other national physician organizations. This is considered the ideal timeline for healthy children as their immune system develops.
Pediatric immunizations are often given in multiple doses, with several different vaccines given during one visit. This approach helps protect children and strengthen their immune system as early as possible. It’s important to stay on schedule with childhood vaccines so that they provide the most protection.
Immunization schedules are divided by age for infants, toddlers, school-age children, and adolescents. View the recommended immunization schedules for birth to age 6 and ages 7 through 18 for more details.
What are the common side effects of vaccines in children?
It’s normal for children to experience temporary side effects after receiving a vaccine. These can include:
- Redness, swelling, and pain at the injection site
- Low fever
- Body aches
- Fatigue
These side effects are signs that your child’s immune system is producing antibodies in response to the vaccine. Your child’s doctor can tell you how to soothe your child’s discomfort until it goes away, typically within a day or two.
Although these side effects may feel like mild symptoms of the disease itself, they are not. Childhood vaccines use dead or weakened germs and cannot cause the diseases they are meant to prevent. It is safe — and beneficial — for children to receive several immunizations at a time.
What if my child has a medical condition, allergy, or delayed schedule?
We recommend that most healthy children follow the pediatric immunization schedule from the American Academy of Pediatrics. However, some children may require adjustments to this schedule or different vaccine doses. This includes children with certain chronic conditions, weakened immunity, or allergies to ingredients found in some vaccines. We recommend talking with your child’s doctor about any concerns you have.
Next steps for your child’s immunization
The clinicians at Boston Children’s are here to help support you through pediatric immunizations. If you have questions about your child’s vaccine needs or the recommended childhood immunization schedule, please reach out to their health care provider.