The 2026 Vaccine Schedule Just Dropped: Here's What Changed for Your Child

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released its 2026 Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule, continuing to recommend routine vaccines that protect children and teens from 18 serious, preventable diseases. The good news for parents: the schedule is largely unchanged from 2025, meaning your pediatrician's guidance remains consistent and rooted in decades of research and real-world safety data.

What Diseases Does the 2026 Schedule Protect Against?

The 2026 AAP immunization schedule continues to recommend protection against a comprehensive list of serious illnesses. These vaccines are timed based on how children's immune systems develop and when they're most vulnerable to certain diseases. The diseases covered include:

• Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV): The leading cause of hospitalization for babies before their first birthday, with immunizations given during pregnancy and early infancy providing protective antibodies for newborns.
• Influenza (Flu): Recommended for all children starting at 6 months old, with young children under age 2 facing higher risk for severe illness, hospitalization, and death.
• Hepatitis B: A viral infection that can cause lifelong liver disease, liver cancer, or liver failure, with the vaccine highly effective when given within 24 hours of birth.
• Measles: An extremely contagious disease that can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, brain swelling, hearing loss, and death, with recent outbreaks mostly affecting young children.
• Rotavirus, Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Whooping Cough (Pertussis): Additional serious preventable diseases included in routine childhood immunizations.
• Polio, Pneumococcal Disease, COVID-19, Mumps, Rubella, Chickenpox (Varicella), Meningitis, and Hepatitis A: Other critical diseases covered by the schedule.

Why Does the AAP Schedule Differ from the CDC's Recommendations?

Parents might notice that multiple national organizations, including the AAP and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provide vaccine guidance. The AAP develops its schedule specifically for infants, children, and adolescents based on evidence about disease risk during childhood and when vaccines are most effective at different ages. Pediatricians use this child-focused guidance to help protect children through their development, and the AAP encourages families to follow the immunization schedule recommended by their child's pediatrician.

Since its founding in 1930, the AAP has been a leading voice in child health. Its vaccine recommendations are developed using a rigorous, evidence-based process that considers vaccine safety data collected over many years, how common and severe certain diseases are in the United States, how well vaccines prevent illness and complications, and the best timing for vaccines based on immune system development.

How Is the 2026 Schedule Supported Across the Medical Community?

The AAP's 2026 immunization schedule is endorsed by 12 major medical and health care organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Medical Association, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. This wide support reflects strong agreement across medical specialties that routine childhood vaccines are safe, effective, and essential to protecting children's health.

The schedule is also endorsed by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and aligns with the state's Public Health for All vaccine recommendations. A parent-friendly version of the schedule is available on HealthyChildren.org, a trusted resource from the AAP designed specifically for families.

If you're feeling confused by different schedules or recommendations, your pediatrician can help explain what applies to your child and why certain vaccines are recommended at specific ages. Your child's pediatrician is your most trusted source for vaccine information and welcomes questions about the benefits, possible side effects, and timing of each vaccine. By staying informed and partnering with your child's care team, you're helping protect not only your own child, but also your community.