The Complete Childhood Vaccine Schedule: What Your Child Needs and When

Your child needs a series of vaccines starting at birth and continuing through their teenage years to protect against serious, potentially life-threatening diseases. The CDC's childhood immunization schedule outlines which vaccines are recommended for all children, which are for high-risk groups, and which require shared decision-making between parents and pediatricians.

What Vaccines Do All Children Need?

The core vaccine schedule protects against 11 major diseases through a carefully timed series of shots. These vaccines begin at birth and continue through age 17, with some requiring multiple doses spaced months or years apart to build strong immunity.

• Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP): Five doses given between birth and age 6, then a booster (Tdap) at age 11 or 12 to protect against these bacterial infections that can cause heart failure, seizures, and death.
• Polio (IPV): Four doses administered between birth and age 18 to prevent a viral infection that can cause permanent paralysis.
• Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR): Two doses given at ages 12-15 months and 4-6 years to protect against highly contagious viral infections that can cause brain swelling, pneumonia, and deafness.
• Varicella (Chickenpox): Two doses given at ages 12-15 months and 4-6 years to prevent a contagious viral infection that can lead to infected sores, brain swelling, and pneumonia.
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib): Three or four doses between birth and age 18 months to prevent bacterial infections of the brain, spinal cord, and bloodstream that can cause hearing loss and brain damage.
• Pneumococcal (PCV15 or PCV20): Four doses between birth and age 18 months to protect against bacterial infections that can cause ear infections, pneumonia, and meningitis.
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Series beginning at age 11 or 12 to prevent cancers of the cervix, vagina, penis, anus, and throat later in life.

Which Vaccines Are for High-Risk Children?

Some vaccines are recommended only for children with specific health conditions or circumstances. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) protection, for example, is recommended for all infants whose mothers did not receive the RSV vaccine during pregnancy, and a second dose is recommended for high-risk children with chronic lung disease between ages 8 and 19 months. Other vaccines in this category include hepatitis B for infants born to mothers with hepatitis B infection, dengue for children living in areas where the disease is endemic, and meningococcal vaccines for children with certain immune system conditions or those traveling to high-risk regions.

What About Vaccines Requiring Shared Decision-Making?

Some vaccines are recommended based on conversations between parents and pediatricians rather than as universal requirements. These include rotavirus, COVID-19, influenza, and hepatitis A vaccines. Parents and doctors discuss the child's individual risk factors, lifestyle, and family preferences to decide whether these vaccines are appropriate. For example, rotavirus protection is available as either a two-dose or three-dose series, and influenza vaccines can be given as an injection or nasal spray, allowing families to choose the option that works best for them.

Why Does Timing Matter for Vaccine Protection?

The childhood vaccine schedule is designed around how a child's immune system develops. Infants have some protection from antibodies passed from their mothers, but this protection fades within months. Vaccines are timed to provide protection when babies are most vulnerable to serious disease. For instance, the first dose of DTaP is given at 2 months of age, when maternal antibodies are declining and the infant's own immune system is ready to respond to the vaccine. Spacing doses weeks or months apart allows the immune system to build stronger, longer-lasting immunity with each dose.

Staying on schedule is important because gaps in vaccination can leave children unprotected during vulnerable periods. If a child misses a dose, their pediatrician can help catch them up without restarting the entire series, but delays still mean periods of vulnerability to disease.

What Serious Complications Do These Vaccines Prevent?

The diseases covered by childhood vaccines can cause severe complications and death. Pertussis (whooping cough) is especially dangerous for babies and can cause pneumonia and death. Measles can lead to brain swelling and pneumonia. Polio can cause permanent paralysis. Meningococcal disease can result in loss of limbs, deafness, and death. Tetanus, caused by bacteria found in soil and dust, can trigger seizures, broken bones from muscle contractions, and difficulty breathing. These are not theoretical risks—they are documented complications that vaccines effectively prevent.

Parents who have questions about their child's vaccine schedule should discuss them with their pediatrician, who can provide personalized recommendations based on the child's health history and risk factors. The CDC's easy-to-read schedule is available to help families understand what vaccines are due at each age and why they matter for their child's long-term health.