Every year, babies are required by law to get specific vaccinations. However, the schedule for immunization can also change from year-to-year so if you have a small baby or are currently pregnant you need to understand what the year’s requirements are. These vaccinations are mandatory, meaning that for a child to enter school, he or she would have to be current on shots.
Regardless, the purpose of immunization is to provide your child with a barrier of protection for known illnesses. The following are the immunizations required, based on a baby’s birth date of December 2005 to January 2006:
-January 2006 – Birth to two months – Hepatitis B
-February 2006 – One to Four Months – Hepatitis B
-March 2006 – Two months – DTaP, Hib, Polio, Pneumococcal, and Rotavirus
-May 2006 – Four Months – DTaP, Hib, Polio, Pneumococcal, and Rotavirus
-July 2006 – Six Months – DTaP, Hib, Pneumococcal, Rotavirus, Hepatitis B, Polio
-January 2007 – Twelve to twenty-three months – Hib, MMR, Pneumococcal, Varicella, Hepatitis A
-April 2007 – Fifteen to eighteen months – DTaP
-January 2008 – Two to six years – Hepatitis A
-January 2011 – Four to six years – DTaP, Polio, and MMR
-January 2017 – Eleven to twelve years – DTaP booster (TDaP), Meningococcal, and HPV (for girls only)
Remember, new illnesses can appear while old illnesses can disappear. The Centers for Disease Prevention provides a new schedule each year. In addition to the above immunizations, it is also required that your child receive a flu shot every fall from six months of age and up.