2010 Childhood Immunization Schedule

Immunization Basics

Each year, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), together with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), publishes new recommendations for immunizations for children and teens.

2010 Childhood Immunization Schedule Changes

While there were some changes in the 2010 childhood immunization schedule, these changes likely won't mean any extra shots for most kids.

One of the changes is that the immunization schedule now states that the use of combination vaccines is "preferred over separate injections," so this schedule may actually mean that your kids get fewer shots at each visit to the doctor. For example, at his two-month check-up, your infant might get the single Pentacel shot, instead of the separate DTaP, IPV, and Hib vaccines. The previous immunization schedule said that combination vaccines "may be used."

Another change will mean an extra shot for some kids, but only those high-risk children who need the meningococcal conjugate vaccine, including children with persistent complement component deficiency (a rare type of inherited immune deficiency), anatomic or functional asplenia (they don't have a spleen or their spleen doesn't work well), and some other immune system problems. These children usually get a dose of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine when they are between two to six years old, and it is now recommended that they get a second dose three to five years later, depending on when they got their first dose.

Some other changes are:

• Children should get the last dose of the polio vaccine after their fourth birthday and at least six months after the previous dose.


• All children aged two years and over can get the hepatitis A vaccine for protection against hepatitis A, even if they don't live in a high-risk area


• Starting when they are 11 to 12 years old, girls can get either Gardasil or the newer bivalent HPV vaccine (Cervarix) to protect them against HPV


• Boys between the ages of 9 to 18 years old can get Gardasil for protection against genital warts

_Sources:

_{Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Weekly. January 8, 2010 / 58(51&52), 1-4. Recommended Immunization Schedules for Persons Aged 0 Through 18 Years -- United States, 2010.}