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Vaccine Information
for Children & Teens

Ages 7 – 18 Years

At a glance

Part of taking care of kids is setting them up for a healthy future. Vaccines play a big part in health.

Vaccines for illnesses such as diphtheria, rotavirus, polio, tetanus, whooping cough, also called pertussis, and others are given in the first year of life. If these diseases seem uncommon it's because vaccines are doing their job.

Still, you might wonder about the benefits and risks of childhood vaccines. Here are answers to some common questions about childhood vaccines.

Vaccine Safety

Are vaccines safe?

Yes. Vaccines are very safe. The United States’ long-standing vaccine safety system ensures that vaccines are as safe as possible. Currently, the United States has the safest vaccine supply in its history. Millions of children safely receive vaccines each year. The most common side effects are very mild, such as pain or swelling at the injection site.

What are the risks and benefits of vaccines?

Vaccines can prevent infectious diseases that once killed or harmed many infants, children, and adults. Without vaccines, your child is at risk for getting seriously ill and suffering pain, disability, and even death from diseases like measles and whooping cough.

The main risks associated with getting vaccines are side effects, which are almost always mild (redness and swelling at the injection site) and go away within a few days. Serious side effects after vaccination, such as a severe allergic reaction, are very rare and doctors and clinic staff are trained to deal with them.

The disease-prevention benefits of getting vaccines are much greater than the possible side effects for almost all children. The only exceptions to this are cases in which a child has a serious chronic medical condition like cancer or a disease that weakens the immune system, or has had a severe allergic reaction to a previous vaccine dose.

Is there a link between autism and vaccines?

No. Vaccines do not cause autism. Researchers haven't found a connection between autism and childhood vaccines. The original study that ignited the controversy in 1998 was removed from the scientific record, also called retracted, in 2010.

Side Effects

What are common side effects of vaccines?

Most vaccine side effects are not dangerous. Any medicine, including vaccines, can cause side effects. Most of the time, these side effects are minor. Some examples are a low-grade fever, headache, fussiness or soreness at the injection site.

Rarely, a child might experience a severe side effect, such as an allergic reaction or a seizure. These are rare side effects, and caregivers and health care providers monitor for them after vaccination.

Of course, vaccines aren't given to children who have known allergies to specific parts of the vaccine. And if your child has a life-threatening reaction to one vaccine, further doses of that vaccine won't be given.

The risk of a vaccine causing serious harm or death is very small. The benefits of getting a vaccine are much greater than the possible side effects for almost all children.

Is natural immunity better than vaccination?

No, In general, it is better to prevent sickness by getting vaccinated rather than getting an infection.

Getting infected with a germ may provide some people with a longer lasting immune response but at higher risk. For example, getting a Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) bacterial infection could lead to permanent deafness, brain damage or even death.

Childhood vaccines protect kids from serious diseases and complications. Vaccines also lower the chance of spreading a disease.

Is it OK to pick and choose vaccines?

No, It's not a good idea to skip some vaccines. That leaves your child without protection. It allows a child to spread disease to others. For some children, such as kids being treated for cancer, their main protection from disease is the immunity of the people around them.

And because diseases are still spreading in many parts of the world, skipping vaccines puts your child at risk in the future.

If you are worried about a certain vaccine, talk about your concerns with your child's health care provider. If your child falls behind the standard vaccine schedule, ask your child's health care provider how to catch up.

Vaccines protect individuals and communities

Vaccines give us immunity, or protection, against diseases. When most people are immune, the disease has less chance to spread. This is called community immunity, or herd immunity. The more people who are immune, the better the protection. That’s why your child’s vaccine can help protect others in the community.

Vaccine FAQ's

CDC recommends all children receive vaccines according to the recommended immunization schedule to provide them maximum protection.
Why Should I Vaccinate My Preteens and Teens?

Preteens and teens are at increased risk of getting certain vaccine-preventable diseases as they engage in common activities such as sharing drinks and utensils, kissing, attending summer camps, and later, college. As your children become preteens, some vaccines they received as infants and young children begin to wear off and they need a “booster dose.” Other vaccines are recommended for children starting at ages 11 or 12 to keep them healthy into adulthood.

Missed well-care and vaccination visits can leave your children unprotected from dangerous diseases. Preteens and teens do not have as many regular visits with healthcare providers and may miss critical vaccines that can protect them.

Why Follow the Recommended Vaccination Schedule?

The CDC develops the U.S. immunization schedules for children, teens and adults based on recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The CDC’s recommended immunization schedule is the ONLY vaccination schedule in the U.S. that is rigorously tested for safety and effectiveness. This schedule is also endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

The vaccines recommended in the schedule are carefully timed to provide protection to children and teens when they are most vulnerable to diseases, and when the vaccines will produce the strongest response from their immune systems. That’s why it is so important to follow the schedule as closely as possible.

Should I delay some vaccines or follow a non-standard schedule?

Children do not receive any known benefits from following schedules that delay vaccines. Infants and young children who follow immunization schedules that spread out or leave out shots are at risk of developing diseases during the time you delay their shots.

Why can't I delay some vaccines if I'm planning to get them all eventually?

Young children have the highest risk of having a serious case of disease that could cause hospitalization or death. Delaying or spreading out vaccine doses leaves your child unprotected during the time when they need vaccine protection the most. For example, diseases such as Hib or pneumococcus almost always occur in the first 2 years of a baby’s life. And some diseases, like hepatitis B and whooping cough (pertussis), are more serious when babies get them.

Why do adolescents need vaccines?

Vaccines are recommended throughout our lives to protect against serious diseases. As protection from childhood vaccines wears off, adolescents need vaccines that will extend protection. Adolescents need protection from additional infections as well, before the risk of exposure increases.

Why are multiple doses needed for each vaccine?

Getting every recommended dose of each vaccine provides your child with the best protection possible. Depending on the vaccine, your child will need more than one dose to build high enough immunity to help prevent disease or to boost immunity that fades over time. Your child may also receive more than one dose to make sure they are protected if they did not get immunity from a first dose, or to protect them against germs that change over time, like flu. Every dose is important because each protects against an infectious disease that can be especially serious for infants and very young children.

Schedule for Vaccines

Childhood vaccination schedule

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sets a recommended vaccine schedule for both children and adults, which is shown in the table below.

If you didn’t receive some of your childhood vaccines, it’s still possible to get them as an adult. However, depending on the vaccine, the dosing schedule may be different. You can ask your doctor what to expect.

Key

ALL children in age group should get the vaccine

SOME children in age group should get the vaccine

ALL children in age group can get the vaccine

Parents/caregivers should talk to their health care provider to decide if this vaccine is right for their child

Recommended Vaccines	7 Years	8 Years	9 Years	10 Years	11 Years	12 Years	13 Years	14 Years	15 Years	16 Years	17 Years	18 Years
HPV
Tdap
Meningococcal ACWY
Meningococcal B
Influenza/Flu	Every year. Two doses for some children		Every year
COVID-19	At least 1 dose of the current COVID-19 vaccine
Mpox
Dengue			ONLY if living in a place where dengue is common AND has laboratory test confirming past dengue infection

But according to the CDC, there’s no data that supports spacing out childhood vaccines. In fact, delaying a child’s vaccinations can do more harm than good, leaving them vulnerable to pathogens that can cause serious illness or complications.

Protection from Diseases

Do infants have natural immunity?

Babies may get some temporary protection from mom during the last few weeks of pregnancy, but only for diseases to which mom is immune. Breastfeeding may also protect your baby temporarily from minor infections, like colds. These antibodies do not last long, leaving your baby vulnerable to disease.

Haven't we gotten rid of most of these diseases in this country?

Some vaccine-preventable diseases, like pertussis (whooping cough) and chickenpox, remain common in the United States. On the other hand, other diseases vaccines prevent are no longer common in this country because of vaccines. If we stopped vaccinating, the few cases we have in the United States could very quickly become tens or hundreds of thousands of cases. Even though many serious vaccine-preventable diseases are uncommon in the United States, some are common in other parts of the world. Even if your family does not travel internationally, you could come into contact with international travelers anywhere in your community. Children who don’t receive all vaccinations and are exposed to a disease can become seriously sick and spread it through a community.

Side effects

Side effects from combination vaccines are usually mild. They are similar to those of the individual vaccines given separately.

Sometimes combination vaccines cause slightly more pain or swelling where the shot was given. But if your child got the shots individually, he or she might have pain or swelling in two or three spots, instead of just one.

If your child has moderate or serious side effects from a combination vaccine, tell your child's doctor. If the separate vaccines are available, the doctor may be able to give additional doses of certain vaccines separately.
Side effects from combination vaccines are usually mild.

What diseases do these vaccines protect against?

Vaccine-Preventable Disease	Disease Complications	Number of Vaccine Doses
HPV (Human papillomavirus) Contagious viral infection spread by close skin-to-skin touching, including during sex	Genital warts and many types of cancers later in life, including cancers of the cervix, vagina, penis, anus, and throat	2 or 3 doses
Tetanus (Lockjaw)* Infection caused by bacterial spores found in soil and dust everywhere; spores enter the body through wounds or broken skin	Seizures, broken bones, difficulty breathing, death	1 dose at age 11-12 years Additional doses if missed childhood doses 1 dose for dirty wounds
Diphtheria^* Illness caused by a toxin produced by bacteria that infects the nose, throat, and sometimes skin.	Swelling of the heart muscle, heart failure, coma, paralysis, death	1 dose at age 11-12 years Additional doses if missed childhood doses
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)^* Contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airway; spread through air and direct contact	Infection of the lungs (pneumonia), death; especially dangerous for babies	1 dose at age 11-12 years Additional doses if missed childhood doses 1 dose every pregnancy
Meningococcal^** Contagious bacterial infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord or the bloodstream; spread through air and direct contact	Loss of arm or leg, deafness, seizures, death	2 doses Additional doses may be needed depending on medical condition or vaccine used.
Influenza (Flu) Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs; spread through air and direct contact	Infection of the lungs (pneumonia), sinus and ear infections, worsening of underlying heart or lung conditions, death	1 dose each year 2 doses in some children aged 6 months through 8 years
COVID-19 Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, or lungs; may feel like a cold or flu. Spread through air and direct contact	Infection of the lungs (pneumonia); blood clots; liver, heart or kidney damage; long COVID; death	1 or more doses of the current COVID-19 vaccine depending on health status. For more information: www.cdc.gov/covidschedule
Mpox Contagious viral infection spread through close, often skin-to-skin contact, including sex; causes a painful rash, fever, headache, tiredness, cough, runny nose, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes	Infected sores, brain swelling, infection of the lungs (pneumonia), eye infection, blindness, death	2 doses
Dengue Viral infection spread by bite from infected mosquito; causes, fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, rash, joint pain, body ache, nausea, loss of appetite, feeling tired, abdominal pain	Severe bleeding, seizures, shock, damage to the liver, heart, and lungs, death	3 doses

*Tdap protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis

**Healthy adolescents: Meningococcal ACWY vaccine (2 doses); Meningococcal B vaccine (2 doses if needed).

This easy-to-read schedule is recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).

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Most recent revision April 24, 2025 05:33:12 PM