Child & Adolescent
Immunization Schedule

The AAP-endorsed child and adolescent immunization schedule covers vaccines from birth through 18 years with age-specific routine, catch-up, and risk-based recommendations. Key vaccines include: Hepatitis B (birth, 1 month, 6 months), Rotavirus (2, 4, 6 months), DTaP (2, 4, 6, 15-18 months, 4-6 years), Hib (2, 4, 6, 12-15 months), PCV15/PCV20 (2, 4, 6, 12-15 months), IPV (Polio) (2, 4, 6-18 months, 4-6 years), Influenza (annually from 6 months), MMR (12-15 months, 4-6 years), Varicella (12-15 months, 4-6 years), Hepatitis A (12-23 months), Meningococcal ACWY (11-12 years, 16 years), HPV (9-14 years, 2 doses), and Tdap (11-12 years).

The AAP child and adolescent immunization schedule is published annually and prioritizes pediatric vaccine recommendations from birth through 18 years. It includes routine, catch-up, and risk-based guidance and may differ from CDC/ACIP schedules in select scenarios.

The schedule is organized by age groups: birth, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, 19-23 months, 2-3 years, 4-6 years, 7-10 years, 11-12 years, 13-15 years, and 16-18 years. This tool shows every recommended vaccine at each age with dose details and catch-up context.

Vaccines undergo rigorous safety testing through the FDA approval process and are continuously monitored through systems like VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System), the Vaccine Safety Datalink, and CISA (Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment). The benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks.

Common mild side effects include: injection site soreness/redness, low-grade fever, fussiness, and fatigue. These typically resolve within 1-2 days. Serious adverse events are extremely rare. Anaphylaxis occurs in approximately 1 in 1 million doses and is managed by the provider's observation period. Vaccines do not cause autism — this has been thoroughly studied and disproven.

AAP supports maternal immunization and aligns with current ACIP/CDC guidance for vaccines during pregnancy: Tdap (during each pregnancy, preferably at 27-36 weeks gestation), Influenza (inactivated flu shot, any trimester), COVID-19 vaccine, and RSV vaccine (Abrysvo, 32-36 weeks during RSV season).

Live vaccines (MMR, Varicella, LAIV/FluMist) are contraindicated during pregnancy. If a pregnant patient is not immune to rubella or varicella, these vaccines should be administered after delivery. Maternal Tdap helps protect infants from pertussis during early life before the DTaP series begins.

The HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccine protects against HPV types that cause cervical, throat, anal, and other cancers, as well as genital warts. The current vaccine (Gardasil 9) covers 9 HPV types responsible for most HPV-related cancers.

AAP recommends routine HPV vaccination at age 11-12 years, and it can be started as early as age 9. If the series is started before age 15, a 2-dose schedule is used (0 and 6-12 months). Starting at age 15 or older uses a 3-dose schedule (0, 1-2, and 6 months). Catch-up vaccination is recommended through age 26.

There are two types of meningococcal vaccines: MenACWY (serogroups A, C, W, Y) and MenB (serogroup B). AAP recommends MenACWY at age 11-12 years with a booster at age 16. MenB may be offered using shared clinical decision-making for ages 16-23 years (preferred 16-18).

College freshmen living in dormitories who have not received MenACWY after age 16 should receive a dose. MenACWY is also recommended for children with complement deficiency, functional or anatomic asplenia, HIV, and those traveling to areas with meningococcal disease.

Children traveling internationally may need additional vaccines depending on the destination. Common travel vaccines include: Hepatitis A (if not already vaccinated), Typhoid (for South Asia, parts of Africa and Latin America), Yellow Fever (required for certain African and South American countries; available from age 9 months), Japanese Encephalitis (for extended stays in rural Asia), and Rabies (pre-exposure prophylaxis for areas with high animal rabies).

Visit a travel health provider 4-6 weeks before departure. Ensure all routine childhood vaccines are up to date before travel, as diseases like measles and polio are still endemic in some regions. The CDC's Travelers' Health website provides destination-specific recommendations.

If your child has missed one or more vaccine doses, they can usually catch up without restarting the series. The AAP catch-up schedule provides minimum intervals between doses. Key principle: vaccine series generally do not need to be restarted regardless of time elapsed.

Use our Catch-Up Immunization Calculator to generate a catch-up framework, then confirm with your pediatrician, local policy, and the current AAP guidance before administration.