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Vaccinations for Children
Protecting your child from hidden dangers is a big part of being a parent. You may not feel like a superhero but getting immunizations on schedule can protect your child from many harmful and preventable illnesses. Preventing the spread of disease to our community is an important benefit of vaccination.
What to Expect
Mercy’s friendly providers will help you determine which immunizations are needed during their infant check-up or annual well-child visit. And they’ll help you prepare for the visit and share tips on ways to make your child comfortable after their vaccinations.
Vaccines are provided on a schedule based on guidelines from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). There is no need to start over on vaccines if your child misses a dose. Simply talk with your Mercy provider to get back on track.
It’s common for children to experience mild side effects like soreness or slight fever, but these effects are not long-lasting. With a little planning, Mercy can protect your child from vaccine-preventable illnesses, so they can keep doing the things they love.
Child and Adolescent Immunizations: Birth to 17 Years
The initial series of vaccinations typically begins when children are less than 1-month-old. By the age of 2, children have received sufficient doses to be considered fully immunized from most vaccine-preventable illnesses like polio, measles and chickenpox. Common vaccines include: HepB, DTaP, RV, Hib, PCV13, IPV, Influenza, MMR, Varicella and HepA.
As children enter adolescence, there are some vaccines that are given again and some for the first time because preteens show a higher rate of immune response. This includes the Tdap booster and HPV vaccine.
Fall is the best time to get an annual Influenza vaccine for your entire family. Children as young as 6 months should be vaccinated against the flu. Children up to 8 years old require two doses of vaccine given about one month apart, but only the first season they are vaccinated. They require only one dose per year thereafter.
