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Immunizations (vaccines) and screening tests are important aspects of preventive
medical care for your child. The following schedule lists the routine immunization
s and screening tests that are a part of the routine well child visits at All
Star Pediatrics.
Please note that the vaccine schedule is constantly changing and may be confusing
at times. The tables below represent our current schedule, but if your child's
record does not exactly match this one it does not mean that he or she is necessarily
'behind' or missing any vaccinations. Please check with a physician or nurse for
clarifications.
Recommended Schedule for Immunization And Screening
at All Star Pediatrics for babies born after July 1, 2009*
| Birth |
Hepatitis B (recommended for all newborns before hospital discharge) |
|
|
|
| 1 Month |
Hepatitis B |
|
|
|
| 2 Months |
Pentacel (DTaP + IPV + Hib) |
Pneumococcal |
Rotavirus |
|
| 4 Months |
Pentacel (DTaP + IPV + Hib) |
Pneumococcal |
Rotavirus |
|
| 6 Months |
Pentacel (DTaP + IPV + Hib) |
Pneumococcal |
Rotavirus |
|
| 9 Months |
Hepatitis B |
|
|
|
| 12 Months |
Hepatitis A |
Varicella
Pneumococcal |
Hemoglobin Level
~
Lead Screen/
Questionnaire |
Tuberculosis Screen/
Questionnaire |
| 15 Months |
DTaP |
Hib |
MMR |
|
| 18 Months |
Hepatitis A |
|
|
|
| 4-5 Years |
DTaP/IPV |
Varicella |
MMR |
|
| 11-12 Years |
Tdap |
Meningococcal |
HPV |
|
| 14-18 Years |
Meningococcal # 2 |
|
|
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* Beginning in the summer of 2010, All Star Pediatrics will begin using a new form of the
Prevnar (Pneumococcal) vaccine. The previous Prevnar vaccine (PCV-7) protected against 7
strains of a bacteria (Pneumococcus) that may cause meningitis, blood infections, ear infections
and pneumonias. The newly expanded Prevnar vaccine (PCV-13) will provide our infants and children
protection against 6 additional strains of this bacteria. The immunization schedule does not change
for this vaccine and remains at 2, 4, 6 and 12 months. Healthy children who have completed the 4
dose series with PCV-7 and have not yet turned 5 (as well as children with chronic medical
conditions who have not yet turned 6) are also recommended to have one additional dose/booster
of the PCV-13 vaccine.
* Pentacel is a combination vaccine which includes DTaP, IPV, and Hib in one single shot.
This vaccine was incorporated into our vaccine schedule starting in July 2009.
* Kinrix is a combination vaccine which includes DTaP and IPV in one shot.
This vaccine can be given at the 4-5 year well child visit.
This vaccine was incorporated into our vaccine schedule starting in 2009.
* Beginning in 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends all children ages 6 months - 18 years
of age receive the influenza vaccine each year.
* Beginning in 2007, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended a booster (second vaccination) for the
varicella/chickenpox vaccine at the 4-5 year well child visit.
* Gardasil (HPV vaccine) has been recommended for use since 2007. Gardasil is a vaccine that will protect
females and males from the most common types of human papillomaviruses that cause genital warts and cervical
cancer. Beginning in 2011, this HPV vaccine has been recommended for adolescent boys, as well, to reduce the
risk of penile warts and penile cancers.
* Beginning in the summer of 2006, the Hepatitis A vaccine has been recommended for children beginning at 12 months of age.
This vaccine is given as two doses – the first at 12 months and a booster dose at 18 months. Though not required, older
children are encouraged to be vaccinated as well, especially when traveling outside the United States.
* Rotavirus vaccine has been recommended since 2006. This vaccine protects against a virus that causes severe
vomiting and diarrhea in infants and children.
* In the Spring/Summer of 2005, two additional vaccines were recommended for the teenage population. A meningitis vaccine
(Menactra) is recommended at the 11-12 year old well child visit. Starting in the spring of 2011, a booster dose of Menactra
is now indicated 3 - 5 years after the first dose. Studies have shown that adolescence is a high risk age for acquiring the
sometimes fatal and debilitating illness. Additionally, a combination tetanus-diptheria-acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) is
recommended in order to boost tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough) immunity.
Notes on the Vaccine Table
- DTaP - Diphtheria and Tetanus toxoids combined with acellular (not live) pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine.
This vaccine is given in 5 doses.
- IPV - Inactivated (not live) Polio Vaccine. This vaccine is given in 4 doses.
- Hib - Hemophilus influenzae type b conjugate protects children from some types of meningitis
and epiglottitis. This vaccine is given in 4 doses.
- Pneumococcal - (Prevnar) Pneumococcal vaccine protects children from some types of meningitis,
pneumonia, bloodstream infections and even some ear infections. An expanded version of the vaccine was made available in
June 2010 at All Star Pediatrics. This vaccine is given in 4 doses.
- Pentacel - A combination vaccine that includes DTaP, IPV, and Hib. This vaccine is given in 3 doses.
- Tdap - A combination vaccine that includes tetanus, diphtheria (adult type), and acellular pertussis for
those eleven years of age and older. It contains a smaller amount of diphtheria antigen, which provokes a strong reaction in adults.
The pertussis antigen was added in the summer of 2005 to help with the increase of whooping cough in the adolescent population.
Tetanus vaccine and injuries: for clean minor wounds, a fully immunized child needs no booster dose unless more than 10 years has
elapsed since the last dose. For contaminated wounds, a booster dose should be given if more than five years have elapsed since the
last dose. Adults should be vaccinated every ten years.
- MMR - A live combination vaccine that includes measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles).
This vaccine is given in 2 doses.
- Hepatitis B - A vaccine that protects against one type of viral hepatitis, which is transmitted
by blood products or intimate contact. This vaccine is given in 3 doses.
- Varicella - A live vaccine protects children from getting the chicken pox. The first dose is given
to children at 12-15 months, the second dose is given to each child after 4 years of age.
- Rotavirus - An oral vaccine that protects against Rotavirus, a serious cause of vomiting and diarrhea
in children. The three dose (oral) series is given at the 2, 4, and 6 month well child visits.
- Meningococcal vaccine (Menactra) - A vaccine that protects against strains of dangerous bacteria which can cause
a deadly form of meningitis. Adolescents have been identified as a high risk population for this devastating illness. This vaccine is
given in 2 doses.
- Hepatitis A - A vaccine that protects against one type of viral hepatitis, which is transmitted by close personal
contact and sometimes by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the virus. This vaccine has been used for travel to endemic areas
for over 10 years. This vaccine is given in 2 doses.
- HPV vaccine (Gardasil) - A vaccine that protects females and males from the most
common types of human papillomaviruses. These viral infections result in genital warts and cervical
cancer. This vaccine is given in 3 doses.
Other vaccine products are becoming available and more are coming along all the time. Our table lists only those vaccines currently
recommended for all children by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control.
Some of our screening tests require nothing more than a questionnaire. Others require skin or blood tests. Your physician or
nurse practitioner will discuss these with you at the time of the visit.
We at All Star Pediatrics strongly believe in the importance of immunizations and their role in the health of all children.
We follow the recommended schedule of immunizations as established by the Centers for Disease Control. In recent years there has
been much discussion in the media and on the Internet regarding vaccines, much of it misleading and frightening. Please use the
following websites as accurate and validated sources of information on vaccines, their safety, and their benefits in the prevention
of many childhood illnesses.
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