Why the timing of your child’s vaccines is important

For children of all ages—whether infant, toddler, adolescent, or older—the timing of their vaccines matters. More than one dose may be needed to build strong-enough immunity to provide protection from certain vaccine-preventable diseases. Getting the recommended subsequent doses will help get you there.

Children aren’t fully vaccinated until after they get all recommended doses of a vaccine. Delaying or skipping a vaccination could leave your child at risk for some diseases.

Following the CDC’s vaccination schedule may help protect your child

The CDC works with hundreds of the country’s top doctors, scientists, and vaccine experts to create its vaccination schedule.

The schedule includes:

The age at which children should receive the vaccines, starting at birth and continuing into adulthood
The number of doses for each childhood vaccine

The time between doses

Who should not get the vaccine

If you find that your child is behind on vaccines, don’t worry. You may still help protect them with a specific catch-up immunization/vaccine schedule recommended by the CDC.

Did you know?

The CDC recommends more than one dose for some vaccines because additional doses are needed to build strong-enough immunity to provide protection from certain vaccine-preventable diseases for your child.

Start your child at the right time

As a parent, you care about protecting your child. Babies have the highest chance of becoming seriously ill from some vaccine-preventable diseases. Following the CDC schedule for vaccination can help build their immunity.

A few things to keep in mind, according to the CDC:

Follow-up doses and annual shots are recommended for some vaccines since protection may wear off over time or immunity isn’t fully reached after just one dose.

Every appropriate person aged 6 months or older needs an annual flu shot, because the viruses can change each year.

Stay focused on your child

As your child grows, they’ll explore their world, potentially exposing them to the risks of vaccine-preventable diseases. The vaccines they receive now may help protect them as they enter adulthood. If you have questions, talk to your child’s doctor.