At what ages do kids get vaccinations?

Keeping track of immunizations can be difficult. The chart below illustrates the approximate schedule of recommended vaccines per age group. However, parents should ask their doctor at every well visit if their child is up-to-date on his or her shots as recommendations change frequently.

Doctors try to limit frequent injection numbers through combination vaccines

When available, many immunizations are given as combination vaccines. Combination vaccines are single shots that have multiple vaccines. Combination vaccines allow immunizations to be given as one shot so that your child does not have to receive one shot for each immunization. Because of this, your child may receive an immunization at a later visit so that they are eligible to receive a combination vaccine instead. For example, common combination vaccines are DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and acellular Pertussis), Pentacel (DTaP, Polio, and Haemophilus influenzae type B), and Pediarix (DTaP, Polio, and Hepatitis B).

It is important to note that immunizations are given based on your child’s past immunizations as well as available supply. Your healthcare provider will let you know which immunizations your child needs at your next visit.

Newborns to 18 months

Newborn check-up (1-2 days after hospital or birth center discharge)

• Visit focus: Discuss labor and delivery information, breastfeeding concerns, needs of a newborn baby
• Check height, weight, head circumference, temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate
• Discuss feedings
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Hepatitis B, Dose 1 of 3 (if not received at birth)

2 weeks well child check-up

• Check height, weight, head circumference, temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • None, if up-to-date on immunization schedule

1 month well child check-up

• Check height, weight, head circumference, temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Hepatitis B, Dose 2 of 3

2 months well child check-up

• Check height, weight, head circumference, temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • DTaP, Dose 1 of 5
  • Polio, Dose 1 of 4
  • HiB, Dose 1 of 4
  • PCV, Dose 1 of 4
  • Rotavirus (oral), Dose 1 of 3

4 months well child check-up

• Check height, weight, head circumference, temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • DTaP, Dose 2 of 5
  • Polio, Dose 2 of 4
  • HiB, Dose 2 of 4
  • PCV, Dose 2 of 4
  • Rotavirus (oral), Dose 2 of 3

6 months well child check-up

• Check height, weight, head circumference, temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Hepatitis B, Dose 3 of 3
  • DTaP, Dose 3 of 5
  • Polio, Dose 3 of 4
  • HiB, Dose 3 of 4
  • PCV, Dose 3 of 4
  • Rotavirus (oral), Dose 3 of 3
  • Influenza, which is given every year during the flu season. For children, ages 6 months to 8 years, receiving the flu vaccine for the first time, two doses are needed four weeks apart.

9 months well child check-up

• Developmental screening
• Check height, weight, head circumference, temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

12 months well child check-up

• Check height, weight, head circumference, temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • PCV, Dose 4 of 4
  • Chicken Pox, Dose 1 of 2
  • Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, Dose 1 of 2
  • Hepatitis A, Dose 1 of 2
  • Influenza – if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

15 months well child check-up

• Check height, weight, head circumference, temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • DTaP, Dose 4 of 4
  • HiB, Dose 4 of 4
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

18 months well child check-up

• Developmental screening
• Check height, weight, head circumference, temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Hepatitis A, Dose 2 of 2
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

Vaccines needed for 2 to 9 year olds

2 years well child check-up

• Developmental screening
• Check height, weight, head circumference, temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

2 1/2 years well child check-up

• Developmental screening
• Check height, weight, head circumference, temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

3 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

4 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • DTaP, Dose 5 of 5
  • Polio, Dose 4 of 4
  • Chicken Pox, Dose 2 of 2
  • Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, Dose 2 of 2
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

5 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

6 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

7 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

8 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

9 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

Vaccinations for 10 to 14 year olds

10 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

11 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Tdap, Dose 1 of 1
  • HPV, Dose 1 of 3 – (Dose 2 is given 2 months after Dose 1; Dose 3 is given 4 months after Dose 2)
  • Meningococcal Conjugate, Dose 1 of 2
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

12 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

13 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

14 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

Vaccines in 15 to 21 year olds

15 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

16 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Meningococcal Conjugate, Dose 2 of 2;
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

17 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

18 years well child check-up

• Visit focus: Becoming an adult, choosing a new doctor
• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

19 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

20 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year

21 years well child check-up

• Check height, weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure
• Hearing and vision screening
• Physical exam
• Immunizations:
  • Influenza, if not already given during the current flu season, needed every year