A CUP OF HEALTH WITH CDC
Keep Kids Current on Vaccines
Recommended Immunization Schedules for Persons Aged 0 Through 18 Years — United States, 2012
Recorded: February 14, 2012; posted: February 16, 2012
[Announcer] This program is presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[Dr. Gaynes] Welcome to A Cup of Health with CDC, a weekly feature of the MMWR, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. I'm your host, Dr. Robert Gaynes.
Every parent wants their child to be healthy. One of the best ways is to make sure they are fully vaccinated.
Dr. Yabo Beysolow is a researcher with CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. She's joining us today to discuss the importance of getting children vaccinated. Welcome to the show, Iyabode.
[Dr. Beysolow] Thank you, Bob.
[Dr. Gaynes] Yabo, why do children need to stay up-to-date on their vaccinations?
[Dr. Beysolow] Bob, the most important thing you can do, as a parent, is to keep your child up-to-date on the recommended immunization schedule. We encourage parents to follow the recommended schedule for a few reasons. One is that you're protecting your infant and child early on in life, when they're most vulnerable to diseases. Some of these diseases can be life threatening. Examples of these can be whooping cough, measles – diseases that you may not have seen as a parent or even heard of, but they still exist; they're still around. Another reason it's so important to keep your child on schedule is that when you delay getting your child vaccinated, you're leaving your child vulnerable during that period.
[Dr. Gaynes] How many diseases can be prevented with vaccines?
[Dr. Beysolow] Actually, under the age of six years, we have the ability to protect children against 14 diseases, and then an additional two diseases during the period of adolescence.
[Dr. Gaynes] Which vaccines are required for school attendance?
[Dr. Beysolow] This can actually vary from state to state but, in general, there're certain vaccines that are recommended between four to six years of age, prior to your child entering school. These vaccines ensure that your child remains protected during the school years. The vaccines I'm speaking of include diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines, or DTAP; polio vaccines; measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines; and you might recognize these names because they are boosters of vaccines that your child already received during infancy and so they're being given again to provide longer protection during school years.
[Dr. Gaynes] What if parents aren't sure about their child's immunization status?
[Dr. Beysolow] The first thing you can do is to contact your health care provider. You need to determine where you are, that is, is your child missing a vaccine or not, and if they are, as soon as possible, get caught up. It's also very important to get a copy of your child's record. Keep it in a safe place and then stay on track. There are excellent tools on our website that you, as a parent, can utilize to find out if your child's up-to-date and what vaccines they may need, as well as a catch-up schedule for health care providers to use to see what vaccines your child needs. These can all be found at www.cdc.gov/vaccines.
[Dr. Gaynes] Is there anything new on the recommended schedule of vaccines?
[Dr. Beysolow] Yes. Parents will be happy to hear that we can now protect both our young men, as well as our young women, against a virus that can cause some forms of genital cancer, anal cancer, and genital warts. This is the human papillomavirus. We have a vaccine – the HPV vaccine - and this is your best way to protect against the virus. The quadrivalent HPV vaccine is now routinely recommended for boys and girls at the 11 to 12 year-old well-child visit.
[Dr. Gaynes] Yabo, can you give that website again about where to go for childhood immunization information?
[Dr. Beysolow] Sure. That website again is www.cdc.gov/vaccines.
[Dr. Gaynes] Thanks, Yabo. I've been talking today with Dr. Yabo Beysolow of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases about the importance of keeping children up-to-date on their vaccinations.
Remember: Keep accurate records of your child's immunizations and follow the recommended schedule. In addition, periodically check with your child's health care provider for any vaccine updates.
Until next time, be well. This is Dr. Robert Gaynes for A Cup of Health with CDC.
[Announcer] For the most accurate health information, visit www.cdc.gov or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.
Free!
