Health Answers

At 12 months children will receive the Hepatitis A vaccine and a second one six months later. The last dose of the Hepatitis B will be given between 12 and 15 months of age. Then the MMR and varicella vaccines are also given.

There have been some arguments concerning these vaccines. The MMR has been associated with the onset of autism in a small group of children vaccinated with it. In order to lower the risk, parents have the ability to choose to have these vaccines given separately over a few months.

Also at 12 months the PVC vaccine is given and then from 15 to 18 months the DtaP vaccine is administered. Then between 4 to 6 years of age boosters of the IPV, MMR, varicella and DtaP are given. Most educational systems require these vaccinations before starting kindergarten.

Between the ages of 11 and 12 the meningitis vaccine is given to protect children in their teens. Also at this time the Tdap is given and if the parents allow this is also when girls will receive the HPV, which is a series of three injections.

Research is ongoing therefore the present childhood vaccine schedule can be changed at any time. As more ways are found to fight and protect us from bacterial and viral infections vaccines are added to the schedule.

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