Vaccination Schedule for Children

Recommended Vaccines and Schedules

The CDC recommends administering the 5th dose of DTaP between ages 4-6 years, which completes the 5-dose series that began in infancy, to maintain immunity against pertussis, which wanes over time 1
The CDC recommends administering the 4th dose of IPV between ages 4-6 years, which completes the 4-dose series that began in infancy, with a minimum interval of at least 6 months after the 3rd dose 1
The CDC recommends administering the 2nd dose of MMR between ages 4-6 years, which completes the 2-dose series, with the first dose given at 12-15 months 1
The CDC recommends administering the 2nd dose of varicella vaccine between ages 4-6 years, which completes the 2-dose series, with the first dose given at 12-15 months 1
Influenza vaccination is recommended annually for all children 6 months and older, and should be administered before or during flu season, according to the CDC 2

The CDC recommends using DTaP-IPV (Kinrix) as the 5th dose of DTaP and 4th dose of IPV, which reduces the number of injections from 4 to 3, with comparable safety and immunogenicity to separately administered DTaP and IPV vaccines 3
Licensed combination vaccines can be used whenever components are indicated and not contraindicated, as recommended by the CDC 4
Using combination vaccines can reduce the number of injections required, according to the CDC 4

For children with incomplete vaccination histories, the CDC recommends following catch-up schedules, as outlined in the MMWR Recommendations and Reports 2
An 8-year-old child should have received DTaP (5th dose), IPV (4th dose), MMR (2nd dose), Varicella (2nd dose), and annual influenza vaccination by this age, with catch-up vaccination if any doses were missed, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2
The Hepatitis B vaccine series, typically completed in infancy, should be verified and completed if missing, as recommended by the CDC 2
Minimum intervals between doses for DTaP, IPV, MMR, and Varicella vaccines should be followed, as recommended by the CDC 2
Specific minimum intervals are:

Live vaccines (MMR, varicella) should not be given to severely immunocompromised children, as recommended by the CDC 5
Children with a history of seizures may receive DTaP, but consideration should be given to administering acetaminophen at the time of vaccination and every 4 hours for 24 hours afterward, according to the CDC 6
Record all administered vaccines, including lot numbers and administration sites, as recommended by the CDC 7
All age-appropriate vaccines can be administered during the same visit at different injection sites, as recommended by the CDC 4
Administering vaccines simultaneously results in comparable immune responses and does not increase adverse reactions, according to the CDC 4