Catch-Up Vaccination Guidelines for Unvaccinated Children

Age-Specific Catch-Up Protocols

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using DTaP vaccine exclusively for all catch-up doses in children 2 months to 6 years, administered as 0.5 mL intramuscularly in the anterolateral thigh or deltoid muscle 1, 2
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises never restarting the series regardless of how much time has elapsed between doses—simply continue from where the child left off using the catch-up schedule, for children 2 months to 6 years and 7-18 years 1, 3
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends not exceeding 6 total doses of diphtheria and tetanus toxoid-containing vaccines before the seventh birthday, for children 2 months to 6 years 1, 3
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests giving Tdap as the first dose of the catch-up series, administered as 0.5 mL intramuscularly into the deltoid muscle, for children and adolescents 7-18 years 1, 3, 5

For children who never received any tetanus-containing vaccine, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends giving 3 doses of Td, with one dose being Tdap if age 10 or older 5
For partially vaccinated adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises giving Tdap as the first dose in the catch-up series, then complete with Td as needed 1, 3

After receiving Tdap, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all subsequent routine boosters should be Td every 10 years 1, 3