Vaccination List for Grade-School Kids

The administering of childhood vaccines is a hotly contested topic among parenting communities. By utilizing medical, religious or philosophical exemptions, most parents can choose whether or not to vaccinate their child, but electing to forego the biggies may meet with resistance among pediatricians and school districts. The list of vaccines that most schools recommend grows lengthier by the year.

  1. Immunizations Recommended by the CDC to Age Six

    • As of 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the following vaccines for children starting school at the age of six: three doses of HepB, three doses of RV, five doses of DTaP, four doses of Hib, four doses of PCV, four doses of IPV, two doses of MMR, two doses of Varicella, and one dose of HepA, with yearly flu shots beginning at six months of age. Most of these are administered throughout the child's first 18 months, but not all are required to attend school.

    CDC-Recommended Vaccines for Children Age 11-12

    • Around age 11, your child's pediatrician may recommend the Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine, also called MCV4, and HPV, or the Human Papillomavirus vaccine. These vaccines are administered to help protect against meningococcus -- the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in kids age two to 18 -- and Human Papillomavirus -- the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States. Most school districts do not currently recognize these vaccines as entry requirements.

    Vaccination Requirements Vary by State

    • Call your school nurse to find out which vaccines your school district requires, or speak with your child's pediatrician, who can recommend a safe immunization schedule. The National Network for Immunization Information (immunizationinfo.org) also offers a state-by-state list of required immunizations for children entering school. Requirements vary by state and can also vary by individual school districts -- if they are located in regions where there are vaccine shortages.

    Do You Have to Vaccinate?

    • Every state offers medical exemptions for specific vaccines. Most offer religious exemptions, and some states even offer philosophical exemptions for families with moral objections to mandatory childhood vaccinations. There's a state-by-state list of exemptions available at the National Conference of State Legislatures (ncsl.org). Opting out of your state's immunization requirements usually requires a form of proof, such as a medical note or notarized affidavit.

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