Vaccination Schedule for Newborns

Birth

• The only vaccine a newborn receives at birth is HepB, which protects against hepatitis B. Hospitals administer this vaccine within the first 12 hours of a newborn̵7;s life. The timing and dose of the vaccine depends on the mother̵7;s immunity to hepatitis B and the baby̵7;s weight. Hepatitis B is a viral disease that affects an individual̵7;s liver, causing chronic liver disease or liver failure. A mother infected with this disease may transmit it to her baby during birth.

2 Months and 4 Months

• When a baby is 2 months old, she should receive her second HepB vaccination, as well as the first vaccines against rotavirus (RV), Haemophilus influenza type B (HiB), pneumococcal conjugate (PCV13), inactive poliovirus (IPV) and a combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (DTaP). Rotavirus is an illness that can lead to gastroenteritis. Haemophilus influenza type B is not same as the influenza, or flu, virus. It and pneumococcal conjugate are bacterial infections that can cause meningitis, middle ear infections, swelling of the throat and pneumonia. Polio is a virus that can lead to weakness of the back, legs and neck, or paralysis. Diphtheria, a respiratory disease, can cause heart failure, breathing problems, paralysis and death. Tetanus is a bacterium that causes muscles to tighten to the point where an individual cannot eat or breathe. Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, can lead to brain damage, seizures, pneumonia or death. When a baby is 4 months old, she should receive the second dose of the RV, DTaP, HiB, PCV13 and IPV vaccines.

6 Months

• At 6 months of age, a baby receives the third dose of the HepB, DTaP, PCV13 and IPV vaccines. If an infant received the RV-5 vaccine instead of the RV-1 vaccine for rotavirus at 2 months and 4 months of age, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend a third dose of RV-5 at 6 months. A baby who is 6 months of age is also old enough for an influenza vaccine, which protects against the flu virus.

12 Months and 15 Months

• When a baby receives an HiB vaccine in a form other than PedvaxHib or Comvax, also known as PRP-OMP, he will need a third dose at 12 months and a fourth dose at 15 months. He should also receive the fourth DTaP vaccine at 15 months. New shots that baby receives at 12 months include those for varicella (VAR or VZV) and the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella. Varicella is the illness known as chicken pox. Measles causes a rash, fever and cough that can lead to pneumonia, brain damage, ear infections or death. Mumps is an illness that causes swelling of the parotid gland and may lead to meningitis. The rubella virus, also known as the German measles, causes a rash, swollen glands and a fever.