2021 Recommended Vaccinations for Children (7-18 Years Old) Parent-Friendly Format

COVID-19 Vaccination

ACIP recommends use of COVID-19 vaccines within the scope of the Emergency Use Authorization or Biologics License Application for the particular vaccine.  Interim ACIP recommendations for the use of COVID-19 vaccines can be found on the ACIP Vaccine Recommendations and Guidelines page.

Birth-6 years

7–18 years
Resources for parents

Resources for adults

Legend

These shaded boxes indicate when the vaccine is recommended for all children unless your doctor tells you that your child cannot safely receive the vaccine.

These shaded boxes indicate the vaccine should be given if a child is catching up on missed vaccines.

These shaded boxes indicate the vaccine is recommended for children with certain health or lifestyle conditions that put them at an increased risk for serious diseases. See vaccine-specific recommendations at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/index.html.

This shaded box indicates children not at increased risk may get the vaccine if they wish after speaking to a provider.

Talk to your child’s doctor or nurse about the vaccines recommended for their age. COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for some adolescents.

teen easy read vaccine schedule
Flu
Influenza		 Tdap
Tetanus, diphtheria,
pertussis		 HPV
Human
papillomavirus		 Meningococcal Pneumococcal Hepatitis B Hepatitis A Polio MMR
Measles,
mumps,
rubella		 Chickenpox
Varicella
MenACWY MenB
7-8 Years
9-10 Years
11-12 Years
13-15 Years
16-18 Years
More Information: Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every year. All 11- through 12-year-olds should get one shot of Tdap. All 11- through 12- year olds should get a 2-shot series of HPV vaccine. A 3-shot series is needed for those with weakened immune systems and those who start the series at 15 years or older. All 11- through 12- year olds should get one shot of meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY). A booster shot is recommended at age 16. Teens 16–18 years old may be vaccinated with a serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccine.
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Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and the Vaccines that Prevent Them

child vaccine preventable disease easy read
Disease Vaccine Disease spread by Disease symptoms Disease complications
Chickenpox Varicella vaccine protects against chickenpox. Air, direct contact Rash, tiredness, headache, fever Infected blisters, bleeding disorders, encephalitis (brain swelling), pneumonia (infection in the lungs)
Diphtheria Tdap* and Td ** vaccines protect against diptheria. Air, direct contact Sore throat, mild fever, weakness, swollen glands in neck Swelling of the heart muscle, heart failure, coma, paralysis, death
Hepatitis A HepA vaccine protects against hepatitis A. Direct contact, contaminated food or water May be no symptoms, fever, stomach pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, vomiting, jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes), dark urine Liver failure, arthralgia (joint pain), kidney, pancreatic and blood disorders
Hepatitis B HepB vaccine protects against hepatitis B. Contact with blood or body fluids May be no symptoms, fever, headache, weakness, vomiting, jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes), joint pain Chronic liver infection, liver failure, liver cancer
Human Papillomavirus HPV vaccine protects against human papillomavirus. Direct skin contact May be no symptoms, genital warts Cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal, oropharyngeal cancers
Influenza (Flu) Flu vaccine protects against influenza. Air, direct contact Fever, muscle pain, sore throat, cough, extreme fatigue Pneumonia (infection in the lungs)
Measles MMR*** vaccine protects against measles. Air, direct contact Rash, fever, cough, runny nose, pink eye Encephalitis (brain swelling), pneumonia (infection in the lungs), death
Meningococcal Disease MenACWY and MenB vaccines protect against meningococcal disease. Air, direct contact Sudden onset of fever, headache, and stiff neck, dark purple rash Loss of limb, deafness, nervous system disorders, developmental disabilities, seizure disorder, stroke, death
Mumps MMR*** vaccine protects against mumps. Air, direct contact Swollen salivary glands (under the jaw), fever, headache, tiredness, muscle pain Meningitis (infection of the covering around the brain and spinal cord), encephalitis (brain swelling), inflammation of testicles or ovaries, deafness
Pertussis Tdap* vaccine protects against pertussis. Air, direct contact Severe cough, runny nose, apnea (a pause in breathing in infants) Pneumonia (infection in the lungs), death
Polio Polio vaccine protects against polio. Air, direct contact, through the mouth May be no symptoms, sore throat, fever, nausea, headache Paralysis, death
Pneumococcal Disease Pneumococcal vaccine protects against pneumococcal disease. Air, direct contact May be no symptoms, pneumonia (infection in the lungs) Bacteremia (blood infection), meningitis (infection of the covering around the brain and spinal cord), death
Rubella MMR*** vaccine protects against rubella. Air, direct contact Sometimes rash, fever, swollen lymph nodes Very serious in pregnant women—can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, birth defects
Tetanus Tdap* and Td ** vaccines protect against tetanus. Exposure through cuts on skin Stiffness in neck and abdominal muscles, difficulty swallowing, muscle spasms, fever Broken bones, breathing difficulty, death

*Tdap combines protection against diptheria, tetanus, and pertussis.
**Td combines protection against diptheria and tetanus.
***MMR combines protection against measles, mumps, and rubella.

This schedule is recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAPexternal icon), and American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFPexternal icon).

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Page last reviewed: February 12, 2021
Content source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases