Vaccines

TRACKING VACCINES

By Dana Sullivan

With all the vaccines required in your child's first year of life, including new additions to the list of required immunizations in some states, it can be hard to keep track of which vaccines your child needs and when.

Making this issue even more confusing is the fact that for much of this year there have been shortages and delays in the distribution of several vaccines, including diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP), measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), varicella (chicken pox), and pneumococcal (PCV). In some cases, there may not have been enough of one or more of these vaccines to give your infant at the recommended time. While your pediatrician will inform you what your baby needs and when, as the parent, it's ultimately your responsibility to see that your child gets the required immunizations.

The chart below outlines the most recent schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control. To help keep track of which vaccinations your child has received, print out a copy of this and bring it to the doctor's office with you for each visit, noting the date administered and lot number of each vaccine. If your child isn't able to receive the prescribed vaccine due to a shortage, note which one it is and check in with your pediatrician periodically to see if they've received a new batch.

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• Baby
• Hygiene
• Mom
• Vaccines
• Pregnancy
• Pediatric Nutrition: William J. Klish
• Diet & Nutrition: Linda Hsieh

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