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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Vaccines & Immunizations

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Adoption and Vaccines

International Adoption and Vaccination

Man holding babyA child's birth country may have a vaccination schedule that is different from the recommended immunization schedule in the United States. Differences may include the vaccines given, the recommended age for getting the vaccination, and the number of vaccine doses and timing between doses. All international adoptees should receive vaccines according to the U.S. childhood immunization schedule. Children born in other areas of the world may also have been exposed to vaccine-preventable diseases that are rare in the United States.

Parents should be sure to ask their adoption coordinator for their child's immunization records. If vaccination records cannot be located or are incomplete, an internationally adopted child should be considered susceptible to disease and be vaccinated (or revaccinated) against vaccine-preventable diseases. Parents who are not sure if their child's records are accurate should also have their child revaccinated.

Although children older than 6 months may have their blood serum tested for antibodies to determine immunity to some infections, the results of the tests are not always accurate. Your child's doctor may recommend revaccinating in some cases when they cannot be sure your child has been vaccinated.

Adopted children are not the only ones who should be up to date on vaccinations. Anyone who will have close contact with the adopted child, such as parents, siblings, and caregivers, should also be current on their vaccinations. Parents should be up to date on their routine vaccinations (as well as specific vaccinations for travel) before traveling to pick up their child. It is very important to make sure that any other children in the adopted child's new home are up to date on their vaccinations as well.

By ensuring that adopted children are healthy, adoptive parents will also help prevent the spread of disease in families and communities in the United States.

The Travelers' Health web site serves as a resource for information on staying healthy while traveling internationally. It also provides specific information on healthy travel for international adoptions.

See the Parent Version of Recommended Immunizations for Children from Birth through 6 Years Old to determine the vaccines your internationally adopted child may need.

Learn more health guidance for international adoptions.

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Domestic Adoption and Vaccination

When adopting a child domestically, parents should ask their adoption coordinator for the child's official immunization records. If the records are not available, adoptive parents may have to search for the records.

Mother with daughter.Some states have a computerized mechanism in place to collect vaccination data about all children within a geographic area. This is a called an immunization information system (IIS). If the adopted child lived in an area that has this system, parents may try contacting the IIS in their own state or in the state where the child received his/her last shots to see if they have records. However, this system is not in place in all areas. The state immunization program manager will be able to provide more information about their state's IIS and other places to find the child's vaccine records.

When parents are unable to locate their child's immunization records, medical experts recommend vaccinating. If parents are not certain about the vaccinations their child has received, he or she may be left vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccinating is the only way to ensure protection.

Find your state’s immunization program manager.

For more information see, Vaccination Records: Finding, Interpreting and Recording.

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Foster Children and Vaccination

Policies about immunizations for foster children vary according to the state's child welfare agency. In most cases, foster parents will need to obtain consent for emergency and routine medical care for their foster child. Foster parents should talk to the child's caseworker or the agency that placed the child with them about obtaining consent. Once they have permission, foster parents should try to determine the foster child's immunization status by asking the child's caseworker for any available medical records. If the child is not up-to-date with his or her immunizations, parents should make an appointment with a doctor. Foster parents should keep records of all vaccinations a foster child receives under their care.

See more information about recording vaccinations.

Learn about the vaccines foster children should have received by reviewing the Recommended Immunizations for Children from Birth through 18 Years Old Adobe Acrobat print-friendly PDF file (311 KB, 4 pages).

Keep track of a foster child’s vaccines using the Well Child Visit Tracker Adobe Acrobat print-friendly PDF file (532 KB, 2 pages) (for children from birth through 6 years old).

 

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This page last modified on January 27, 2012
Content last reviewed on January 27, 2012
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

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