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Pre-Teens & Teens (age 7-18)

Vaccines are not just for babies and young children. The vaccines recommended for pre-teens and teens prevent serious, sometimes life-threatening infections.  For diseases like pertussis, your children may have already been vaccinated when they were younger, but the protection wears off, so they may need to get another dose.  Also, as kids get older they are more at risk catching diseases like meningitis and HPV, so they need the protection that these vaccines provide.

Help protect your child’s health by getting them the following vaccines at age 11 or 12. If your teenager did not get these vaccines yet, schedule an appointment to get them now.  These vaccine recommendations are supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and the Society for Adolescent Medicine (SAM). 

  •  
    Range of recommended ages for all children except certain high-risk groups
  •  
    Range of recommended ages for catch-up immunization
  •  
    Range of recommended ages for certain high-risk groups
VACCINE AGE7-10 years11-12 years13-18 years
Tdap1 *
Tetanus
,Diphtheria, Pertussis
 RecommendedCatch-Up
HPV2
Human Papillomavirus
 Recommended (3 doses)Catch-Up
MCV43
Meningococcal
High RiskRecommendedCatch-UpBooster at age 16 years
Flu4
Influenza
Recommended each year
PCV135
Pneumococcal
High Risk
HepA6
Hepatitis A
High Risk
HepB7
Hepatitis B
Catch-Up
IPV8
Inactivated Poliovirus
Catch-Up
MMR9
Measles, Mumps, Rubella
Catch-Up
Varicella10
Chickenpox
Catch-Up
  1. Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap)
  2. Human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV)
  3. Meningococcal conjugate vaccine, quadrivalent (MCV4)
  4. Influenza vaccine (seasonal)
  5. Pneumococcal vaccines
  6. Hepatitis A vaccine (HepA)
  7. Hepatitis B vaccine (HepB)
  8. Inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV)
  9. Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR)
  10. Varicella vaccine


1. Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap). (Minimum age: 10 years for Boostrix and 11 years for Adacel)

  • Persons aged 11 through 18 years who have not received Tdap should receive a dose followed by Td booster doses every 10 years thereafter.
  • Persons aged 7 through 10 years who are not fully immunized against pertussis (including those never vaccinated or with unknown pertussis vaccination status) should receive a single dose of Tdap. Refer to the catch-up schedule if additional doses of tetanus and diphtheria toxoid–containing vaccine are needed.
  •  Tdap can be administered regardless of the interval since the last tetanus and diphtheria toxoid–containing vaccine.

2. Human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV). (Minimum age: 9 years)

  • Quadrivalent HPV vaccine (HPV4) or bivalent HPV vaccine (HPV2) is recommended for the prevention of cervical precancers and cancers in females.
  • HPV4 is recommended for prevention of cervical precancers, cancers, and genital warts in females.
  • HPV4 may be administered in a 3-dose series to males aged 9 through 18 years to reduce their likelihood of genital warts.
  • Administer the second dose 1 to 2 months after the first dose and the third dose 6 months after the first dose (at least 24 weeks after the first dose).

3. Meningococcal conjugate vaccine, quadrivalent (MCV4). (Minimum age: 2 years)

  • Administer MCV4 at age 11 through 12 years with a booster dose at age 16 years.
  • Administer 1 dose at age 13 through 18 years if not previously vaccinated.
  • Persons who received their first dose at age 13 through 15 years should receive a booster dose at age 16 through 18 years.
  • Administer 1 dose to previously unvaccinated college freshmen living in a dormitory.
  • Administer 2 doses at least 8 weeks apart to children aged 2 through 10 years with persistent complement component deficiency and anatomic or functional asplenia, and 1 dose every 5 years thereafter.
  • Persons with HIV infection who are vaccinated with MCV4 should receive 2 doses at least 8 weeks apart.
  • Administer 1 dose of MCV4 to children aged 2 through 10 years who travel to countries with highly endemic or epidemic disease and during outbreaks caused by a vaccine serogroup.
  • Administer MCV4 to children at continued risk for meningococcal disease who were previously vaccinated with MCV4 or meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine after 3 years (if first dose administered at age 2 through 6 years) or after 5 years (if first dose administered at age 7 years or older).

4. Influenza vaccine (seasonal).

  • For healthy nonpregnant persons aged 7 through 18 years (i.e., those who do not have underlying medical conditions that predispose them to influenza complications), either LAIV or TIV may be used.
  • Administer 2 doses (separated by at least 4 weeks) to children aged 6 months through 8 years who are receiving seasonal influenza vaccine for the first time or who were vaccinated for the first time during the previous influenza season but only received 1 dose.
  • Children 6 months through 8 years of age who received no doses of monovalent 2009 H1N1 vaccine should receive 2 doses of 2010-2011 seasonal influenza vaccine. See MMWR 2010;59(No. RR-8):33–34.

5. Pneumococcal vaccines.

  • A single dose of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) may be administered to children aged 6 through 18 years who have functional or anatomic asplenia, HIV infection or other immunocompromising condition, cochlear implant or CSF leak. See MMWR 2010;59(No. RR-11).
  • The dose of PCV13 should be administered at least 8 weeks after the previous dose of PCV7.
  • Administer pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine at least 8 weeks after the last dose of PCV to children aged 2 years or older with certain underlying medical conditions, including a cochlear implant. A single revaccination should be administered after 5 years to children with functional or anatomic asplenia or an immunocompromising condition.

6. Hepatitis A vaccine (HepA).

  • Administer 2 doses at least 6 months apart.
  •  HepA is recommended for children aged older than 23 months who live in areas where vaccination programs target older children, or who are at increased risk for infection, or for whom immunity against hepatitis A is desired.

7. Hepatitis B vaccine (HepB).

  • Administer the 3-dose series to those not previously vaccinated. For those with incomplete vaccination, follow the catch-up schedule.
  • A 2-dose series (separated by at least 4 months) of adult formulation Recombivax HB is licensed for children aged 11 through 15 years.

8. Inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV).

  • The final dose in the series should be administered on or after the fourth birthday and at least 6 months following the previous dose.
  • If both OPV and IPV were administered as part of a series, a total of 4 doses should be administered, regardless of the child’s current age.

9. Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR).

  • The minimum interval between the 2 doses of MMR is 4 weeks.

10. Varicella vaccine.

  • For persons aged 7 through 18 years without evidence of immunity (see MMWR 2007;56[No. RR-4]), administer 2 doses if not previously vaccinated or the second dose if only 1 dose has been administered.
  • For persons aged 7 through 12 years, the recommended minimum interval between doses is 3 months. However, if the second dose was administered at least 4 weeks after the first dose, it can be accepted as valid.
  • For persons aged 13 years and older, the minimum interval between doses is 4 weeks.

CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) currently recommends these 3 vaccines for administration beginning with your child’s 11-12 year-old checkup (or as soon as possible and recommended, if your child is older and has not received the vaccines).

  • Tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap)
  • Meningococcal (meningitis) vaccine (MCV4)
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine series

The HPV vaccine is also known as the “cervical cancer vaccine.” In January 2010, the recommendations for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine have been modified to include the availability of and recommendations for bivalent HPV vaccine, and a permissive recommendation for administration of quadrivalent HPV vaccine to males aged 9 through 18 years to reduce the likelihood of acquiring genital warts.

Older children should get the following vaccinations if they did not receive all recommended doses when younger:

  • Hepatitis B series
  • Polio series
  • Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) series
  • Varicella (chickenpox) series – A second catch-up varicella shot is now recommended for children, adolescents, and adults who have previously received one dose.

Some children may need additional vaccines either due to their own specific health conditions or exposure in households to other people with age-related or health-related risks. The additional vaccines for which your child should be assessed include:

  • Pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPV)
  • Hepatitis A

Everyone 6 months of age and older should get vaccinated each year against influenza.