Get Your Child’s Shots on Schedule

The Basics

Shots (also called vaccinations or immunizations) protect children from serious diseases.

Getting all the shots recommended by age 2 will protect your child from dangerous diseases, including:

• Measles
• Whooping cough (pertussis)
• Chickenpox
• Hepatitis A and B

Each vaccine protects your child from different diseases. Some vaccines require more than one round of shots. Your child needs all of the shots to be fully protected. 

The Basics

It’s important for all children to get shots.
The germs – like bacteria and viruses – that cause serious childhood diseases are still around. Each child who isn’t vaccinated gives those germs a chance to spread to other children.

When does my child need shots?
Shots work best when children get them at certain ages. Doctors follow a schedule of shots that begins at birth.

• If your child is age 6 or younger, find out which shots your child still needs.
• If your child is late getting vaccinated, talk to the doctor about “catch-up” shots.
• Doctors recommend that pre-teens ages 11 and 12 get important shots, too. Find out more about shots for pre-teens.

Ask the doctor for a list of your child’s shots. Keep the list in a safe place – you will need it for school and other activities.

The Basics

Are there any side effects from shots?
Side effects from shots are usually mild and only last a short time. Some children have no side effects at all. Ask the doctor what to expect after your child’s shots.

Shots are very safe.
Vaccines are tested for years before they are put in use. The risk of harm from shots is very small.

Shots don’t cause autism.
Research shows that shots don’t cause autism. Autism is a disorder of the brain. Kids with autism have trouble talking and connecting with other people.

Some parents notice the first signs of autism at the same age their children get certain shots. They may think the two are connected, but research hasn’t shown any link between vaccines and autism.

Get answers to common questions about babies and vaccines.

Take Action!

Protect your child from serious childhood diseases by making sure she gets all recommended shots.

Find out which shots your child needs.
Check with your doctor to make sure your child is getting all the recommended shots. If your child is age 6 or younger, find out which shots your child still needs.

Get your child a seasonal flu shot every year.
Everyone age 6 months and older needs to get the seasonal flu vaccine every year.

What about cost?
The Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010, covers recommended shots for kids. Depending on your insurance plan, you may be able to get your child’s shots at no cost to you.

Check with your insurance provider to find out what’s included in your plan. For information about other services covered by the Affordable Care Act, visit HealthCare.gov.

If you don’t have health insurance, you can still get important shots for your child.

• Find out if your child qualifies for free shots.
• Call your state health department to find a free or low-cost vaccination program.
• Find a health center near you to learn more.

Take Action!

Tell the doctor about bad reactions.
Serious side effects after getting a vaccine – like a severe allergic reaction – are very rare. If your child or another family member has ever had a bad reaction to a vaccine in the past, tell the doctor before your child gets a shot.

When your child gets a vaccine, pay extra attention to your child for a few days afterwards. If you see something that worries you, call your child’s doctor.

Help make shots easier for your child.

• Stay calm.
• Ask the doctor or nurse for tips on how to hold your child during the shot.
• Distract your child during the shot. For example, tell a joke, sing a song, or point to a picture on the wall.
• Praise your child after the shot is over.

Get more tips on making shots less stressful for you and your child.