Immunizations have been created to keep children and adults safe and healthy. They are recommended to begin early in life when they are the most vulnerable and to keep them from being exposed to something life-threatening. You can find a schedule of immunizations relating to the age of the children by viewing the CDC website or asking your physicians office.
Starting at birth the newborn will receive a list of vaccines. Hepatitis B vaccine is given once at birth and again twice more at 1 and 6 months old. The DTap also known as diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine, the Hib or Haemophilus Influenzae type b vaccine, the IPV or inactivated poliovirus vaccine, PCV or pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, and the Rotavirus vaccine are given at 2, 4 and 6 months. However at 6 months the IPV can be delivered between 6 months and 18 months because there is no set standard time. At 6 months the flu vaccine is recommended to begin being given annually, between 12 to 15 months is when the Hib, PCV, Varicella, and MMR which stands for measles, mumps, and rubella are given. At 12 – 23 months Hepatitis A vaccine is given as two shots at least 6 months apart. At 15 – 18 months, the Dtap is given. And finally, at 4 – 6 years the DTaP, MMR, IPV, and Varicella are given (cdc.gov, 2013). These immunizations help prepare children for their school years and keep them and other children safe. All of the vaccines are delivered intramuscular and into the vastus lateralis when the child is between the ages of newborn and two years old. Once they pass two years old they can also be delivered intramuscular in the deltoid muscle of the arm. The rotavirus is delivered orally.
At the age of seven, the child should have the Tdap, between ages 9 and 12, the child will receive a human papillomavirus vaccine that is given as 3 shots over 6 months. This will be delivered intramuscular into the deltoid muscle of the arm (cdc.gov, 2013). New research shows that a single dose of the human papillomavirus vaccine may be enough to protect women against cervical cancer (medicalnewstoday, 2013). Next they receive the Tdap booster and finally the meningococcal vaccine immunization that is followed by a booster at age 16 (kidshealth.org, 2013). The vaccines recommended by doctors for teens are MMR subcutaneously in the anterolateral thigh muscle or fatty tissue over the triceps, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B are given intramuscular usually in the deltoid muscle of the arm, HPV is also intramuscular in the deltoid of the arm, Varicella is subcutaneously in the anterolateral thigh, and Polio is given intramuscular or subcutaneously. The influenza should be given yearly.
Next we will discuss the vaccines given for the adult age group. Between at the age of 19 and 21, you should begin to get the influenza vaccine annually especially the older you get. The Tdap can be substituted with a onetime dose for the booster but then you must have the Tdap booster every ten...