Vaccines for preteens and teens

When your child reaches their preteens and teens, it's time to find out what vaccines they need. Check with your pediatrician for the latest recommendations. If your child gets his injections on time, he will be safe from some serious preventable diseases.

DTaP vaccine

Tdap protects children from tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). Doctors usually give this vaccine to children between the ages of 11 and 12 if they have previously received a series of DTaP vaccines and have never received a Td booster.

Teens aged 13-18 years who may have missed the DPT booster at age 11-12 should also receive one dose of DTP if they received the DTP vaccine series at an earlier age.

HPV vaccine

HPV stands for human papillomavirus. Some types of HPV are associated with cervical cancer.

Experts suggest that boys and girls receive their first dose of the HPV vaccine between the ages of 11 and 12. Children should receive a second dose at least 6 months after the first. Three injections are recommended for people over the age of 15 or those with weakened immune systems.

The HPV vaccine series should be given to any teens between 13 and 18 years of age who has not previously been vaccinated. Young people between the ages of 18 and 26 should also consider getting vaccinated.

Vaccination prevents the development of at least 75% of cases of cervical cancer in women, and even more. In addition to being associated with cervical cancer, HPV infections can cause head and neck cancers, including throat cancer, which a vaccine can help prevent.

Meningococcal vaccine

This vaccine protects against certain types of meningitis. Your child should receive their first injection between the ages of 11 and 12. He'll need a booster at 16.

Your teen should also get vaccinated if they're a college freshman, live in a dorm, and haven't been vaccinated before.

The vaccine is recommended for children under 11 years of age if they are at particular risk of meningitis.

Vaccination covers the most common types of meningitis bacteria other than serotype B. Another meningitis vaccine has recently been approved that covers serotype B. Experts recommend it for people at high risk of infection for more than 10 years.

Flu vaccine

Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu shot every year.

The influenza virus changes every year, and vaccine manufacturers adjust vaccinations to protect against the latest version of the virus.

Hepatitis A vaccine

Doctors give the hepatitis A vaccine in two doses at least 6 months apart.

Experts recommend the vaccine for children aged 12 to 23 months and some groups of older children who have never been vaccinated.

Hepatitis A is rarely fatal in children, but children can pass hepatitis A on to older or sick parents, who are much more severely ill.

Hepatitis B vaccine

Hepatitis B can be spread among teenagers through drug abuse and sexual activity. Two-dose and three-dose versions of the vaccine are available for children aged 11 to 15 years.

Why does your child need this vaccine? This virus can be life-threatening or lead to long-term liver disease.

Inactivated polio vaccine

Children who have received fully inactivated polio vaccine do not need a fourth dose if they received their third dose before the age of 4 years.

Measles, mumps and rubella vaccine

If your child has not been vaccinated before, he should get this vaccine. Two doses of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine can be given at any age with an interval of at least 4 weeks between doses.

Varicella vaccine

Any child under the age of 13 who has not previously been vaccinated or has never had chickenpox should receive two doses of chickenpox vaccine at least 3 months apart. If your child is over 13, the two doses should be separated by at least 4 weeks.