The AAP strongly recommends on-time routine immunization of all children and adolescents according to the Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule.

Find Schedules Here


Immunizations Overview

Immunizations are one of the greatest public health achievements, preventing tens of thousands of deaths, millions of cases of disease, and saving billions of dollars per decade. Immunizations are a safe, effective way to protect children from disease, including some cancers, as well as hospitalization, disability, and death. It is especially important to maintain routine immunizations to prevent a disease outbreak, public health emergency or future pandemic.

Pediatricians play a crucial role in immunizing children and are a trusted source for vaccine information. Vaccine conversations with parents should begin as early as possible — ideally at the  prenatal visit.

AAP Recommendations

Learn more about policy recommendations and the regulations and laws that the AAP supports surrounding vaccination.

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Interactive Vaccination Map

This interactive map allows immunizers and families to see immunization rates and exemptions by state, and to compare these rates to national rates, goals, and immunity thresholds needed to keep communities safe from vaccine-preventable diseases. This map also presents immunization rates broken down by demographics, such as insurance coverage, race, urbanicity and poverty level. Data come from the CDC National Immunization Survey and are updated annually.

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More About the Science

Vaccines are both safe and effective. Learn more about how they work and how we know they’re safe.

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Immunization Discussion Guides

These portable digital tools help facilitate discussions about immunizations with families.

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Childhood
Talking points for clinicians and infographics for families of babies and children through age 6. Access online or download PDF to save, share and print.
Adolescent
Talking points for clinicians and infographics for parents and their preteens and teens, age 9 through 18 years. Access online or download PDF to save, share and print.

 

Professional Tools and Resources

The AAP offers a robust set of tools and resources to help you communicate with families and ensure patients stay up to date on immunizations.

Administering Immunizations in Your Practice

Use these resources to improve immunization rates, reach families through reminder and recall strategies (in multiple languages), store and administer immunizations safely, navigate financials of vaccinating and boost understanding of office technology.

Communicating with Families and Promoting Vaccine Confidence

As a trusted source of information to parents, it’s important for pediatricians to communicate effectively with families. This page offers resources to help you have effective vaccine conversations and address vaccine hesitancy.

Influenza Vaccination

Find resources related to the AAP annual influenza policy, prebooking influenza vaccine, scheduling patients to receive influenza immunization and updates on influenza vaccine supply.

COVID Vaccine for Children

AAP recommends COVID vaccines for kids age 6 months and older. Learn more about administering COVID vaccines in your practice.

Human Papillomavirus Vaccines

The AAP offers quality improvement and education courses on providing human papillomavirus (HPV) and other adolescent vaccines, information about why AAP recommends HPV vaccination starting at age 9 and resources from the American Cancer Society.

State Immunization Contacts

Lean more about Chapter Immunization Representatives in your state/chapter.

Resources for Families

Many parents are happy to protect their children with vaccines. Some have questions. This page offers helpful links to HealthyChildren.org, the parenting website of the AAP.

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CDC Childhood Immunization Coverage

The National Immunization Surveys (NIS) are a group of phone surveys used to monitor vaccination coverage among children 19-35 months and teens 13-17 years. Learn about data collected in the most recent NIS.

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Feedback

Please consider filling out this brief survey on the organization and ease of use of the information provided on these immunization pages.

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Get Involved

Podcasts and Voices Blogs

Learn what others are saying. Listen to our podcasts and read our blog posts.

Reframing the Vaccine Conversation, Diversifying Clinical Trials – Episode 151

In this episode Julie Sweetland, PhD, a sociolinguist and senior advisor at the FrameWorks Institute, shares strategies for public messaging about vaccines. Hosts David Hill, MD, FAAP, and Joanna Parga-Belinkie, MD, FAAP, also speak with Ryan Brewster, MD, about his research on the racial and ethnic diversity of pediatric clinical trials.

Pediatrics On Call Podcast

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March 21, 2023

Vaccine Messaging to Reduce Hesitancy – Episode 88

In this episode Patrick O’Shea, PhD, a senior researcher at the FrameWorks Institute, shares findings from the first in a series of studies about how the public perceives vaccines. Hosts David Hill, MD, FAAP, and Joanna Parga-Belinkie, MD, FAAP, also talk to Nusheen Ameenuddin, MD, MPH, MPA, FAAP, Chair of the AAP Council on Communications and Media, about her work at the Mayo Clinic to educate immigrant populations about vaccines.

Pediatrics On Call Podcast

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October 26, 2021

Childhood Immunization: Preventing a Lifetime of What if

Through recollections and family experiences, this pediatrician shares why we need to speak boldly about the protection vaccines offer.

Voices Blog

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August 21, 2019

Last Updated

07/10/2023

Source

American Academy of Pediatrics