Immunization Schedule for Children and Teens Updated

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Immunization Schedule for Children and Teens Updated

News Author: Laurie Barclay, MD

CME Author: Penny Murata, MD

Disclosures

Release Date: January 8, 2008

January 8, 2008 — The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued an updated

immunization schedule for children and adolescents aged 0 to 18 years, as well

as a catch-up immunization schedule for those aged 4 months to 18 years who

start late or who are more than 1 month behind. The new recommendations appear

in the January issue of Pediatrics.

The schedule indicates the recommended ages for routine administration of

currently licensed childhood vaccines, as of December 1, 2007, for children aged

0 through 6 years, and for those aged 7 through 18 years. It also notes that

additional vaccines may be licensed and recommended during the year.

" Any dose not administered at the recommended age should be administered at any

subsequent visit, when indicated and feasible, " the authors from the Committee

on Infectious Diseases write. " Licensed combination vaccines may be used

whenever any components of the combination are indicated and other components of

the vaccine are not contraindicated and if approved by the Food and Drug

Administration for that dose of the series. Providers should consult the

respective Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices statement for detailed

recommendations, including for high risk conditions. "

If there are any clinically significant adverse events after immunization, these

should be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

For children aged 0 through 6 years, recommended ages for routine administration

of currently licensed childhood vaccines are as follows:

Hepatitis B vaccine: At birth, give monovalent hepatitis B vaccine to all

newborns before hospital discharge. If the mother is positive for hepatitis

surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B vaccine and 0.5 mL of hepatitis B immune

globulin should be given within 12 hours of birth.

After the birth dose, the hepatitis B vaccine series should be completed with

either monovalent hepatitis B vaccine or a combination vaccine containing

hepatitis B vaccine, with the second dose given at age 1 to 2 months and the

final dose no earlier than age 24 weeks.

After completion of at least 3 doses of a licensed hepatitis B vaccine series,

at ages 9 to 18 months (typically at the next well-child visit), infants born to

mothers who are positive for HBsAg should be tested for HBsAg and antibody to

HBsAg. When combination vaccines are given after the birth dose, 4 doses of

hepatitis B vaccine may be given. The 4-month dose is not needed if monovalent

hepatitis B vaccine is used for doses after the birth dose.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/568402?sssdmh=dm1.331374 & src=nldne

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