AAP Announces New Immunization Guidelines for Kids, Teens
Today, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released the recommended childhood and adolescent immunization schedules for 2011. These schedules are revised each year to reflect new and updated information for the use of vaccines licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Published in the February 2011 issue of Pediatrics, there are a number of important changes for infants, children and teens.
Here is a summary of some of the most notable revisions:
- In response to nationwide outbreaks of pertussis, a dose of acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) is recommended for children, 7 to 10, who have not been adequately immunized against pertussis (whooping cough).
- Guidance on giving the HPV4 human papillomavirus vaccine to boys, ages 9 through 18, to reduce their likelihood of acquiring genital warts.
- A minimum age of 24 weeks of age has been set for the third dose of hepatitis B vaccine for children who did not receive the first recommended dose at birth.
- A booster dose of meningococcal vaccine is recommended for adolescents to ensure they're protected during the greatest period of risk for meningococcal disease.
- The new 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is now recommended for immunization against pneumococcal disease, replacing the previously-used 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.
- Guidance for influenza vaccine dosing based upon whether or not the child previously received monovalent 2009 H1N1 vaccine.
For more information on these recommendations or to view the full recommended immunization schedules for infants, children and adolescents, visit the AAP's immunization website.
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