You never outgrow the need for vaccines. The specific immunizations you need as an adult are determined by factors such as your age, lifestyle, high-risk conditions, type and locations of travel, and previous immunizations. Throughout your adult life, you need immunizations to get and maintain protection against: flu, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, shingles, pneumococcal, HPV, etc.
Children:
Children under age 6 need a series of shots to protect against chicken pox, hepatitis, polio and measles.
Preteens:
All 11- and 12-year-olds require shots to protect against whooping cough, meningitis, diphtheria, and tetanus.
Many doctors also recommend that girls get the 3-dose HPV vaccine, which protects against the most common types of HPV that cause cervical cancer.
Adults:
All adults need a tetanus booster shot every 10 years.
65-year-olds require a one-time pneumonia shot.
When it comes to immunization requirements, not every family’s situation is the same. Immunization requirements may stand in the way of a child’s school enrollment as well as an international vacation, so it’s important to talk to your doctor about your family’s plans. Let National Immunization Awareness Month serve as your reminder to ensure that you and your loved ones are up to date on your shots.
References:
http://www.healthfinder.gov/nho/PDFs/AugustNHOtoolkit.pdf (full of good information)
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ (excellent site)
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