Vaccines schedule for children

Introduction
Wonder which vaccines your child needs? It can be confusing, especially when new vaccines are developed and added to the schedule. Complicating matters is that many vaccines require several doses. And sometimes, due to shortages of vaccines or other issues, a child can get off schedule.
To find out which vaccines your child should have now and which vaccines are coming up, click on the tabs to the left. The specific vaccines for each age group are based on 2007 recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If your child misses a dose of a particular vaccine, don't worry. Simply ask your child's doctor about catch-up vaccines.
Birth to 2 months: Vaccine recommended
Hepatitis B — doses one and two of three
The timing of the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine depends on whether the mother is infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) at the time of delivery. If you're HBV positive, your child needs the first dose of vaccine along with another product that provides more immediate protection than a vaccine (hepatitis B immune globulin) within 12 hours of birth. Even if you're HBV negative, your child might receive the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine before leaving the hospital. The second dose of hepatitis B vaccine is given at least one month after the first dose.
2 months: Vaccines recommended
Diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (DTaP) — dose one of five
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) — dose one of four
Inactivated poliovirus (IPV) — dose one of four
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) — dose one of four
Rotavirus vaccine — dose one of three
At age 2 months, your child receives the first in a series of several shots designed to offer protection from many diseases. To reduce the number of shots, your child's doctor may suggest combination vaccines.
Timing is especially important for the rotavirus vaccine. The first dose is recommended at age 2 months. The vaccine series can't be started after age 3 months.

Medicine and Your Child: How to Give Your Child Medicine

What do I need to know about my child's medicines? Both your child's doctor and the pharmacist can answer your questions about prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicine. Here are some useful things to know about medicines that are to be taken by mouth (oral medicines):
The name of the medicine
What the medicine is for
The dose (amount) of the medicine to give
The number of times a day the medicine should be given
The times of the day the medicine should be given
Whether the medicine can be given with food
The number of days the medicine should be given
How you will know the medicine is working
The most common and important side effects
What should I tell the doctor?
When your doctor prescribes a medicine or when you ask about an OTC medicine for your child, be sure to tell your doctor these things:
Other medicines that your child is taking (both prescription and OTC medicines)
Any drug allergies your child has
If the medicine costs too much for you to buy
What can I expect from my pharmacist?
The pharmacist should tell you the same things about the medicine that your doctor told you. For liquid medicines, the pharmacist should give you a measuring device and show you the right way to use it. The pharmacist should answer any questions you have about the medicine.
What should I do if my child won't take medicine?
There are many things you can do to make medicine taste better to your child. Put liquid medicines in the refrigerator before giving them to your child. If your child will not take a medicine because of the taste, it may be okay to mix the medicine with a small amount of liquid (like juice) or soft food (like pudding). Ask your doctor or pharmacist about your child's medicine to see if this is okay. Some pharmacies have flavorings they can mix with liquids before you take them home.You should also explain to your child how medicine can help them stay healthy or make them feel better.
Things to remember about giving medicine to your child:

• When the label on the medicine says "every 6 hours," that generally means the medicine is taken 4 times a day (for example, at breakfast, lunch, supper and bedtime). It doesn't generally mean to wake the child up in the night to take medicine. And "take every 8 hours" generally means the medicine should be taken 3 times a day.
• When you get a new prescription, ask your doctor or your pharmacist for a medicine information sheet. It will tell you about the medicine.
• If more than one family member goes to the same doctor, make sure each medicine label clearly says whose medicine it is. Ask your doctor to make sure the child's name is clear on the medicine label.
• Ask your doctor to include on the prescription label what the medicine is for. This helps the pharmacist double-check the prescription.
• Sometimes people think, "If a little medicine is good, a lot is better (or will work quicker)." This is wrong. Giving too much medicine can be harmful. Be sure you only give the prescribed or recommended dose of each medicine.
• Even when your child begins to feel better, continue to give as much medicine as the doctor prescribed. If you are giving an OTC medicine, it is usually ok to stop when your child feels better.
• Use a special measuring device for liquid medicine to get the correct dose. An ordinary kitchen teaspoon may not hold the right amount of medicine.
• If you use a syringe-type measuring device to give liquid medicine to your child, first throw away the small cap of the syringe. Children can choke on these caps.
• If your child has a bad reaction to a medicine or is allergic to a medicine, tell your doctor right away. This is important medical information. You should also keep a record of this information at home: the name of the medicine, the dosage directions, the illness the medicine was given for and the side effects the medicine caused.
• If you or your child have any problems with a medicine, call your doctor or the pharmacist right away.

How to Care for Your Baby's Teeth

When will my baby's teeth appear?
Every baby is different. Generally, teeth start appearing between 4 and 7 months of age. You baby may be drooling more at 4 months. The first teeth to come in are usually the 2 front teeth on the bottom.Healthy teeth are important to your baby's overall health. Teeth help your baby chew food and form words and sounds when speaking. They also affect the way your baby's jaw grows.
What can I do to help my teething baby?
Teething is usually painless, but it can make some babies uncomfortable and fussy. Giving your baby a cold teething ring or a cold washcloth to chew or suck on may help. Teething gels should be used carefully because too much is not good for your baby.Teething does not cause a fever. If your baby has a fever, you should talk to your doctor.
What about breast feeding, bottles and sippy cups?
Breast feeding is good for your baby's teeth. If you give your baby a bottle, always hold the baby when you feed him or her. Do not leave a bottle in the crib. Do not put juice in a bottle.Your baby can start using a sippy cup when he or she is 6 months old. Stop giving your baby a bottle when he or she is a year old. Do not let your baby walk around with a sippy cup unless it has only water in it. Do not give your baby a sippy cup of juice or milk in the crib.After your child is one year old, give only water or plain milk between meals instead of other drinks. If you give your child juice or flavored milk (like sweetened milk products), only give it with meals. Juice and flavored milk have a lot of sugar in them.
When should I start brushing my baby's teeth?
Start cleaning your baby's teeth twice a day as soon as the first tooth appears. Until your child is 1 year old, you can use a wet washcloth or gauze to clean your baby's teeth and gums. At about a 1 year to 18 months of age, you should start using a soft baby toothbrush and a small dab of toothpaste that does not have flouride in it. (This type of toothpaste is safe for your baby to swallow.)
When should I take my baby to the dentist?
Be sure to take your baby to a dentist by his or her first birthday, especially if there is a high risk for cavities or any other problems with his or her teeth. It is better for your child to meet the dentist and see the office before he or she has a tooth problem.