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Adult and Adolescent Immunizations

Adolescent Vaccinations

As children approach their teen years, parents often worry about how to protect them from new risks and potential dangers.  One of the things parents can do to protect their children at 11 and 12 years of age is to make sure pre-teens are vaccinated against serious, sometimes life-threatening, diseases such as meningitis, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and cervical cancer.  Many parents do not realize that some childhood vaccines, such as those for tetanus and pertussis, wear off over time and, as they get older, young people are at risk of exposure to different diseases at school, camp, or in other new situations.  The Pre-teen Vaccine Campaign promotes vaccination of 11- and 12-year-olds.  Research shows that pre-teens generally do not get preventive healthcare, visiting the doctor only when they are sick.  The pre-teen check-up is a great time to talk with the healthcare provider about pre-teen vaccination status.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Pre-teen Vaccine Campaign is designed to inform parents, caregivers, family physicians, and pediatricians about the CDC’s new vaccination recommendations for 11- and 12-year-olds. The three pre-teen vaccines include: meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4), which protects against meningitis and its complications; Tdap, which is a booster against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis or “whooping cough;” and for girls, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which protects against the most common types of cervical cancer.  The campaign was launched in conjuction with National Immunization Awareness Month in August.  The CDC’s pre-teen vaccine recommendations are supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the Society for Adolescent Medicine.  Parents: Do you know 11 and 12 year olds need immunization too? :: Opens in new windowFor more information about pre-teen vaccines and the campaign, visit http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/spec-grps/preteens-adol.htm

The CDC Campaign materials include flyers, posters, banner ads, and web content about pre-teen vaccines. These materials are located at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/spec-grps/preteens-adol/07gallery/default.htm 

Pre-teen Vaccine Campaign Materials by the Bureau of Immunization

Additional Information for Teens and College Students

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Vaccinate Before you Graduate:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/teen-schedule.htm
Meningococcal Disease and College Students --Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP):
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr4907a2.htm