Older children and teens need vaccines too!

PURPOSE

Guide for parents and caregivers to ensure their teen is up-to-date on recommended childhood vaccines.

Recommended Immunizations for Children 7–18 Years Old, United States, 2025

Download the Schedule

Print the schedule, color

For Other Groups

Talk to your child’s health care provider for more guidance if:

Your child has any medical condition that puts them at higher risk for infection or is pregnant.
Your child misses any vaccine recommended for their age or for babies and young children.

What diseases do these vaccines protect against?

Vaccine-Preventable Disease	Disease Complications	Number of Vaccine Doses
HPV (Human papillomavirus) Contagious viral infection spread by close skin-to-skin touching, including during sex	Genital warts and many types of cancers later in life, including cancers of the cervix, vagina, penis, anus, and throat	2 or 3 doses
Tetanus (Lockjaw)* Infection caused by bacterial spores found in soil and dust everywhere; spores enter the body through wounds or broken skin	Seizures, broken bones, difficulty breathing, death	1 dose at age 11-12 years Additional doses if missed childhood doses 1 dose for dirty wounds
Diphtheria^*Contagious bacterial infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs; spread through air and direct contact	Swelling of the heart muscle, heart failure, coma, paralysis, death	1 dose at age 11-12 years Additional doses if missed childhood doses
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)^*Contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airway; spread through air and direct contact	Infection of the lungs (pneumonia), death; especially dangerous for babies	1 dose at age 11-12 years Additional doses if missed childhood doses 1 dose every pregnancy
Meningococcal^**Contagious bacterial infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord or the bloodstream; spread through air and direct contact	Loss of arm or leg, deafness, seizures, death	2 doses Additional doses may be needed depending on medical condition or vaccine used.
Influenza (Flu) Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, and sometimes lungs; spread through air and direct contact	Infection of the lungs (pneumonia), sinus and ear infections, worsening of underlying heart or lung conditions, death	1 dose each year 2 doses in some children aged 6 months through 8 years
COVID-19 Contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, or lungs; may feel like a cold or flu. Spread through air and direct contact	Infection of the lungs (pneumonia); blood clots; liver, heart or kidney damage; long COVID; death	1 or more doses of the current COVID-19 vaccine depending on health status. For more information: www.cdc.gov/covidschedule
Mpox Contagious viral infection spread through close, often skin-to-skin contact, including sex; causes a painful rash, fever, headache, tiredness, cough, runny nose, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes	Infected sores, brain swelling, infection of the lungs (pneumonia), eye infection, blindness, death	2 doses
Dengue Viral infection spread by bite from infected mosquito; causes, fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, rash, joint pain, body ache, nausea, loss of appetite, feeling tired, abdominal pain	Severe bleeding, seizures, shock, damage to the liver, heart, and lungs, death	3 doses

*Tdap protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis

**Healthy adolescents: Meningococcal ACWY vaccine (2 doses); Meningococcal B vaccine (2 doses if needed).

This easy-to-read schedule is recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).