Author: Gauri Kshirsagar
Immunization is the process of artificially inducing immunity or providing protection from disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) initiated the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in May 1974 with the objective to vaccinate children throughout the world. Since EPI schedule contains only few vaccines, Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) schedule also includes vaccines which can be given to prevent various other infections. This schedule is modified to every year, keeping in mind newer studies and better availability of vaccines. Hence It is advised to be informed about the recent schedule available.
You can download the pdf file of 2013 version here: Immunization Schedule 2013
There were major recommendations made to the above schedule in 2014, hence I have provided the newer modified version, which you can download as pdf file here: Immunization Schedule 2014
OR ELSE
GO THROUGH THE DETAILS OF THE IMMUNIZATION/VACCINATION SCHEDULE BELOW:
Major changes recommended in 2014 in the above time table of 2013 include:
Measles and MMR immunization
• Two doses of MMR at 9 and 15 months
• No stand alone measles dose at 9 months
• No MMR at 4-6 years of age
Typhoid immunization
• Slot for ‘typhoid conjugate vaccine’ for primary immunization at 9-12 months of age
• Recommendation applicable only for Typbar-TCV
• Booster of either Typbar-TCV or Vi-polysaccharide (Vi-PS) vaccine at 2 years of age
• Typhoid revaccination every 3 years, if Vi-polysaccharide vaccine is used
• Need of revaccination following a booster of Typbar-TCV not yet determined
Hepatitis-A immunization
• Single dose administration of live attenuated H2 strain hepatitis A vaccine at 12 months
• Previous recommendations of two-dose is now scrapped
• Two doses for inactivated (killed) Hepatitis-A vaccine
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination
• Two doses of HPV vaccine for adolescent/preadolescent girls aged 9-14 years
• For two-dose schedule, the minimum interval between doses should be 6 months
• Three dose schedule for adolescent girls aged 15 years and older to continue
Rabies immunization
• Two new situations, children having pets in home and children perceived with higher threat of being bitten by dogs to be included in ‘high-risk category of children’ for rabies vaccination
• These groups of children should now be offered ‘pre-exposure prophylaxis’ against rabies
Pertussis immunization
• No change in pertussis immunization recommendations of 2013
• No need of repeating/giving additional doses of wP vaccine to children who had earlier completed their primary schedule with aP vaccine-containing products
Immunization Schedule (IAP Recommended-2013)
| AGE | DISEASE | VACCINE | DOSE | ROUTE | DUE ON | GIVEN ON |
| At Birth | Tuberculosis | BCG | – | Intradermal Injection | ||
| Polio | OPV (oral polio vaccine) | 0 | Oral Drops | |||
| Hepatitis B | Hep B | 1st | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| 6 Weeks
(1.5 months) |
Diphtheria + Tetanus + Pertusis | DTwP/DTaP | 1st | Intramuscular Injection | ||
| Haemophilus influenza type b | Hib | 1st | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| Rotavirus | Rotavirus | 1st | Oral Drops | |||
| Pneumococcal infections | PCV (Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) | 1st | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| Polio | IPV (Injectable polio vaccine) | 1st | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| Hepatitis B | Hep B | 1st | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| 10 Weeks
(2.5 months) |
Diphtheria + Tetanus + Pertusis | DTwP/DTaP | 2nd | Intramuscular Injection | ||
| Haemophilus influenza type b | Hib | 2nd | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| Rotavirus | Rotavirus | 2nd | Oral Drops | |||
| Pneumococcal infections | PCV (Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) | 2nd | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| Polio | IPV (Injectable polio vaccine) | 2nd | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| 14 Weeks (3.5 months) | Diphtheria + Tetanus + Pertusis | DTwP/DTaP | 3rd | Intramuscular Injection | ||
| Haemophilus influenza type b | Hib | 3rd | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| Rotavirus | Rotavirus | 3rd | Oral Drops | |||
| Pneumococcal infections | PCV (Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) | 3rd | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| Polio | IPV (Injectable polio vaccine) | 3rd | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| 6 months | Polio | OPV (oral polio vaccine) | 1st | Oral Drops | ||
| Hepatitis B | Hep B | 3rd | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| 9 months | Polio | OPV (oral polio vaccine) | 2nd | Oral Drops | ||
| Mumps + Measles + Rubella | MMR | 1 | Subcutaneous Injection | |||
| 9 -12 Months | Typhoid | Typhoid Conjugate vaccine | 1 | Intramuscular Injection | ||
| 1 year | Hepatitis A | Hep A | 1st | Intramuscular Injection | ||
| 15 months
(1 year and 3 months) |
Mumps + Measles + Rubella | MMR | 2nd | Subcutaneous Injection | ||
| Chicken Pox | Varicella | 1st | Subcutaneous Injection | |||
| Pneumococcal infections | PCV (Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) | Booster | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| 16 to 18 months | Diphtheria + Tetanus + Pertusis | DTwP/DTaP | Booster 1 | Intramuscular Injection | ||
| Haemophilus influenza type b | Hib | Booster 1 | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| Polio | IPV (Injectable polio vaccine) | Booster 1 | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| 18 months | Hepatitis A | Hep A | 2nd | Intramuscular Injection | ||
| 2 years | Typhoid | Typhoid conjugate vaccine | Booster | Intramuscular Injection | ||
| 4 to 6 years | Diphtheria + Tetanus + Pertusis | DTwP/DTaP | Booster 2 | Intramuscular Injection | ||
| Polio | OPV (oral polio vaccine) | 3rd | Oral Drops | |||
| Chicken Pox | Varicella | 2nd | Subcutaneous Injection | |||
| Typhoid | Typhoid | Booster | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| 10 to 12 years | Tetanus | Tdap/Td | Intramuscular Injection | |||
| Cervical Cancer (FEMALES ONLY) | HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) | 3 doses in total | Intramuscular Injection |
FLU VACCINE:
Additionally to the above mentioned IAP schedule, paediatricians also recommend an influenza or FLU vaccine which protects from Influenza Vaccine (A&B), H1N1 Vaccine (Swine Flu).
Dosage recommendations for Flu vaccine:
| Age | Dose | No. of doses
(first vaccination) |
No. of doses #
(subsequent years) |
| 6 months to 35 months | 0.25 mL | 2$ | 1 |
| 1 3 to 9 years | 0.5 mL | 2$ | 1 |
| ≥ 10 years | 0.5 mL | 1 | 1 |
#Where children 6 months to ≤ 9 years of age receiving influenza vaccine for the first time have not received the second dose within the same year, they should be given 2 doses the following year.
$ For children aged ≤ 9 years who are receiving influenza vaccine for the first time, it is recommended that they receive 2 doses at least 1 month apart.
* Please note, every paediatrician may follow different guidelines, depending upon the type of vaccines used. Hence detailed discussion with your doctor is advised.
To know about the cost of vaccine in India do read my post: Detailed cost of vaccination/ Immunization in India (Birth to 10 years of age)
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