Clinical Preventive Services -
Immunizations and Chemoprophylaxis -

Childhood Immunizations

ACPM Recommendations:

All children without established contraindications should receive DTP, DTaP, MMR, Hib, hepatitis B, varicella, and OPV or IPV vaccinations as outlined in the Unified Schedule of Childhood Immunizations and as detailed in the ACIP's General Recommendations on Immunization. Children with special risk factors, such as compromised immune systems or residence in high-risk areas, may require additional immunizations. Furthermore, all health care providers should adopt the 18 standards of immunization practice to work toward the Childhood Immunization Initiative goal of 90% vaccination rate of 2 year olds. Research priorities include the development of new vaccines for disease as well as improvement of immunogenicity and minimizing of the adverse effects of existing vaccines. Moreover, investigating new combinations of vaccines will help to minimize the emotional and physical trauma and inefficiency of multiple injections in children while promoting compliance.

  • See the entire ACPM recommendation at:

Childhood Immunizations. Linda Kinsinger, MD, FACPM and Rita Patel, MD, University of North Carolina Preventive Medicine Residency Program. Am J Prev Med. March/April 1997.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations:

All children without established contraindications should receive diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP), oral poliovirus (OPV), measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), conjugate Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis B, and varicella vaccines, in accordance with recommended schedules (see Clinical Intervention). Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for children and adolescents at high risk for hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection. Pneumococcal vaccine and annual influenza vaccine are recommended for children and adolescents at high risk (see Clinical Intervention and Immunizations/Chemoprophylaxis for Adult Immunizations). See the recommendations in Immunizations/Chemoprophylaxis for Postexposure Prophylaxis for Selected Infectious Diseases, and Screening for Tuberculosis Infection for recommendations regarding the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine.