For Babies, Children & Teens

Did you know that by staying up to date with vaccines before and during pregnancy, you can share immunity with your baby? It’s true, the immunity you pass to them helps protect them from some diseases during the first few months after they are born. By getting vaccinated before pregnancy, you also get protection from serious disease during your pregnancy, which could affect your health and your unborn child’s. This is especially important as some diseases, like rubella, can cause miscarriages and birth defects.

For more information about vaccines to consider when pregnant, see the table below. You can also use this assessment tool from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Just answer a few questions and find out which vaccines you might need!

COVID-19

And don’t forget about your COVID-19 vaccine, too! Pregnant and recently pregnant people are more likely to experience severe illness and people who get COVID-19 while pregnant are at greater risk of complications that can affect pregnancy. Learn more

This is an important time to start building your child’s immunity. For some vaccines, multiple doses will be necessary to build and continue to boost their immunity.

For more information about vaccines to consider for your baby, see the table below. You can also use this assessment tool from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Just answer a few questions and find out which vaccines your baby needs!

See the CDC’s Vaccine Schedule for Children and Adolescents

COVID-19

And don’t forget about your child’s COVID-19 vaccine, too! ACIP recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everyone ages 6 months and older. Learn more

Between the ages of 3 and 6, your child’s immune system is continuing to build, and they will need additional doses of some vaccines as they prepare to enter pre-school and eventually kindergarten! And remember, you may need to provide proof of vaccination for your child to enter school. Learn more about this here.

For more information about vaccines to consider for your child, see the table below. You can also use this assessment tool from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Just answer a few questions and find out which vaccines your child might need!

See the CDC’s Vaccine Schedule for Children and Adolescents

COVID-19

And don’t forget about your child’s COVID-19 vaccine, too! ACIP recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everyone ages 6 months and older. Learn more

During the preteen and teen years, your child’s needs for immune protection change. Protection provided by some childhood vaccines will start to wear off, so adolescents need additional vaccines to boost their immunity. Teens may also be more likely to be exposed to other infections at this point as well, so making sure that they receive the right vaccines before their risk increases is important.

If your child is college-bound, make sure that they are up to date on their vaccines and that they have a copy of their records, which may be required by their school. If your child has foreign travel plans, check and see what vaccines they may need before travel.

For more information about vaccines to consider for your child, see the table below. You can also use this assessment tool from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Just answer a few questions and find out which vaccines your child might need!

See the CDC’s Vaccine Schedule for Children and Adolescents

COVID-19

And don’t forget about your child’s COVID-19 vaccine, too! ACIP recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everyone ages 6 months and older. Learn more

Are you or your child traveling soon? You may want to consider additional vaccinations that are recommended prior to travel to your destination. See For Travel for more information.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Combined Recommended Immunization Schedule for Persons Aged 0 through 18 years

Washington State Department of Health School and Child Care Vaccines Required Chart for Parents

Spokane Regional Health District Parents – Are Your Kids Ready for School

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Immunization | Who and When

For information about the Vaccine for Children (VFC) program, please visit the Washington State Department of Health Childhood Vaccine Program page.

To contact the Spokane Regional Health District childhood vaccine regional coordinator, please email iapsupport@srhd.org.

VaxCards Quick Reference Guide

The VaxCards booklet is a quick reference guide for routine immunization recommendations.* Color-coded by disease, this guide includes photos of each vaccine, manufacturer information, and a brief overview of use recommendations.

Download the VaxCards Booklet

*The information contained in this guide is for informational purposes only and is not exhaustive. For the most up-to-date and non-routine recommendations, please refer to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) most recent immunization schedules on the CDC website.

As a parent or guardian, you may choose to exempt your child from one or more of the immunization requirements for school. However, your child may be at risk for disease. Children with exemptions have contributed to disease outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in Spokane County and put your child and people in the community at risk. The Washington State Administrative Code 246-110 allows a health officer to exclude children from school or childcare during an outbreak of vaccine-preventable disease if the child has not been fully immunized due to a medical, religious, philosophical, or personal exemption. Immunizations are a safe, effective way to prevent disease! Please take the time to carefully consider your options.

On May 10, 2011, Governor Gregoire signed a bill that requires a licensed health care provider to sign the Certificate of Exemption for a parent or guardian to exempt their child from school and child care immunization requirements. The signature verifies that the provider gave the parent or guardian information about the benefits and risks of immunization. A parent or guardian can also turn in a signed letter from a health care provider stating the same information. A health care provider doesn't need to sign the form for parents or guardians who demonstrate membership in a church or religious group that does not allow a health care provider to provide medical treatment to a child.

Washington State Department of Health Frequently Asked Questions

Washington State Department of Health

• Immunization Laws and Rules – Child Care

• Immunization Law and Rules - Schools

• Certificate of Immunization Status

• Certificate of Exemption

• Individual Vaccine Requirements Summary (IVRS) (Detailed clinical guidance on immunization required for school and child care /preschool entry)

• Immunization Manual for Schools, Preschools, and Child Care facilities

• Sample Letter - Notice of Exclusion for Immunization Noncompliance (Public Schools)

• School and Child Care Immunization FAQs

Other Sources

• Spokane Regional Health District School Communicable Disease Manual

• Immunize.org Quick Chart of Foreign Language Terms – Immunization Action Coalition Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vaccine Trade Names and Abbreviations