Conversation Starters

All children need specific vaccines at certain ages so they can have protection when they need it most.

Vaccines teach children’s immune systems how to fight off dangerous diseases before they’re exposed to germs.

The recommended vaccine schedule ensures that children receive vaccines when their immune systems are mature enough to respond adequately and when they’re most at risk of getting very sick.

The vaccine schedule is set by doctors to confirm that vaccines are safe and provide kids with the most benefit.

Children who receive vaccines at recommended times have protection against 16 diseases, including some that can cause paralysis, brain damage, and even death.

Over the past 30 years, it’s estimated that recommended childhood vaccines have prevented 32 million hospitalizations and saved 1.1 million lives in the United States alone.

Children who don’t follow the vaccine schedule are at risk of catching diseases like measles and whooping cough, which are especially dangerous for babies and kids.

Childhood vaccination rates are declining, with many parents citing unfounded safety concerns. However, vaccines are rigorously tested before they’re approved, and severe side effects are extremely rare.

When kids aren’t vaccinated, disease outbreaks occur, which affects the whole community.

Plus, unvaccinated kids can put vulnerable family members at risk, like newborns who are too young to get vaccinated and older adults.

If your children aren’t up to date on vaccines, it’s not too late to get back on track.

Learn when children should receive recommended vaccines and how many doses they need from the CDC. Your child’s pediatrician can provide more information about getting up to date on vaccines.

Children can get this season’s flu vaccine and the updated COVID-19 vaccine now. If children were recently infected by COVID-19, they can wait three months since their last COVID-19 infection. Older kids can get vaccinated at most pharmacies, while young children and babies may need to get vaccinated by their pediatrician.

Routine vaccines are covered by most insurance plans. Children who are uninsured, Medicaid-eligible, American Indian, or Alaska Natives can get vaccinated for free through the CDC’s Vaccines for Children Program.

Any connection between vaccines and autism has been repeatedly debunked.

The mistaken belief that vaccines cause autism in children was popularized by a 1998 study that was later retracted due to fraudulent data. 

Since then, decades of credible studies have consistently shown that vaccines aren't associated with autism. 

Researchers attribute rising autism rates to increased screening and changes to diagnostic criteria, which allow for better access to appropriate interventions and support services. 

Vaccines are rigorously tested before they’re approved and have been shown to be safe across age groups.

There is no single cause for autism, and most risk factors exist before birth.

Research shows that genetics and birth complications likely contribute to autism, which is often diagnosed in children older than 3 (although adult diagnoses are increasingly common). 

Vaccines do not alter genes, and receiving recommended vaccines during pregnancy is safe for pregnant people and their babies. 

In fact, vaccination during pregnancy can help reduce the risk of complications that dangerous diseases cause, and it passes protective antibodies to the developing fetus.

Unvaccinated children are at risk of catching preventable diseases that can make them very sick and cause long-term complications, including death.

Vaccines also help prevent children from spreading dangerous illnesses to vulnerable family members, including newborns, older adults, and immunocompromised loved ones. 

The benefits of vaccination outweigh any potential risks, and severe side effects are extremely rare. Most children will only experience mild pain and, possibly, some swelling at the injection site. 

Learn when children should receive recommended vaccines and how many doses they’ll need from the CDC. 

Children can get vaccines—including an updated COVID-19 vaccine and this season’s flu vaccine—at their pediatrician’s office and at pharmacies. Find pharmacies near you at Vaccines.gov.

RSV is a respiratory virus that is especially dangerous for babies and young children.

Symptoms in young children may include a runny nose, decreased eating and drinking, and coughing, which may lead to wheezing and difficulty breathing. 

Infants with RSV may show symptoms like irritability, decreased activity and appetite, and life-threatening pauses in breathing (apnea) that last for more than 10 seconds. Most infants with RSV will not develop a fever. 

Babies who are born prematurely, have weakened immune systems, or have chronic lung disease are more likely to become very sick. 

RSV symptoms may be similar to symptoms of the common cold, the flu, and COVID-19. Get your child tested by a health care provider to confirm their diagnosis.

There are two ways to help protect babies from RSV: vaccination during pregnancy and giving babies nirsevimab, an RSV antibody shot.

Pregnant people who receive an RSV vaccine pass protective proteins to the developing fetus. This helps protect babies from severe RSV during their first six months of life. 

The CDC recommends that babies younger than 8 months whose gestational parent did not receive an RSV vaccine during pregnancy receive nirsevimab between October and March, when RSV typically peaks. This antibody shot delivers proteins that can help protect them against RSV. 

Nirsevimab is also recommended for children between 8 and 19 months who are at increased risk of severe RSV, including children who are born prematurely, have chronic lung disease or severe cystic fibrosis, are immunocompromised, or are American Indians or Alaska Natives. 

Pregnant people can receive an RSV vaccine at most pharmacies or from a health care provider. It’s covered by most insurance plans. Those who are un or underinsured or whose insurance plans do not cover RSV vaccination can explore coverage through state and local health departments, public insurance programs like Medicaid and CHIP, or pharmacy programs like GoodRx. 

Nirsevimab is typically covered by insurance. Children who do not have access to immunizations through family insurance can receive nirsevimab at no cost through the Vaccines for Children Program.

If someone in your household has RSV, watch for signs of severe illness and take steps to help prevent it from spreading.

Children and adults who are sick with RSV are recommended to stay home and away from others. 

If your infant or child has difficulty breathing or develops blue or gray skin, take them to an emergency room right away.

People who are infected with RSV can spread the disease when they cough or sneeze; have close contact with others; or touch, cough, or sneeze on shared surfaces. 

Help protect your family from catching and spreading RSV at home and in public places by ensuring that everyone covers their mouths during coughing and sneezing, washes their hands often, and wears a high-quality, well-fitting mask.

There is still no single, FDA-approved treatment for long COVID, but doctors can help patients manage individual symptoms.

Therapies, including those to improve lung function and retrain your sense of smell, as well as medications for pain and blood pressure regulation, may be part of long COVID treatment.

Studying myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and HIV may help researchers better understand long COVID and improve treatment options.

Getting diagnosed and treated for long COVID may be challenging for patients—especially for women and people of color, whose symptoms may be dismissed by doctors. Incorporating mental health support and seeking support from loved ones may help patients manage the stress associated with seeking treatment.

Long COVID patients may be eligible for government benefits that can ease financial burdens.

Studies estimate that roughly 4 million people are out of work due to long COVID, and patients may have to travel for treatment.

While long COVID qualifies as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, navigating the application process can be challenging. The Pandemic Legal Assistance Network provides pro bono support for long COVID patients applying for disability benefits.

Long COVID patients may be eligible for other forms of government assistance, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, and rental and utility assistance programs.

Getting reinfected with COVID-19 can worsen existing long COVID symptoms, but patients can take steps to stay protected.

Staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines dramatically reduces the risk of developing long COVID in the first place.

For patients who already live with long COVID, staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines may improve symptoms and reduce inflammation.

Research shows that wearing a high-quality, well-fitting mask reduces the risk of contracting COVID-19—even when others are not masking.

Whooping cough is a bacterial respiratory illness that can cause long-term symptoms and even death.

Early symptoms typically appear five to 10 days after exposure and may include a runny or stuffy nose, a low fever, and a mild cough.

One to two weeks after symptoms appear, some people may experience extreme coughing fits that can cause shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, vomiting, fatigue, and rib fractures. These fits usually last one to six weeks, but they can last up to 10 weeks after infection.

About one in three babies under 1 year old who contract whooping cough require hospitalization. They may experience life-threatening pauses in breathing (called apnea), pneumonia, and other complications.

Children and adults who have asthma or are immunocompromised are also more likely to develop severe symptoms.

Vaccines are the best way to protect against whooping cough.

Two types of vaccines protect against whooping cough: The DTap vaccine is given to babies and children younger than 7 years old, while the Tdap vaccine is given to children 7 years and older and adults. Both vaccines protect against infections from diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough).

The CDC recommends that pregnant people receive a single dose of the Tdap vaccine between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, as this lowers the risk of whooping cough in babies younger than 2 months old by 78 percent.

Multiple doses are required for the best protection. Learn more about DTaP and Tdap vaccine schedules from the CDC, and talk to your health care provider about how many doses you and your children need.

If you or your child has symptoms of whooping cough, isolate them from vulnerable family members and seek treatment early to reduce the risk of serious illness.

People with whooping cough can be contagious for weeks after infection.

Health care providers typically prescribe antibiotics to those recovering from whooping cough at home.

Over-the-counter cough and cold medicine is not recommended for children under 4 years old.

Limiting smoke, dust, and chemical fumes at home and using a humidifier can reduce coughing.

If you are caring for someone with whooping cough who exhibits pauses in breathing or develops gray or blue skin, call 911 immediately.