Thanks to vaccines, most U.S. children are protected against serious diseases such as measles, mumps, diphtheria, polio, and chickenpox. But what happens to that protection when a child becomes a teen? A teen who missed a vaccine or booster as a child may need to be immunized. Learn more about which vaccines teens need by taking this quiz.
The CDC, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) jointly issue a child and teen vaccine schedule each year. Then the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) reviews the schedule to make sure it agrees with new vaccine developments and policies. ACIP then publishes it each year. Before a vaccine can become part of routine medical practice, 3 things must happen:
Meningitis strikes people of all ages, from babies to elderly adults. But meningococcal meningitis poses the greatest risk to high school and college students, particularly freshmen living in dormitories. Others at risk are: