Adolescent Vaccines

An important part of many well child visits is vaccination. This is a vital way to protect your child against severe illness. Your child’s healthcare provider will discuss vaccines that are recommended for your child during the well-child visit, and can answer any questions you may have. The vaccines covered in this post are those recommended by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) and AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) to be given during the 11 or 12 year and 16 year well-child visits. These include the following: 

• Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and acellular Pertussis)
• MCV (Meningococcal)
• HPV  (Human Papilloma Virus)

Why should your adolescent be vaccinated?

Each of these vaccines protects against very serious, sometimes life-threatening diseases. Let’s look at them individually in more detail. 

TETANUS (Lockjaw) is caused by the bacteria Clostridium tetani. Infection results in painful muscle tightening and stiffness, usually all over the body. If the muscles in the head or neck are involved, it can progress so that you can’t open your mouth, swallow, or sometimes even breathe. Tetanus bacteria enter the body through “dirty” wounds, such as cuts or punctures that are contaminated by the surrounding environment.

DIPHTHERIA is caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Infection results in a thick coating in the back of the throat, leading to breathing problems, heart failure, paralysis, and death. Diphtheria spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets, such as exposure to an infected person’s cough or sneeze. 

PERTUSSIS (Whooping cough) is caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. Infection results in severe coughing spells, which can cause difficulty sleeping, vomiting, and disturbed sleep. Pertussis is a very contagious disease found only in humans. It spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets, such as exposure to an infected person’s cough or sneeze.

MENINGOCOCCAL (Meningitis) is caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. Infection results in a serious illness caused by bacteria that infect the lining of the brain and spinal cord. It often occurs without warning and spreads from person to person through close contact, such as coughing, sneezing, or kissing. 

HPV is caused by the Human Papilloma virus. Infection results in genital warts and is also associated with several types of cancers, including cervical cancer, vaginal and vulvar cancers, anal cancer, penis cancer, and throat cancer. The virus is spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact via vaginal, anal, or oral sex. 

Schedule of vaccines given during adolescence

Vaccine	Number of doses	Recommended ages
Tdap (Tetanus, Diptheria, acellular Pertussis)	1+	Every 10 years after initial dose
MCV	2	11y, 16y
HPV	2 or 3	Two doses needed (6mo apart) if given prior to age 15;  Three doses needed (2mo and 6 mo apart) if given after age 15.

Please see specific Vaccine Information Statements for more details about each vaccine, including who is recommended to receive vaccines, contraindications to vaccines, possible side effects, and more. The VIS can be found at your healthcare provider’s office or online at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/index.html

Who should not be vaccinated?

Talk to your child’s health care provider if your child:

• Has had an allergic reaction after a previous dose of any vaccine, or has any severe, life-threatening allergies.
• Has ever had Guillain-Barré Syndrome (also called GBS).
• Has had severe pain or swelling after a previous dose of any vaccine 

People with minor illnesses, such as a cold, may be vaccinated. People who are moderately or severely ill should usually wait until they recover before receiving vaccinations. 

Further questions?

Though I talk to parents extensively about vaccines at well-checks, I commonly refer parents who still have questions or hesitancies about vaccinations to the CDC’s website. There is a comprehensive list of vaccines, the diseases they protect against, side effects, and more. I also usually recommend the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Vaccine Education Center website. It contains great information that is easy to navigate and understand. 

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