The 2008 childhood immunization schedule has been updated by the CDC (MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2008;57:Q1; full-text available online at: www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5701a8). Changes from 2007 include:
• The live attenuated influenza vaccine (intranasal influenza vaccine) is now indicated for healthy children aged 2 years and older (but not for children younger than 5 years with recurrent wheezing); two doses should be given four weeks apart for children younger than 9 years who have received only one dose previously.
• The meningococcal conjugate vaccine is now preferred to the meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine for high-risk children.
• The tetanus and diphtheria toxoids/tetanus and diphtheria toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine (Td/Tdap) catch-up schedule requires four doses, with at least four weeks between doses two and three, for children who had their first dose before 12 months of age.
Immunization charts are available from the CDC for ages 0-6 years (www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/downloads/child/2008/08_0-6yrs_schedule_pr.pdf), ages 7-18 years (www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/downloads/child/2008/08_7-18_years_pr.pdf), and catch-up chart for ages 4 months to 18 years (www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/downloads/child/2008/08_catch-up_schedule_pr.pdf); all accessed March 11, 2008.
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