Shot in the Arm for Kids' Health

All children younger than 2 years old and children 5 and younger with certain health conditions should receive the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. The vaccine prevents bacterial diseases and fights ear infections. This was reaffirmed in 2004 by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) from a 1997 policy statement.

The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) is available and very safe. It's also highly effective at preventing some of the most common childhood bacterial infections.

Though the vaccine is a first line of defense against the bacteria that cause pneumonia and meningitis, it also helps prevent ear infections, which are the most common ailment in infants and children age 6 and younger.

The AAP recommends that your child's PCV vaccination schedule should be:

First shot - 2 months old
Second shot - 4 months old
Third shot - 6 months old
Fourth shot - 12 to 15 months old

Possible side effects include pain and swelling at the site of the shot and sometimes a fever.

Vaccinations for high-risk children

The AAP goes beyond endorsing the vaccine for the 7 million children younger than 2. They also recommend that 3-year-olds be vaccinated if they have sickle cell disease, HIV or a spleen disorder. Children with these medical conditions have compromised immune systems and have a higher risk of contracting pneumococcal diseases.

If your child is between 3 and 5 but not in the high-risk group, ask your pediatrician to help you compare how well the vaccine works with the risks of pneumococcal disease. Children are at moderate risk for pneumococcal infections if they are:

• between 24 and 35 months old
• attend daycare outside their home and are between the ages of 3 and 5 years
• are Native American or African-American descent and between the ages of 3 and 5 years

The vaccine protects children against the seven strains of the pneumococcus bacteria that are most common in the United States. In children younger than 5 years, pneumococcal infections each year cause 71,000 cases of pneumonia; 17,000 bloodstream (bacteremia) infections; and 1,400 cases of meningitis (which can lead to brain damage, hearing loss and death).

An added bonus against ear infections

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccine in 2000 but has not evaluated its effectiveness in preventing ear infections - the inflammation of the middle ear, a grape-sized cavity behind the eardrum.

About 7 million ear infections occur each year. This accounts for 25 million doctors' visits and $2 billion to $3 billion in medical bills and medication. About 80 percent of all children will have an ear infection before their second birthday. Many suffer from multiple infections that can lead to hearing loss and resulting learning problems.

According to the AAP, the number of doses depends on when your child is first inoculated. Children ages 2 to 6 months should receive three doses six to eight weeks apart and a booster between 12 and 15 months of age.

In the past, shortages of this vaccine caused a change in the recommendation, and it could happen again. If your child misses a vaccine, it's important to keep a list of the vaccines that are needed. Ask your pediatrician when the immunizations will be available.

Related Articles Parenting Is Your Child Adequately Immunized to Begin School?

External Source The Academy of Pediatrics

This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.

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