Download the 2002 Recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule.
On January 7, the American Academy of Pediatrics� Committee on Infectious Diseases published its annual �Recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule� in conjunction with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Academy of Family Physicians.� While the schedule does not reflect major changes regarding specific vaccines, this year it was given a new format designed to highlight:�
- Routine use of hepatitis B vaccine for all infants before hospital discharge
- Catch-up vaccination of children behind on routine immunization
- Pre-adolescent assessment to ensure that children have completed their hepatitis B, tetanus-diphtheria, measles-mumps-rubella, and varicella vaccine series, as well as additional vaccine series recommended for selected populations.
The 2002 schedule also highlights influenza vaccination recommendations.� Influenza vaccine is recommended annually for children six months of age or older who have certain risk factors (for example, asthma, diabetes, sickle cell disease) and also can be administered to other children whose families want them to have influenza immunity.
The 2002 Childhood Immunization Schedule is out.� And if you use a PalmPilot, the Society for Teachers of Family Medicine Group on Immunization Education has developed Palm OS software so that you can access the schedule from your Palm.� The software�includes the immunization schedule (with a color tion) that includes pick menus with high-risk indications, contraindications, adverse reactions, catch-up intervals and administration routes.� Click here to download the software for free.
