Latest vaccination guidelines for children and adolescents

Age-appropriate vaccinations are given priority to cover immunization program vaccines and non-immunization program vaccines. Children are voluntarily selected based on family needs and children's health status. Children with underlying diseases or special health conditions should go to vaccination clinics in advance for individualized assessment. There is no need to blindly follow the trend or skip necessary vaccinations.

A while ago, I was doing missionary work at the vaccination clinic in my jurisdiction, and I encountered many parents who were holding various "influencer vaccine lists" on their mobile phones to ask. At one moment, they asked whether we should take the five-part vaccine since everyone else had taken it. At another time, they asked whether their children were allergic and couldn't get anything. In fact, a lot of anxiety was caused by mixed information. Oh, by the way, let me clear up the most common misunderstandings first: Don’t think that free immunization vaccines are not good. I have seen many parents skip the free hepatitis B vaccine and insist on taking the imported self-paid version. In fact, judging from the annual monitoring data of the National Disease Control and Prevention System, domestic free immunization vaccines have been clinically verified for more than ten years, and the incidence of adverse reactions is not statistically different from imported vaccines of the same type. Of course, if you really need it, there is no problem in choosing self-funded vaccines, but there is no need to think that the free ones are inferior.

Speaking of non-immunization vaccines, this is also the most controversial part. Take the HPV vaccine, for example. There are currently two mainstream views in the industry: One group believes that boys aged 9-14 should also be vaccinated, which can not only reduce the risk of transmission to their partners, but also prevent themselves from possible perianal cancer, oropharyngeal cancer and other related diseases. ； The other group, from the perspective of health economics, believes that domestic medical resources are currently limited, and it would be more profitable to give priority to girls aged 9 to 14. It is not recommended to vaccinate boys as a general requirement for the time being. In fact, this completely depends on family choice. Now many provinces and cities have included the HPV vaccine for free for girls aged 9-14. Those who meet the conditions can go directly to get the vaccine. If the family has enough budget, it is no problem to arrange for boys as well. There is no such thing as "paying IQ tax". There is also the heated debate about whether the flu vaccine is useful or not. Some people say that the protection rate of the flu vaccine is only 60%. Some people say that vaccination every year can prevent serious illness. In fact, they are all right: if the child rarely goes to crowded places and has good resistance, it does not matter if he does not get vaccinated. ； However, if the child is going to kindergarten or primary school soon and has underlying diseases such as asthma and congenital heart disease, it is still recommended to be vaccinated every year. After all, even if infection cannot be prevented, the probability of severe pneumonia and encephalitis can be greatly reduced. I met a mother last week. Last year, she did not vaccinate her child who had just started kindergarten. When half of the children in the class had a fever, her child had a fever of 40 degrees and was hospitalized for a week. She came to line up early this year.

There are also many parents who have a headache about the question of "whether special physiques can be treated." Don't make a conclusion just by searching on the Internet. I once had a mother whose child only had a common cow's milk protein allergy and had no reactions such as severe anaphylactic shock or laryngeal edema. I heard others said that people with allergies could not get the vaccine, so I postponed the measles-mumps vaccination for almost a year. Later, when I came for an evaluation, the doctor said that the vaccination was completely acceptable. After the vaccination, I stayed under observation for 30 minutes and nothing happened. Of course, not all special cases can be vaccinated. For example, children with immune deficiencies who are undergoing chemotherapy and children who are in the acute attack of asthma must postpone vaccination. In particular, live attenuated vaccines must not be administered casually. This must be evaluated by doctors in the vaccination clinic. Do not make a decision directly based on what the child care doctor or the Internet says.

Oh, by the way, there are a few minor adjustments in the 2024 version of the guidelines that many parents don’t know yet: the vaccination schedule for meningococcal meningitis vaccine has been adjusted from the original 4 doses to 3 doses, which is one dose less, but the protective effect has not been reduced.； In addition, the recommended age for vaccination of hand, foot and mouth vaccine has now been relaxed to 6 months to 7 years old. Previously, it could only be given to children under 5 years old. If you have not been vaccinated before, and your child has just entered elementary school and is still susceptible to infection, you can also get it.

In fact, you really don’t need to think about vaccinations too complicated. When I give advice to my relatives’ children, I never make a long list. I always check if there are any missing vaccinations in the immunization schedule and fill them up first.； If there are elderly people at home who help take care of the children, and the children usually go to crowded places, give priority to hand, foot and mouth, and pneumococcal vaccines. ； If you are about to enter daycare, it is enough to add chickenpox and influenza. If you are really unsure, go directly to the vaccination clinic and ask. Don't search online for a long time and get more and more scared. Every child's situation is different, and what is suitable for other people's families may not be suitable for your child. In a word: Don't miss out on the vaccinations that should be given, and don't mess with the optional ones. That's enough.