At four months, babies undergo a routine check-up with a pediatrician and start their second round of vaccinations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States recommends the following list [1]:
- Diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (DTaP). The most commonly used vaccine is DTaP, which protects against three diseases at once. But if the baby had a severe reaction to it at two months, the doctor may prescribe a two-component vaccine called DT, which only protects against diphtheria and tetanus.
- Hib. This is an abbreviation for Haemophilus influenza type B, which is the name of a bacteria that can cause life-threatening diseases.
- Pneumococcal infection. There are many types of pneumococcal bacteria, the label on the vaccine will usually indicate the ones it covers. Be sure to talk to your doctor about which types of pneumococcal vaccines are authorized for infants in your country.
- Polio. In the United States, only an inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) is authorized for infants, which is injected into the leg. In other countries, a live vaccine may still be used, which is administered orally.
- Rotavirus. Most rotavirus vaccines used worldwide are given orally.
Consult with your pediatrician or health authority to findout which vaccines are authorized in your country. In the United States, a multi-component vaccine is used to protect children from 5 diseases (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, Hib, and polio) with a single shot. One more shot is given to protect against pneumococcus and the rotavirus vaccine is given orally.
Learn how to prepare your baby for vaccination in this article .
