Parents concerned about the number and frequency of shots in the current vaccination schedule usually ask their holistic practitioner for advice. With my patients I've advocated an informed decision and I steer them to a couple of resources for further information. I recently found myself googling again for those same resources and realized that, despite the amount of articles I've written on the vaccination topic, I've never actually published any of the schedules I've come across.
Dr. Bob Sears wrote "The Vaccination Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child," which provides two alternative schedules that spread out the time between shots and also recommending separating the MMR vaccine. His book was written before Merck combined the three and stopped manufacturing separate shots. However, Merck announced that they will resume production of the individual vaccines again in 2011. Sears also recommends asking your pediatrician for a blood titre before boosters to see if the immune system has retained its antibodies to the virus. If the body can still react appropriately to it, he doesn't recommend the booster.
Text version:
2 months: DTaP, Rotavirus
3 months: Pc, HIB
4 months: DTaP, Rotavirus
5 months: Pc, HIB
6 months: DTaP, Rotavirus
7 months: Pc, HIB
9 months: Polio
12 months: Mumps, Polio
15 months: Pc, HIB
18 months: DTaP, Chickenpox
2 years: Rubella, Polio
2 1/2 years: Hep B, Hep A (start Hep B at birth if any close relatives or caregivers have Hep B)
3 years: Hep B, Measles
3 1/2 years: Hep B, Hep A
4 years: DTaP, Polio
5 years: MMR
6 years: Chickenpox
12 years: Tdap, HPV
12 years, 2 months: HPV
13 years: HPV, Meningococcal (once Meningococcal vaccine is approved for age 2, Dr. Sears will move it there and delay Hep B by 6 months)
Dr. Stephanie Cave is the author of another popular alternative schedule published in "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations." Her recommendations:
Hib
4 mo, 6 mo, 8 mo, 17 mo
IPV (Polio)
4 mo, 6 mo, 8 mo, 17 mo (booster at 4 years)
DtaP
5 mo, 7 mo, 9 mo, 15 or 18 mo (booster at 4 years)
Pneumococcal (PREVNAR) one dose at age 2
Varicela (Varivax)
Age four, if at all
MMR
Mumps – 15 mo
Rubella – 27 mo
Measles – 39 mo
Booster – age 5
Shared by another parent:
1. 4 months – Rotavirus
2. 5 months – HIB (aluminum)
3. 6 months – PCV (aluminum) Rotavirus
4. 7 months – HIB (aluminum)
5. 8 months – PCV (aluminum) Rotavirus
6. 9 months – HIB (aluminum)
7. 10 months – PCV (aluminum)
8. 16 months – HIB (aluminum)
9. 17 months – PCV (aluminum)
10. 22 months – Measles
11. 24 months – DTP (DTaP) (aluminum). Monitor brand used:
a. Maximum toxin levels:
i. Pertussis Toxin = 15.5 mcg.
ii. Diphtheria Toxin = 2 Lf
iii. Tetani (tetanus) Toxin = 5 Lf
b. Recommended brand: Adacel *** GHR NOTE: Adacel is a TDaP vaccination and is not recommended for children under 11.
i. Do Not Use:
1. Daptacel
2. Infanrix
3. Pediarix
12. 25 months – Prevnar (aluminum).
13. 26 months – DTP (DTaP) (aluminum).
14. 27 months – Rubella
15. 28 months – DTP (DTaP) (aluminum).
16. 29 months – Mumps
17. 30 months – DTP (DTaP) (aluminum).
18. 36 months – IPV (Polio)
19. 38 months – IPV (Polio)
20. 40 months – IPV (Polio)
21. 4 years – MMR Booster. Only give this if his titers show as negative. Only immunize for any of the three that shows as negative otherwise no shot.
22. 6 years – DTP (DTaP) Booster.
23. 8 years IPV (Polio) Booster
Special thanks to the holistically minded parents at The Daily Hammond and Fit Pregnancy for assembling this information for all to share.