What you need to know
- According to the CDC, children should get their first dose of the MMR vaccine at 12 months. However, there are specific cases when babies can be vaccinated earlier.
- You can vaccinate your baby starting at 6 months if you live in an area where there’s a measles outbreak or if you’re traveling internationally.
- If your baby received an early dose, they should still receive the recommended two doses at 12 to 15 months and at 4 to 6 years for a total of three doses.
As measles continues to spread and infect young children and babies in the United States, some parents are wondering if they should vaccinate their kids early. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children should get their first dose of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine at 12 months. However, there are specific cases when babies can be vaccinated earlier.
We asked two doctors—read on to find out what they said.
What’s the regular schedule for the MMR vaccine?
The CDC recommends two doses of the MMR vaccine for children: one dose at 12 to 15 months and the second at 4 to 6 years.
As Public Good News previously reported, it’s never too late to get the MMR vaccine: If your child is older than the recommended ages and hasn’t been vaccinated or is missing a dose, they can still get it. And if an adult didn’t get vaccinated as a child or have measles previously, they can get two doses at least 28 days apart.
Can I vaccinate my infant early?
Babies younger than 6 months can’t get vaccinated against measles because “the immune system in the infant at that age may not be developed enough to respond to the vaccine,” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, in a written statement to PGN. Additionally, “the mom’s measles antibodies that have already passed to the baby through the placenta may interfere with the vaccine.”
These factors may make the baby’s immune response to a vaccine less strong or durable than waiting until they’re 12 months, says Chin-Hong.
However, you can vaccinate your baby starting at 6 months in specific cases.
Babies can be vaccinated early if you live in an area where there’s a measles outbreak, if you’re traveling to an area where there’s an outbreak or high measles transmission, or if you’re traveling internationally, agree Chin-Hong and Dr. Tina Tan, an infectious disease specialist and professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
But it’s important to talk to your child’s health care provider first, adds Chin-Hong.
If I vaccinate my child early, how many more doses of the MMR vaccine will they need later?
If your child gets their first MMR vaccine early, they still need to get the recommended two-dose series at 12 to 15 months and at 4 to 6 years.
“This [early] dose does not count toward the two doses that are routinely recommended,” clarifies Tan. “Receiving this extra dose is a way to provide protection for the infant. If the infant is too young, family members should be up to date on their vaccines.”
What else can I do to protect my baby from measles if they’re too young to get vaccinated?
If your baby is too young to get the MMR vaccine, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends you frequently wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Remind everyone else who interacts with your baby to do so as well.
You can also limit your baby’s exposure to other children, crowds, or anyone who might be sick; disinfect surfaces in your house regularly; and breastfeed your baby (breastmilk has antibodies that can help prevent and fight infections).
For more information, talk to your health care provider.