Vaccines for children: Childhood vaccination schedule
On this page
- Childhood vaccination schedule
- Travel vaccinations
- What to do for a missing vaccination
- What to do if you move to another province or territory
- What to do if your child is immunocompromised
- Diseases that vaccination protects against
Childhood vaccination schedule
Your child will need to be vaccinated at different times in their life to get the best protection against vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccination schedules are designed to provide protection as soon as possible:
- when children are at greatest risk
- to give them long-lasting protection
Vaccination schedules may be different depending on the province or territory you live in. No matter where you live in Canada, childhood vaccines are provided for free and offered according to your province or territory's routine or catch-up schedules.
Refer to your local public health authority's website for current information on the timing of vaccines and schedules.
Vaccine records
You can find out which vaccines your child has had by looking at their vaccine record. If your child doesn't have one, contact their health care provider, or your local public health unit or office to get one.
Keep your child’s vaccine record in a safe place and present it at every vaccination appointment so it can be updated. In some regions, your child’s vaccine record may be electronic. Whether you have a paper or electronic vaccine record, you should ensure it's updated whenever your child receives a vaccine.
Vaccine records: Access your or your child’s vaccination history
Who to talk to for vaccine advice
Talk to your child's:
- health care provider
- local public health unit or office
They can provide you with more information about vaccines or direct you to sources of information about vaccines.
It’s important to get information about vaccines from reputable sources. Some sources may contain information that's untrue, unclear or misleading (misinformation). There are resources to help you identify sources that may not be reliable or information that may not be true.
How to identify misinformation online
Learn more:
- Immunize Canada
- Canadian Pediatric Society
- A Teen's Guide to Vaccination
- A Parent's Guide to Vaccination
Where to get vaccinated
To find out where you can get your child vaccinated, you can:
- contact a health care provider
- search the internet for your nearest public health unit or office (CLSC in Quebec) and contact them
Travel vaccinations
Travelling to other countries can increase your risk for certain diseases. Vaccination may prevent diseases that are rare in Canada but common in other parts of the world.
Talk to a health care provider or visit a travel health clinic preferably 6 weeks before travelling to get personalized health advice. Even if your travel date is coming up soon, it's still worthwhile to make an appointment.
The vaccines you may need will depend on several factors, including:
- where you plan to travel
- planned activities
- the length of your trip
- other individual health or risk factors
Learn more:
What to do for a missing vaccination
If your child hasn't received all recommended vaccines for their age, they can still catch up.
Talk to your child's health care provider, or your local public health unit or office to discuss:
- which vaccines your child has already had
- which ones they still need
- when and where to get them
What to do if you move to another province or territory
Vaccine schedules may differ depending on your province or territory. If you move to another province or territory, contact your child's new health care provider, or your new local public health unit or office. They will let you know which vaccines your child may need.
Bring your child's vaccine record to your appointment so that the health care provider knows which vaccines your child has already had.
Vaccine records: Access your or your child’s vaccination history
What to do if your child is immunocompromised
Immunocompromised means that the immune system may be weakened due to:
- a health condition
- certain medications or treatments
Children who are immunocompromised may not be able to receive certain vaccines or the vaccines may not work as well for them. Because of this, it's very important for people to stay up to date with their own vaccines if they:
- live with a child who's immunocompromised
- have close contact with a child who's immunocompromised
Keeping your vaccines current will help to protect a child who’s at risk.
Talk to your child's health care provider, or local public health unit or office for individualized advice on:
- which vaccines are recommended
- the timing of those vaccinations
Diseases that vaccination protects against
- Chickenpox (varicella)
- COVID-19
- Diphtheria
- Flu (seasonal influenza)
- Hepatitis B
- Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
- HPV (human papillomavirus)
- Measles
- Meningococcal disease
- Mumps
- Pneumococcal disease
- Polio
- Rotavirus
- Rubella
- Tetanus
- Whooping cough (pertussis)
For infants and children, protection from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is available through an injection of a monoclonal antibody to the infant after birth. Monoclonal antibodies are proteins that recognize specific parts of the virus to help prevent the virus from causing severe illness. Talk to your health care provider to understand what options are available to protect your child.