Your child will need to get the polio vaccine, and his first dose is scheduled for when he's 2 months old. Learn more about what this immunization protects against and why it's so important.
What is polio?
Polio (also called poliomyelitis) is a life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus. This virus spreads mainly through contact with the stool of an infected person and, less commonly, droplets from a sneeze or cough.
Most people who get infected with poliovirus do not have any symptoms, but some will experience flu-like symptoms like a sore throat, fever, fatigue, nausea, headache or stomach pain.
In rare cases, poliovirus infection can be serious, causing weakness or paralysis in the arms, legs or both. It can affect the muscles that help people breathe and sometimes cause meningitis, an infection of the spinal cord and/or the brain.
While the United States has been polio-free for more than 40 years, the disease is still occurring in other parts of the world. It would only take one traveler with polio from another country to bring the disease back to the U.S., which is why getting the vaccine is still so important.
What is the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV)?
IPV, or the polio vaccine, protects your baby against polio, a disease that has led to paralysis in millions of children worldwide. The polio vaccine used in the U.S. contains three types of inactivated (killed) poliovirus.
How many polio shots will my baby need?
Children should receive four doses of the polio vaccine in total. Your child should get a dose when he's:
- 2 months old
- 4 months old
- Between 6 and 18 months old
- Between 4 and 6 years old
That said, if your child will be traveling to a country that isn't polio-free, your doctor may want to accelerate his vaccine schedule.
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