Guide
What shots are due at the 4-month visit?
At the 4-month visit the on-time CDC schedule lists 5 vaccines (DTaP, IPV, Hib, PCV and RV): 4 shots and 1 by mouth. By the end of this visit 12 of the 29 routine doses have been listed.
Key takeaways
- 5 doses are due at 4 months: DTaP 2/5, IPV 2/4, Hib 2/4, PCV 2/4, RV 2/3.
- Running total: 12 of 29 routine doses by this visit, 17 still to come.
- At 4 months, RV has hard age limits and cannot be moved freely, while the other 4 can be. This is the on-time schedule, and your clinician sets your visit.
Due at 4 months
| Vaccine | Dose | Protects against | Can it wait? |
|---|---|---|---|
| DTaP | 2 of 5 | Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis) | Cannot be skipped. The next dose can follow at least 4 weeks later; waiting is allowed. |
| IPV | 2 of 4 | Polio | Cannot be skipped. The next dose can follow at least 6 months later; waiting is allowed. |
| Hib | 2 of 4 | Hib (a cause of meningitis & epiglottitis) | Can wait for fewer doses (3 doses if the first is at 7 to 11 months; 2 doses if the first is at 12 to 14 months; 1 dose if the first is at 15 to 59 months); none from age 5. |
| PCV | 2 of 4 | Pneumococcal disease (pneumonia, meningitis, ear infections) | Can wait for fewer doses (3 doses if the first is at 7 to 11 months; 2 doses if the first is at 12 to 23 months; 1 dose if the first is at 24 to 59 months); none from age 5. |
| RV (by mouth) | 2 of 3 | Rotavirus (severe infant diarrhea) | Cannot wait: the first dose is due before 15 weeks and no dose is given from 8 months. |
This is the on-time schedule. Your clinician sets your visit and may combine, move or skip items for your child. Counts follow the planner's routine series (4 Hib, 3 rotavirus); some products need one dose fewer.
Questions parents ask about this visit
How many shots at the 4-month visit?
The on-time schedule lists 5 vaccines at 4 months: 4 shots and 1 by mouth (RV).
Can the 4-month shots be spaced out?
At 4 months, dose by dose: RV cannot be spaced out past its age limits; Hib and PCV can be started later with fewer doses; DTaP and IPV can be spaced, and the series can end one dose early if the last dose waits until age 4. Your clinician sets the actual plan.
What if the 2-month shots were missed?
DTaP, polio, Hib and PCV can be picked up now. Rotavirus cannot always be: 4 months is about 17 weeks and the first dose must be before 15 weeks, so a baby who has had none is already 2 weeks past the limit.
Space these shots out with the planner
Choose how many vaccines per visit and how far apart; the planner checks every minimum age and interval.
Build a plan Gentle pace (2 per visit)Sources
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