Are shots required for Day Care?
Why should I immunize my child?
When are shots due?
Do I need to keep track of my child's shots?
Where Can I Get More Information and Materials?


Are shots required for Day Care?
Yes, the DTP, polio, MMR, chickenpox, pneumococcal, and Hib shots are required, with some exceptions. Only children with a medical reason for not receiving a shot, or whose parents are conscientiously opposed to immunization, may be granted an exemption to these requirements. A childcare provider can refuse to admit your child if he or she doesn’t have documentation of either the shots or a legal exemption.

Hep B and flu shots are not yet required but are highly recommended for all infants and young children.

Why should I immunize my child?
Parents who don’t get their children immunized early in life – during the critical ages from birth to 2 years – may be putting them at risk for a number of childhood diseases. These diseases can cause serious health problems and may even result in death.

Minnesota children are still getting diseases such as measles, mumps, and rubella. These diseases are contagious. They can spread rapidly – especially among groups of children who haven’t received their shots. And some of them, like whooping cough, are much more serious for children than they are for adults.

As a parent, you can protect your children by making sure they get all their shots.
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When are shots due?
Most shots are due by 2 years of age.

It’s important to get shots at the right ages. Shots will protect best at these ages. To have your child immunized, call your doctor, clinic, or local health department.

For information on how and where to obtain free or low-cost shots, call your local health department.

Do I need to keep track of my child's shots?
Yes. It will save you time if you keep a shot record card for each of your children. Take the shot record with you to all doctor and clinic visits, and have it updated each time your child receives a shot.
Day care will be the first of many times you will need the shot record card. You will also need this record for school, camp, college, and when you go to a new doctor or clinic or to a hospital.


Where Can I Get More and Materials?
For more information on immunizations, call the Minnesota Immunization Program at 1-800-657-3970 or 651-201-5503.