Newborn blood screen
Your baby will get the newborn blood screen before leaving the hospital. This test looks for certain conditions so we can treat them early, before they lead to more serious health problems.
DTaP
Protects against three diseases:
- Diphtheria can damage the heart, kidneys, and nerves. About one person in 10 who gets diphtheria will die from it.
- Tetanus (lockjaw) causes severe muscle spasms that make it hard to breathe. Tetanus happens when the tetanus bacteria infects a wound. About six people in 10 who get tetanus will die from it.
- Pertussis (whooping cough) causes severe coughing. It can also cause convulsions, brain damage, and death. Very young children are at the greatest risk of complications due to pertussis.
Tdap
Protection from the DTaP vaccines can fade over time. To keep immunity strong, adolescents and adults need booster vaccines. Tdap is used as a booster vaccine for adolescents and adults to protect against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. Pertussis can cause death in infants up to 6 months old. For this reason, anyone who has regular contact with an infant younger than 6 months old should get a Tdap booster.
Hepatitis A
Protects against hepatitis A, which can cause severe liver problems.
Hepatitis B
Protects against hepatitis B, which can damage the liver, cause liver cancer, and lead to death.
Hib
Protects from Haemophilus influenzae type b, which causes severe infections of the brain, blood, joints, bones, skin, and throat. It most often affects children younger than 5 years old.
HPV
Protects against diseases caused by the specific genital human papillomaviruses (HPV) contained in the vaccine. These HPV viruses can cause genital warts, anal cancer, and precancers of the cervix, vulva, and vagina.
Influenza (flu)
Protect against yearly flu viruses, which spread quickly from person to person. The flu can be very serious, causing high fever, seizures, and diarrhea. It can also lead to more serious illnesses, such as pneumonia, and make chronic health problems worse.
IPV
Protects against polio, a severe crippling disease. About one person in 10 who gets polio will die from it.
MMR
Protects against three diseases:
- Measles, which causes fever and rash. It also can cause convulsions, deafness, and blindness.
- Mumps, which causes fever and swelling of glands in the throat. It also can cause deafness, brain damage, and sterility in males.
- Rubella (German measles), which usually causes only a mild illness in children but is very easy to catch. If a pregnant woman gets infected with rubella, it can cause miscarriage or birth defects in her unborn child.
MCV
Protects against meningitis, which is an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord and causes blood infections.
PCV
Protects against infection from the pneumococcal bacteria, which can cause ear infections, meningitis, blood infections, and pneumonia. Pneumococcal infections can be serious and may lead to death.
Rotavirus
Protects against rotavirus, which causes severe diarrhea in infants and young children. It may also cause fever and vomiting. The vaccine is given in three doses orally (by mouth). The doses are recommended at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. The first dose should be given between 6 and 14 weeks of age. The series should be complete by 8 months of age.
Immunization records
You can view your child's immunization records online by signing up for parental access to Kaiser Permanente member website. The online records are available for children from birth through age 12 who get care at a Kaiser Permanente medical office. If you are a new Kaiser Permanente member, please bring your child's immunization record to your first visit so we can add these to your child's Kaiser Permanente record.
You can get a Lifetime Immunization Record card to track your child's immunizations. Ask your child's health care team for a copy or contact the Resource Line.
Getting help
Always call if you have any concerns about your child's health. For life-threatening emergencies, call 911. For other health concerns, call your health care provider during office hours. After office hours or on weekends, contact the Consulting Nurse Service.
Coverage might vary by health plan. To check your benefits, refer to your coverage agreement or contact Member Services.