CHICAGO (American Academy of Pediatrics) -- The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued its 2002 childhood immunization schedule for the United States. The statement represents unified recommendations from the AAP, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Family Physicians. These recommendations are issued by all three organizations in January of each year.

As compared to the 2001 schedule, no major changes have been made in the content of this year's schedule. However, this year the recommendations are accompanied by a caveat in order to accommodate the current national shortage of the pneumococcal vaccine, which helps prevent childhood diseases caused by many of the strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, also known as the pneumococcus. Pneumococcal infections are the most common invasive bacterial infections in children in the United States and cause meningitis, bloodstream infections, and pneumonia every year in children under age 5.

Like last year, the immunization schedule includes four doses of pneumococcal vaccine for all children. But in light of the shortage, the AAP and ACIP are making interim recommendations so that healthy children receive only the first three doses, and that the fourth/booster shot be deferred until national vaccine supplies can be replenished. The AAP also urges pediatricians to keep accurate diaries of deferred immunizations, and contact the children who have not received booster shots as soon as the shortage is over.

The only changes to the 2002 immunization schedule have been in its design, in order to call attention to specific categories. These categories include "catch-up" vaccines for children who fall behind or start their immunizations late, and the immunization needs of the preadolescent patient. The new design also calls attention to the recommendation for expansion of routine influenza immunization for all children, not just those at high risk.

The 2002 schedule reaffirms and encourages the routine use of hepatitis B vaccine for all infants before hospital discharge for three important reasons: 1) to safeguard against maternal hepatitis B testing errors and test reporting failures; 2) to protect neonates discharged to households in which hepatitis B chronic carriers other than the mother may reside; 3) to enhance the completion of the childhood immunization series.

During 2002, the AAP will continue to update its members and the public if new vaccine recommendations are made, if changes in vaccine availability occur and if the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approve other vaccine products.