Childhood Immunization Registries

Abstract

COMMON childhood illnesses, such as measles, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, and polio, once accounted for a substantial proportion of infant and child morbidity and mortality in the United States.¹ Complete and timely early immunization can now effectively prevent these and other childhood diseases.^2-4 Despite the potential to protect the health of society's most vulnerable population, approximately one third of the 4 million infants born annually in the United States do not receive all of their recommended immunizations by age 2 years.⁵ The rate of complete immunization of school-aged children in the United States (>95%) is as high, or higher, than most other developed countries.^6,7 Yet the rate of full immunization of preschoolers (8 is less than that of many developed (and even some developing) countries.⁹ While the most recent provisional data show significant improvement in specific immunizations, levels for all immunizations remain well below the