Travelling with children: vaccine schedules and minimum ages

First, the UK routine schedule

Before any travel discussion, check your child is up to date with the routine NHS schedule. This is the foundation and it is free. It covers diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib, hepatitis B (in the 6-in-1), rotavirus, pneumococcus, MenB, MMR and the pre-school booster. If your child is behind, the GP or health visitor can usually catch up before travel, especially if you have several weeks. The MMR is particularly important — measles is currently circulating in parts of Europe, North Africa and South Asia, and missed MMR is the single most common preventable reason a UK family child gets ill abroad.

For travel-specific vaccines, work outwards from your child's age. Here is the practical map.

From birth: hepatitis B

Paediatric Engerix B (10 mcg) and HBvaxPro Paediatric (5 mcg) are licensed from birth. The vaccine is given in the routine 6-in-1 to all UK babies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks. Additional doses for travel purposes are rarely needed before 6 months. For older children with no prior hepatitis B who are heading to a high-prevalence destination, the standard 0/1/6 or accelerated 0/7/21 schedule applies. See our guide on the hepatitis B vaccine and our local vaccine page.

From 2 months: Japanese encephalitis

Ixiaro is licensed from 2 months. It is rarely needed for short tourist itineraries in South or Southeast Asia, but indicated for rural exposure, monsoon-season travel and longer stays. The schedule is two doses 28 days apart (children under 3 get the half-dose; from 3 years upwards the adult dose).

From 9 months: Yellow Fever

Stamaril is the only Yellow Fever vaccine licensed in the UK and is given from 9 months of age. Below 9 months, the vaccine is contraindicated due to risk of encephalitis. Between 6 and 9 months it can be considered in extreme cases under specialist advice. The certificate (ICVP) is required for entry to many sub-Saharan African and Latin American countries — see ICVP requirements 2026.

From 12 months: hepatitis A and MMR

Havrix Junior, Avaxim Junior 80U and VAQTA Paediatric are all licensed hepatitis A vaccines from 12 months. Two doses 6–12 months apart give long-term protection. MMR is part of the UK routine schedule from 12 months and the second dose is at 3 years 4 months; if travelling, both doses can be brought forward (the second from 4 weeks after the first if needed).

From 2 years: typhoid and cholera

Typhim Vi (inactivated injectable typhoid) is licensed from 2 years. Oral Vivotif (live attenuated Ty21a) is licensed from 6 years and is taken as three capsules over five days. We use injectable typhoid most often because it is one dose and easier with children. Dukoral (oral killed cholera vaccine) is licensed from 2 years and is the practical choice for children travelling to endemic areas with limited safe water access.

From 2 years: meningococcal ACWY

Menveo, Nimenrix and MenQuadfi are conjugate ACWY vaccines licensed from various ages — Nimenrix from 6 weeks, Menveo from 2 years, MenQuadfi from 12 months. Meningococcal ACWY is required for travel to Hajj and Umrah (Saudi Arabia entry requirement) and recommended for travel to the African meningitis belt during the dry season. The vaccine is also part of the UK routine schedule for adolescents at 14 years. See Hajj 2026 vaccination guide for family planning.

No minimum age: rabies pre-exposure

Rabipur and Rabies BP have no formal minimum age and are routinely given to infants travelling to rabies-endemic countries when the trip involves contact with animals, remote locations or long stays. Toddlers are particularly at risk because they grab at dogs and cats and may not report a bite. The schedule is three doses on days 0, 7 and 21–28. After exposure, two further doses are needed even if previously vaccinated — pre-exposure vaccination simplifies the response and avoids the need for human rabies immunoglobulin (which is hard to source in many countries).

Malaria chemoprophylaxis in children

This is where weight, age and product interact:

• Malarone (atovaquone-proguanil) Paediatric tablets — licensed from 11 kg (roughly 1 year). The paediatric tablet is one-quarter the strength of the adult tablet. Dosing is by weight: 11–20 kg one tablet, 21–30 kg two tablets, 31–40 kg three tablets, >40 kg adult dose. Taken with food once daily, starting 1–2 days before entering the malaria area and continuing 7 days after leaving. Best tolerated of the prophylactic options in children.
• Chloroquine + proguanil — historically used in children; now only effective in a small number of destinations. Still has a place in pregnant or very young children in chloroquine-sensitive areas.
• Mefloquine (Lariam) — licensed from 5 kg in some countries; in the UK rarely used in children under 5. Side effect profile (vivid dreams, mood change) makes it a poor first choice.
• Doxycycline — contraindicated under 12 years. Tetracyclines bind to developing teeth and bones, causing permanent yellow-grey staining.

See our standalone comparison of malaria tablets for adult dosing.

Practical tips for the appointment itself

• Talk to your child in advance — honest, brief, no scary detail. "You'll feel a quick pinch and it will be done."
• Distraction — phone video, story, bubble blowing, breathing exercises. Older children respond well to counting backwards.
• Dual-arm vaccination — we routinely give two vaccines into separate deltoids/thighs in one visit to reduce total visits. Discomfort is per-arm so it is no worse overall.
• Topical anaesthetic cream (Emla, Ametop) — applied 60 minutes before the visit; helpful for needle-phobic children. Bring it with you and we will time accordingly.
• Comfort and reward — sticker, treat, a quiet sit-down after the injection. Avoid sugary celebrations that conflate the visit with reward.

Planning your child's appointment at Trafford Clinic

Bring the Red Book (the UK child health record) if you have it — we copy the relevant pages so the travel vaccines sit alongside the routine record. If you are travelling within a month, tell us at booking so we can sequence accelerated schedules and combine vaccines into one or two visits rather than three. For sibling groups, we book consecutive slots so the same parent can stay with each child.

See our local pages for family-heavy areas — Sale, Altrincham, Stretford and central Manchester. Destination guides are available for India and Thailand, the two most frequently requested family destinations. Pregnant family members should also see our guide on pregnancy travel vaccines.