Your child will need to get the Hib vaccine starting at 2 months old. Learn more about what this shot protects against and why it's so important.
What is the Hib vaccine?
There are four Hib vaccines licensed for use in the United States. Three of the vaccines protect against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease only, while one vaccine includes protection against other diseases as well.
What does the Hib vaccine protect your child from?
The Hib vaccine protects your baby from Hib disease, or Haemophilus influenzae type b. Hib disease used to be a leading cause of bacterial meningitis, an infection of the tissue covering the spinal cord and brain, in children under 5.[1]
Before an effective Hib vaccine was available in the mid- to late-1980s, about 20,000 children younger than 5 years old got invasive Hib disease, like meningitis and bloodstream infections, and about 1,000 children died every year in the U.S.
More than half the kids who developed invasive Hib disease were younger than 1 year old. Due to the widespread use of the Hib vaccine, by 2019, fewer than 20 cases of the disease were reported in mostly unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated children under 5 in the U.S.[2]
The disease is spread through the air by coughing or sneezing. It can cause many different types of infections that range from mild ear infections to severe diseases. Those serious illnesses can result in brain damage, hearing loss and even death.
How many Hib shots will my child need?
Four doses are usually recommended, given at 2, 4 and 6 months, and again between 12 and 15 months of age. One brand of the vaccine calls for only three doses, at 2 and 4 months and between 12 and 15 months of age.
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