Immunizations

Immunizations of internationally adopted children are an issue of concern. Records of adopted children are often missing important data or appear to be incorrect. Often doses are noted to be given too close together, are dated incorrectly or are missing from the record all together. It is difficult to determine if the efficacy of the vaccines was adequate or not.

For all of the foregoing reasons, it is suggested that titers (or levels of immunity in the blood) are checked and that the missing vaccines are readministered according to the CDC guidelines. (Titers levels are expensive and are not paid for by all insurance companies, so you might want to check with your provider prior to those levels being drawn. Some pediatricians opt to readminister the vaccines without the titers being done.) 

Cindy Sundman R.N., BSN