Child Age
📊 Immunization Schedule & Guidelines
Official AEP (Spanish Association of Pediatrics) 2026 schedule
The childhood vaccination schedule in Spain (calendario de vacunación infantil) is an organized sequence of immunizations regulated and updated annually by the Advisory Committee on Vaccines of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics (CAV-AEP) and the Ministry of Health. It is designed to protect children from severe infectious diseases by administering vaccine doses at key stages of immune system development. For the 2026 fiscal year, the schedule sets 10 primary vaccination checkpoints from birth up to 14 years old. The Spanish government funds 100% of these mandatory systematic vaccines (including hexavalent, pneumococcus, meningococcus B, and MMR), making them free at public health centers. While managing your child’s pediatric milestones, we recommend checking our child height predictor to monitor physical development trends.
🔍 Vaccination Milestones in Spain 2026
The systematic vaccination schedule is spread across key ages to guarantee maximum immune response:
- Infant Stage (0 to 11 months): Critical primary doses are given, including the hexavalent vaccine at 2, 4, and 11 months, alongside pneumococcal conjugate and meningococcal B (Bexsero) vaccines.
- Toddler Stage (12 to 24 months): Marked by the first dose of the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) at 12 months, the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine at 15 months, and their respective boosters.
- Adolescence (12 to 14 years): Booster doses are administered for tetanus, diphtheria, meningococcal ACWY (replacing the type C vaccine at this age), and the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for both genders.
📝 Worked examples
Example 1: 2-month-old infant
Profile: A baby attending their routine 2-month pediatric checkup at a public health clinic.
- Age: 2 months old
- Recommended doses: 1st dose of Hexavalent vaccine (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Polio, Hib, Hepatitis B)
- Additional doses: 1st dose of Pneumococcal conjugate and 1st dose of Rotavirus (oral vaccine)
Example 2: 12-month-old toddler (1 year old)
Profile: A child reaching one year of age and attending their routine 12-month checkup.
- Age: 12 months old
- Recommended doses: 1st dose of MMR vaccine (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
- Additional doses: 1st dose of Meningococcal C (or ACWY booster according to regional guidelines)
Example 3: 12-year-old adolescent
Profile: A student in the 1st year of secondary school (12 years old) called for school-based or clinic vaccination.
- Age: 12 years old (144 months)
- Recommended doses: Booster dose of Meningococcal ACWY (covering four serogroups)
- Additional doses: Complete Human Papillomavirus (HPV) series (2 doses)
⚠️ Common mistakes
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Delaying vaccinations due to a mild common cold: This is a very common parental concern. The CAV-AEP committee clarifies that a runny nose, mild cough, or low-grade fever is not a contraindication for vaccines. Delaying shots unnecessarily only prolongs the period when the baby is vulnerable to contagious illnesses like whooping cough or pneumococcus.
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Failing to keep the physical vaccination card (Cartilla Vacunal): Many parents lose the physical booklet, assuming all records are digitized. However, if you move to a different region in Spain or travel abroad, digital databases may not connect, making school registration or emergency treatment difficult.
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Missing booster doses during adolescence: Compliance for baby vaccines is high, but it drops significantly for older children. Missing the meningococcal ACWY booster at age 12 or the tetanus-diphtheria booster at age 14 leaves teenagers unprotected during high social contact years.
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Not knowing that the HPV vaccine now includes boys: Previously, many assumed the HPV vaccine was only for girls. Under the current Spanish unified schedule, the HPV vaccine is free and recommended for both boys and girls at age 12, helping to establish herd immunity.
🗂️ Special cases in vaccination schedules
Non-funded Recommended Vaccines (e.g., Rotavirus)
While the AEP recommends vaccinating all infants against Rotavirus, public funding varies by region. In some regions, it is only funded for premature babies, requiring other parents to purchase the doses at a pharmacy.
Adopted Children and International Arrivals
For adopted children or immigrants arriving without clear vaccine records, pediatricians use a catch-up schedule (vacunación de rescate). They design an accelerated schedule to catch up on pending doses as quickly and safely as possible.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
No, they are not legally mandatory, but they are **highly recommended and widely expected**. Almost all public and concertado schools require an up-to-date vaccination card to enroll a child.
It is a combination vaccine protecting against 6 diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib, and hepatitis B. It is administered at **2, 4, and 11 months** of age.
Yes. Since 2023, the vaccine against Meningococcus B (Bexsero) has been fully incorporated into the national funded schedule, given to infants at **2, 4, and 12 months** of age.
The most common side effects are mild and short-lived: a low-grade fever, redness or swelling at the injection site, and mild irritability or sleepiness for 24-48 hours.
You do not need to restart the entire series. Simply visit your local health center as soon as possible to **receive the missed dose** and get back on schedule.
Boys are vaccinated to prevent the transmission of the virus, which can cause oropharyngeal, anal, and genital cancers in both men and women, helping build community-wide herd immunity.
Yes. Giving multiple vaccines in a single visit is completely safe. A child's immune system is fully capable of processing multiple antigens at once without becoming overloaded.
Take your child's physical vaccination booklet to your new local health center. The administrative staff will register your child and manually enter their records into the new region's database.