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Is there a link between SIDS and vaccines?

Yes, but it is a positive link! Vaccines provide protection against sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The American Academy of Pediatrics recently expanded their guidelines for infant sleep safety and SIDS risk reduction. Infants should be immunized, as evidence suggests that vaccination reduces the risk of SIDS by 50 percent.

Babies receive many vaccines to protect them when they are between 2 to 4 months old, when they are most susceptible to vaccine-preventable diseases. This age range is also the peak age for SIDS. The timing of the 2-month and 4-month shots and SIDS has led some people to question whether they might be related.

Multiple research studies have been conducted seeking possible links between vaccines and SIDS. Results from these studies and continued monitoring show that vaccines do not cause SIDS. Studies include:

A study looked at the ages and seasons of infant deaths after vaccinations reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). This study examined VAERS reports following tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis and hepatitis B vaccinations found no link between SIDS and these vaccines.
A 2003 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report “Immunization Safety Review: Vaccination and Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy.” The committee reviewed scientific evidence focusing on sudden unexpected death in infancy and looked for possible relationships between SIDS and vaccines. Based on all the research findings they reviewed, the committee concluded that vaccines did not cause SIDS.
Additional work on defining SIDS and reviewing the literature by the Brighton Collaboration, an international network of vaccine safety experts.
As a result of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ 1992 recommendation to place healthy babies on their backs to sleep, and the success of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s Back to Sleep campaign in 1994, SIDS deaths have declined considerably.

Sources:
CDC: Vaccines and SIDS
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: Vaccines and SIDS
Seattle Mama Doc: New Data And 10 Ways To Reduce SIDS And Suffocation Risk In Babies

Recommended Immunization Schedules

These schedules list the age or age range when each vaccine or series of shots is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If your child (birth through 6 years old) or adolescent (age 7 through 18 years old) has missed any shots, talk to your child’s doctor about getting back on track.

From birth through 6 years
From 7 through 18 years
For adults (19 years or older)
Catch up schedule
Building Blocks for MI Immunity from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)

Vaccine Schedule Based On Your Child’s Birthday
Make sure your child is immunized on schedule. For a complete list of recommended immunizations, just select your child’s birth date.
From the CDC

Immunization Tracker
This print-friendly chart helps you track your child’s vaccinations at each appointment.
From the CDC

Michigan School & childcare Immunization Requirements

Request your child’s immunization record

The Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR), is an immunization registry managed by MDHHS and reported to by immunization providers. MCIR allows healthcare providers or individuals to access their immunization records regardless of their location in Michigan. This system also helps to track local and state immunization rates of Michigan residents to ensure immunity to vaccine-preventable illnesses. MCIR is a lifespan registry that includes infant through adult records.

Request a copy of your child’s MCIR record from your doctor’s office or your local health department
Request a copy of your child’s MCIR record from MDHHS department

For your appointment

Before, during, and after pregnancy protection
When you’re pregnant, you share everything with your baby. That means when you get vaccines, you aren’t just protecting yourself — you are giving your baby some early protection, too. The CDC has guidelines for the vaccines you and your baby need before, during, and after pregnancy.
From the CDC

Get prepared: Before, during, and after your child’s appointment
There are things you can do before, during and after your child’s appointment to make them easier and less stressful for both of you.
From the CDC

Mobile app from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
The Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia created a free mobile app called Vaccines on the Go: What You Should Know so you can access credible, science-based information from wherever and whenever you need it.

Find your local Michigan public health department or immunization clinic
See the directory of Michigan’s 45 local public health departments for more information on your child’s immunization record and where to get them vaccinated.

Other Vaccination Organizations & Advocates

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
The Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia provides complete, up-to-date and reliable information about vaccines to parents and healthcare professionals.

Shot by Shot
Stories of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases is a collection of stories from people who have been touched by vaccine-preventable diseases.

Voices for Vaccines
Voices for Vaccines is a parent-led organization that supports and advocates for on-time vaccination and the reduction of vaccine-preventable disease.

Seattle Mama Doc: A Blog by Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson
Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson is a practicing pediatrician and the mother of two young boys. She practices at The Everett Clinic in Mill Creek, Washington, is on the medical staff at Seattle Children’s and is a clinical instructor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington.

Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases
PKIDs’ mission is to educate the public about infectious diseases, the methods of prevention and transmission, the latest advances in medicine, and the elimination of social stigma borne by the infected; and to assist the families of the children living with hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, or other chronic, viral infectious diseases with emotional, financial and informational support.

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