Dayton Children’s offers COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 6 months to 4 years

Dayton Children’s now offers the COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 6 months to 5 years old at five locations:

• Dayton Children's Pediatrics, the Connor Child Health Pavilion, 1010 Valley Street, Dayton
• Kids Express, 3301 Dayton-Xenia Road, Suite 200, Beavercreek
• Kids Express, 662 North Main Street, Springboro
• Kids Express, 8809 Wilkens Boulevard, Mason
• Kids Express, 7787 Cox Lane, West Chester

Families should make an appointment online at Dayton Children's website.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) granted approval earlier this month to both the Pfizer and Moderna versions of the vaccine for this age group. Dayton Children’s offers Pfizer version.

Pfizer vaccine

• Ages 6 months to 4 years
• 3 microgram dose – one tenth an adult dose
• Three dose series: first two doses three weeks apart, third dose at least two months later

“Remember that vaccination is not new – it has helped humans fight infectious diseases for centuries,” said Adam Mezoff, MD, chief medical officer and vice president at Dayton Children’s. “We’ve controlled diseases like polio, whooping cough and measles, all due to vaccination. It’s time to add COVID-19 to this list. Let’s prevent what is preventable.”

Why get your child vaccinated?
COVID-19 is now a disease that impacts children. Experts say hundreds of children younger than age 5 have died from COVID-19.

Dayton Children’s saw a record surge in COVID-19 patients in January, many of them too young to be vaccinated. Future variants could be even more dangerous to children as the virus looks for unprotected hosts. Following a COVID infection, children can also develop another illness called MIS-C or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. 

Based on the clinical trials, side effects in children mirrored exactly what has been seen in adults, lasting only a day or two. The most common side effects are pain at the injection site, headache and fatigue.

Dayton Children’s Hospital recommends vaccination for this age group for several reasons, including:

• To protect your child: Limit preventable illness, including hospitalization, and limit time out of in-person school
• To protect your family: Limit spread to vulnerable family members
• To protect your community: Help to limit the chance of future variants and keep schools and businesses open and thriving by limiting spread

“We are glad to add this level of protection for our youngest children,” said Dr. Mezoff. “Kids are not little adults and the team at Dayton Children’s is uniquely prepared to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to this age group. By getting this group vaccinated, we’re one step closer to putting an end to this pandemic.”

older children can still get the vaccine or boosters

Remember vaccines are still available for children ages 5-21 years old. Boosters are also recommended for those children, five months after the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Appointments can also be made at this time for those options.

If you have questions about the vaccine, including the COVID-19 vaccine and children, please view Dayton Children's frequently asked questions.