Skip to content
PEEL TRAVEL CLINIC & Saldanha Health Centre

Travel Vaccines for Babies & Infants

Traveling internationally with a baby or infant takes extra preparation. Infants have immature immune systems, restricted vaccine options due to minimum age requirements, and are more vulnerable to dehydration, heat, and infectious disease than adults.

Our Mississauga travel medicine physician can assess your specific destination, your infant's age and vaccination history, and provide a safe travel vaccine plan. See also our page on children's travel vaccines for toddlers and older children.

Vaccine Minimum Age Guide for Infants

Vaccine Minimum Age Notes
Hepatitis B Birth 3-dose series; part of routine Ontario schedule
Meningococcal (Menveo) 2 months ACWY coverage; accelerated schedule for travel
Hepatitis A 6–12 months Off-label from 6mo; licensed from 1 year; 2 doses
Yellow Fever 9 months Not before 6 months; ideally 9+ months
MMR 6–12 months (travel dose) Can give from 6mo for travel; still need 2 routine doses after 12mo
Typhoid (Vi injectable) 2 years Injectable form only; oral form (Vivotif) from 6 years
Rabies Any age No minimum age; weight-based dosing; important for endemic countries
Malaria pills (Malarone) 5 kg body weight Weight-based dosing; can crush pediatric tabs in food

Minimum ages are approximate and may vary by product brand and off-label guidance. Our physician will assess based on your infant's specific age and weight.

Mosquito Protection for Infants

Under 2 Months

  • •NO DEET or chemical repellents
  • •Permethrin-treated clothing and stroller covers
  • •Mosquito nets over cot, pram, and baby carrier
  • •Air conditioning in accommodation where possible
  • •Long-sleeved, light-coloured loose clothing

2 Months and Older

  • •DEET 10–30% — apply to exposed skin, NOT face; apply to parent's hands first
  • •Picaridin (Icaridin) 20% — good alternative to DEET, safe for infants 2mo+
  • •Continue using nets and permethrin-treated clothing
  • •Reapply after swimming or sweating

Frequently Asked Questions

What travel vaccines can infants and babies receive?

Most travel vaccines can be given to infants, with minimum age requirements varying by vaccine. Hepatitis A: from 6 months (off-label) or 1 year (licensed use). Hepatitis B: from birth (3-dose series; if not already started). Typhoid injectable (Vi polysaccharide): from 2 years. Meningococcal ACWY: from 2 months (Menveo) or 2 years (Menactra). Yellow fever: from 9 months (not before 6 months due to encephalitis risk). Rabies: no minimum age, recommended if at risk. Malaria pills: weight-dependent dosing available for children. Routine vaccines (MMR, DTaP) given on the standard schedule — travel may accelerate the timing.

Can my infant travel to a malaria area?

Travel to malaria-endemic areas with infants requires careful consideration. Malaria in infants can progress rapidly to severe disease. If travel cannot be avoided, malaria chemoprophylaxis is available for children with weight-based dosing. Malarone (atovaquone-proguanil) is approved for children 5kg and above. Mefloquine can be used from 3 months of age and 5kg. Insect protection with permethrin-treated clothing and infant-safe mosquito nets is essential. Consult our physician before taking any infant to a malaria area.

Can babies get the yellow fever vaccine?

Yellow fever vaccine should not be given to infants under 6 months due to risk of vaccine-associated viscerotropic disease (encephalitis). The recommended minimum age is 9 months. In practice, travel to yellow fever endemic areas should be postponed for infants under 9 months if at all possible. If travel is unavoidable, a medical exemption letter can be issued — though some countries will not accept this and may deny entry or quarantine the child. Discuss this situation with our physician.

How do I protect my baby from mosquitoes while traveling?

For infants under 2 months: use physical barriers only — permethrin-treated clothing, bed nets over the stroller and cot, and air conditioning. For infants 2 months and older: DEET 10–30% is safe on exposed skin (not near eyes or mouth); apply to hands and clothing rather than directly to infant face. Picaridin (Icaridin) 20% is also effective and considered safe for infants over 2 months. Never use DEET on infants under 2 months. Use loose, light-coloured long-sleeved clothing.

When should I bring my baby for a travel health consultation?

Book your infant travel health consultation at least 6–8 weeks before departure. Some vaccines require multiple doses spaced weeks apart (Hepatitis B, rabies pre-exposure if needed). Routine childhood vaccines may need to be accelerated for early travel. Our physician will review your baby's current immunization record, assess destination-specific risks, and create a vaccination plan that protects your child while staying within safe age and dosing guidelines.

Traveling with Your Baby? Book a Consultation

Our Mississauga travel medicine physician will ensure your infant is protected for every destination.

Call (905) 890-2757

Related Services

Travel Clinic

Pre-travel consultations & vaccinations

Travel Vaccinations

Full vaccine list & pricing

Aviation Medicals

Transport Canada CAME exams

Occupational Health

Pre-employment & fit-for-duty exams

Family Medicine

Walk-in, urgent care & physicals

Pharmacy

Prescriptions, malaria meds & travel kits

Corporate Health

Group vaccinations & deployment medicals

Pre-Travel Consultation

Personalized travel health advice & vaccine plans

Altitude Sickness Prevention

Diamox prescriptions & acclimatization advice

Malaria Pills & Antimalarials

Malarone, doxycycline, mefloquine prescriptions

Immunization Records

Yellow fever ICVP, vaccination documentation

Cruise Ship Vaccines

Caribbean, Mediterranean, Alaska cruise health

Backpacker Travel Vaccines

Long-term travel health and vaccine planning

Student Study Abroad Vaccines

University enrollment vaccines and documentation

Zika Virus Advisory

Zika risk areas, pregnancy warning, prevention

Travel Clinic Burlington

Travel vaccines for Burlington & Halton residents

Travel Clinic Peel Region

Travel health hub for Mississauga, Brampton & Caledon

Travel Health Checklist

8-week pre-travel countdown and preparation guide

Travelling with Medications

Controlled drugs, insulin, EpiPen, customs rules

Food & Water Safety

Travellers' diarrhea prevention, Dukoral, safe eating

Mosquito Protection

DEET, permethrin, bed nets — prevent malaria & dengue

Fit to Fly Certificate

Medical clearance letters for air travel

QuantiFERON / IGRA TB Test

One-visit TB blood test alternative to skin test

Volunteer & Humanitarian Travel Vaccines

Pre-deployment vaccine planning for NGO, mission, and relief workers

Travel Medicine for Immunocompromised

Vaccines and advice for HIV, cancer, transplant, and biologic patients

Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE) Vaccine

TBE vaccine for hikers, campers, and travelers to Europe and Russia

Adventure Travel Medicine

Vaccines and health planning for trekking, safari, diving, and expeditions

Travel Clinic GTA

Travel health services for the Greater Toronto Area

Travel Clinic Halton Region

Travel vaccines for Oakville, Burlington, and Milton residents

Travel Clinic Georgetown

Travel vaccines for Georgetown and Halton Hills residents

Travel Clinic Ajax

Travel vaccines for Ajax and Durham Region residents

Travel Clinic Markham

Travel vaccines for Markham and York Region residents

Disclaimer: Vaccine recommendations for infants depend on age, weight, destination, and individual health factors. The minimum ages shown are approximate and may vary by product and off-label guidance. This page does not replace a personalized consultation with our travel medicine physician.