When we think of shots, we used to think of moms, little kids and lollipops.

All that has changed.

New recommendations for immunizations were released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians. On the new immunizations for rotavirus, human papillomavirus (HPV), varicella (chickenpox) and childhood influenza.

For the first time, there are two separate shot schedules: one for children from birth to age 6 and another for those 7 to 18.

"We are providing a separate schedule for those seven to 18 years of age because of an increasing number of vaccines being developed to protect adolescents against disease," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

The Centers for Disease Control Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices periodically reviews the recommended immunization schedule for persons aged 0--18 years to ensure that the schedule is current with changes in vaccine formulations and reflects revised recommendations for the use of licensed vaccines, including those newly licensed.

Doctors are required to give parents or patients with copies of the Vaccine Information Statements before giving one of the shots on the immunization schedule, according to the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act. Additional information is available from state health departments and from the CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/vis.

Rotavirus

A virus causing severe diarrhea in babies and young children, rotavirus causes 200,000 emergency room visits, between 55,000 and 70,000 hospitalizations and 20 to 60 deaths a year in the United States.

Varicella (Chickenpox)

Before the vaccine was licensed, an average of 13,500 hospitalizations and 150 deaths from complications of varicella occurred each year in the United States.

Childhood influenza

Children 24 months to five years old, as well as their household contacts and caregivers, have now been included among those who should receive an annual influenza shot.

Previously, the recommendation was for children 6 to 23 months old, but this has been expanded to those up to 59 months because influenza often causes serious illness in children from 2 to 5. This age group goes to the emergency room and to healthcare providers for reasons related to influenza more than older children. Children 6 to 24 months old are nearly as likely to be hospitalized for complications from influenza as adults 65 and older.

Human papillomavirus

Girls 11 to 12 years are now urged to receive a three-dose series of HPV vaccine, with the second dose two months after the first dose and the third dose at least four months after the second dose. Starting at age 9 and up to 26, girls are allowed to get the shot for HPV, which infects more than 20 million men and women in the United States. There are 6.2 million new infections each year.

The 2007 immunization schedules can be found at CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr.

NEW SCHEDULE

*Rotavirus vaccine (Rota)

Three-doses at ages 2, 4 and 6 months. First at ages 6 to 12 weeks, with subsequent dose administered at 4 to 10 week intervals. Should not be initiated in infants less than 12 weeks old and should not be administered after 32 weeks old.

*Influenza vaccination

Now recommended for all children aged 6--59 months.

*Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine

First dose at age 12--15 months, and a new second dose at age 4 to 6 years. Catch-up second dose for older children, adolescents and adults who have only received one dose.

*HPV vaccine

A three-dose schedule with the second and third administered 2 and 6 months after the first dose. Recommended for females ages 11 to 12; can be started as young as 9; catch-up vaccination for those 13 to 26 and not vaccinated previously or who haven't completed the series.

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