Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • About HHS
  • Programs & Services
  • Grants & Contracts
  • Laws & Regulations
  • Radical Transparency
  • Big Wins
  • Vaccine Basics
  • Vaccines by Disease
  • Who and When
  • Get Vaccinated
  • Get Involved
  • About Us
Breadcrumb
  1. HHS
  2. Immunization Information for You and Your Loved Ones
  3. Vaccines by Disease
  4. Rotavirus
  • Immunization Highlights
  • Vaccine Basics
    • Vaccine Ingredients
    • Vaccine Safety
      • Vaccine Side Effects
    • Vaccine Types
    • Vaccines Work
      • Vaccines Protect You
      • Vaccines Protect Your Community
  • Vaccines by Disease
    • Chickenpox (Varicella)
    • Cholera
    • COVID-19
    • Diphtheria
    • Flu (Influenza)
    • Hepatitis A
    • Hepatitis B
    • Hib (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B)
    • HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
    • Japanese Encephalitis (JE)
    • Measles
    • Meningococcal
    • Mpox (Formerly Monkeypox)
    • Mumps
    • Pneumococcal
    • Polio
    • Rabies
    • Rotavirus
    • RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus)
    • Rubella (German Measles)
    • Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
    • Tetanus (Lockjaw)
    • Typhoid Fever
    • Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
    • Yellow Fever
  • Who and When
    • Infants, Children, and Teens
      • Infants and Children Birth Through Age 6
      • Preteens and Teens Ages 7 Through 18
    • Adults
      • Adults Ages 19 Through 26
      • Adults Ages 27 Through 64
      • Adults Age 65 and Older
    • Pregnant Women
    • Travelers
    • People with Health Conditions
    • Health Care Workers
    • Gay or Bisexual Men
    • Military Members
  • Get Vaccinated
    • How to Pay
    • What to Expect - for Adults
    • What to Expect - for Parents
      • Five Important Reasons to Vaccinate Your Child
    • Where to Go
  • Get Involved
    • Explore Vaccination in Your Community
    • Spread the Word!
      • Graphics
      • Widgets and Web Badges
      • Toolkits
    • Get More Information
  • About Us
  • English
  • Español (Spanish)

Rotavirus

Rotavirus is a disease that used to make thousands of babies and young children sick every year. Thanks to the rotavirus vaccine, the number of children who get sick with the disease in the United States has dropped.

The rotavirus vaccine is given orally, meaning your child will swallow it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Rotavirus is a contagious disease — it spreads easily from child to child. Rotavirus can cause diarrhea (watery poop), which can lead to dehydration (not having enough water in the body). Children who get severe cases of rotavirus may need to be hospitalized.

The rotavirus vaccine protects 9 out of 10 children from getting severe illness caused by rotavirus.

The rotavirus vaccine is the best way to protect your child from rotavirus.

Rotavirus is caused by a virus, and it mostly affects babies and young children. Symptoms of rotavirus include:

  • Severe diarrhea
  • Throwing up
  • Dehydration
  • Fever
  • Stomach pain
  • Changes in behavior

Rotavirus spreads when a person comes in contact with the poop of someone who has rotavirus and then touches their own mouth. For example, rotavirus can spread when a child with rotavirus doesn’t wash their hands properly after going to the bathroom and then touches food or other objects.

Learn more about rotavirus

All infants ages 2 through 6 months need to get the rotavirus vaccine as part of their routine vaccine schedule.

See the routine vaccination schedule for infants and children

Children get 2 or 3 doses, depending on which brand of the rotavirus vaccine they get. They need a dose of the vaccine at the following ages:

  • 2 months for the first dose
  • 4 months for the second dose
  • 6 months for the third dose (if they’re getting 3 doses)

Talk with your child’s doctor about how to protect them from rotavirus.

Some babies should not get the rotavirus vaccine, including babies who:

  • Have had a severe allergic reaction to the rotavirus vaccine in the past
  • Are severely allergic to any of the ingredients in the vaccine
  • Have severe combined immunodeficiency disorder (a group of rare genetic disorders that affect the immune system)
  • Have had intussusception (a kind of blockage in the intestine)

If your child is sick, they may need to wait until they’re better to get the rotavirus vaccine. And talk with your child’s doctor before your child gets the vaccine if your child:

  • Has HIV/AIDS
  • Has cancer
  • Is taking medicine that can weaken the immune system

Most babies who get the rotavirus vaccine don’t have any side effects. If it does cause side effects, they’re usually mild and go away in a few days. They may include:

  • Fussing
  • Diarrhea (watery poop)
  • Throwing up

There’s also a small chance that the rotavirus vaccine can cause intussusception, a very rare disease that causes a blockage in the intestine. This happens in somewhere between 1 in 20,000 to 1 in 100,000 babies who get the vaccine. Intussusception is treatable. But it can be deadly if it’s not treated.

Like any medicine, there’s a very small chance that the rotavirus vaccine could cause other serious reactions. Keep in mind that getting the rotavirus vaccine is much safer than getting rotavirus. Learn more about vaccine side effects.

Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) have detailed information about recommended vaccines.

  • Read the VIS for the rotavirus vaccine
  • Find the VIS for the rotavirus vaccine in other languages

Get Immunized

Getting immunized is easy. Vaccines are available at the doctor’s office or pharmacies — and are usually covered by insurance.

Find out how to get protected.

Content created by Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP)
Content last reviewed April 27, 2021
Back to top

Subscribe to Email Updates

Receive the latest updates from the Secretary and Press Releases.

Subscribe
  • Contact HHS
  • Careers
  • HHS FAQs
  • Nondiscrimination Notice
  • Press Room
  • HHS Archive
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Budget/Performance
  • Inspector General
  • Web Site Disclaimers
  • EEO/No Fear Act
  • FOIA
  • The White House
  • USA.gov
  • Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
HHS Logo

HHS Headquarters

200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Toll Free Call Center: 1-877-696-6775​

Follow HHS

Follow Secretary Kennedy