Three US public health campaigns focusing on issues important to the health and wellbeing of children—immunisations, supine sleeping for infants, and appropriate use of oral antibiotics—achieved success during the past decade. The campaigns have been similar, and valuable lessons have been learned.

Despite the addition of many new vaccines to the US immunisation schedule, hepatitis B, varicella, haemophilus influenzae type b, conjugate pneumoccocal vaccine, and the switch from oral polio to inactivated polio, immunisation levels for most vaccines approach 90%. Despite some parental concerns about the link between measles–mumps–rubella vaccine and autism, and other potential complications of immunisations, the high rate of immunisation has been maintained because of the combined efforts of clinicians, professional societies, and governmental agencies. I would predict …