(CNN) - Now babies as young as nine months can get a vaccine to prevent meningitis.  The Food and Drug Administration has approved the drug, Menactra, to be used on babies and toddlers. 

For years, the vaccine has been used on people over the age of 2 to prevent the leading forms of bacterial meningitis.  Infants and toddlers are particularly vulnerable to the potentially deadly disease. 

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.