A 10-year-old child received the first dose of the hepatitis A vaccine but missed the second. What action is appropriate?

The appropriate action is to provide one dose of the hepatitis A vaccine now as a catch-up. Hepatitis A vaccination is a two-dose series, with the second dose administered at least six months after the first dose. If a child has missed the second dose, it is recommended to catch up on the vaccination rather than restarting the entire series.

This approach ensures the child receives the necessary protection against hepatitis A while maintaining the integrity of the vaccination schedule. Giving the second dose after an appropriate interval provides the child with immunity without the need to repeat the vaccine series, which would not only be unnecessary but could also delay the child's complete vaccination status unnecessarily.

Waiting until the child is 18 years old or restarting the series would not be in line with the recommended vaccination guidelines, as it would leave the child unprotected for an extended period or lead to an unnecessary complication of restarting the vaccination process. Thus, giving one dose now is the most effective and recommended action in this scenario.