| Diphtheria, Tetanus &
Pertussis (DTP) |
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Why get vaccinated?
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Diphtheria, Tetanus, & Pertussis are a serious
disease.
Diphtheria
 | Diphtheria causes a thick covering in the back of
the throat. |
| I can lead to breathing problems, paralysis, heart
failure, and even death. |
Tetanus
| Tetanus causes painful tightening of the muscles,
usually all over the body. |
| It can lead to "locking" of the jaw so
the person cannot open his mouth or swallow. Tetanus can lead
to death. |
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
| Pertussis causes coughing spells so bad that it is
hard for infants to eat, drink, or breathe. These can last for
weeks. |
| It can lead to pneumonia seizures (jerking and
staring spells), brain damage, and death. |
Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis vaccines prevent
these diseases. Most children who get all their shots will be
protected during childhood. Many more children would get these
diseases if we stopped vaccinating.
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Diphtheria, Tetanus & Pertussis
vaccines
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DTP vaccine
| Protects against Diphtheria, Tetanus &
Pertussis. |
| Used for many years. |
DTaP vaccine
| Protects against Diphtheria, Tetanus &
Pertussis |
| Newer than DTP |
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
recommends DTaP over DTP. This is because DTaP is less likely to
cause reactions than DTP.
Related Vaccines
| Combinations: To reduce the number of shots a
child must get, DTP or DTaP may be available in combinations with
other vaccines. |
| DT protects against Diphtheria and Tetanus, but NOT
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| Pertussis. It only is recommended for children who should not
get Pertussis vaccine. |
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What are the risks from these vaccines?
|
| such as severe allergic reaction or even
death. |
| If there are reactions, they usually start within 3
days and don't last long. |
| Most people have no serious reactions from these
vaccines. |
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Possible reactions to these vaccines:
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Mild reactions (Common)
| Sore arm or leg |
| Fussy |
| Tired |
| Fever |
| Less appetite |
| Vomiting |
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Mild reactions are much less likely after
DTaP than after DTP.
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Moderate to Serious Reactions (uncommon)
| Non-stop crying (3 hours or more)...............
100 of every 10,000 doses |
| Fever of 105 or higher
............................... |
| 30 of every 10,000 doses |
| Seizure (jerking or staring)
........................ 6 of every 10,000 doses |
| Child becomes limp, pale, less alert..............
6 of every 10,000 doses |
With DTaP vaccine, these reactions are much less
likely to happen.
Severe Reactions (very rare)
There are 2 kinds of serious reactions:
- Severe allergic reaction (breathing difficulty,
shock)
- Severe brain reaction (long seizure, coma or lower
consciousness)
Is there lasting damage?
| Experts disagree on whether pertussis vaccines
causes lasting brain damage. |
| If they do, it is very rare. |
Most experts believe serious reactions will be more
rare after DTaP than after DTP.
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When should my child get vaccinated?
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| 2 months |
| 4 months |
| 6 months |
| 12-18 months |
| 4-6 years |
| At 11-12 years of age and every 10 years.
After that you should get a booster to prevent diphtheria and
tetanus. |
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What can be done to reduce possible fever
and pain after this vaccine?
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Tell your doctor or nurse if your child:
| Ever had a moderate or serious reaction after
getting vaccinated |
| Ever had a seizure |
| Has a parent, brother, or sister who has had a
seizure |
| Has a brain problem that is getting worse |
| Now has a moderate or severe illness |
Your doctor or nurse has information on what to do in
this case (for example, give one of these vaccines, wait, give medicine
to prevent fever).
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What if there is a moderate to severe
reaction?
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What should I look for?
| An unusual condition, such as sore arm or leg,
fussy, tired, fever, less appetite, vomiting, non-stop crying and
seizures. |
What should I do?
| Call your doctor or get the child to a doctor right
away. |
| Tell your doctor what happened, the date and time
it happened, and when the vaccination was given. |
| Ask your doctor, nurse, or health department to
file a Vaccine Adverse Event Report (VAERS) form, or call VAERS
yourself at 1-800-822-7967. |
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How can I learn more?
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Ask your doctor or nurse. They can give you the
vaccine package insert or suggest other sources of information.
| Call your local or state health department |
| Contact the Centers of Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) 1-800-232-2522 (English) or 1-800-232-0233
(Spanish) |
| Visit the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/nip/default.htm |
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