DTaP Vaccine for Babies- A Complete Guide

DTaP is a combination vaccine for three different bacterial diseases. It is one of the most important vaccines that a baby can get. As we discuss along, we’ll look at these diseases, why the baby needs the vaccine, what are the side effects, the DTaP vaccination schedule, and other relevant points in detail.

Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis

These are the three bacterial infections that the DTaP vaccine immunizes babies against. Let us look at each of them:

Diphtheria

The bacteria create toxins when it enters the body. It is this toxin that makes the baby sick. It is contagious and can spread via sneezing and coughing by the infected person.

Most of the time, this bacteria affects the respiratory system. Sometimes, it may cause ulcers. Rarely if the infection spreads into the bloodstream, it may lead to organ failures. The symptoms are weakness, sore throat, fever, swelling of the glands in the neck, and grey coating of dead tissues in the nose and throat.

Tetanus

Tetanus is not like other contagious diseases. The bacteria that cause tetanus lives in the soil or dust. You can get the infection if the bacteria come in contact with any cuts or wounds. The symptoms are:

Tightening of jaw muscles
Muscles spasms and stiffness
Seizures
Fever
Fluctuations in heart rate and blood pressure

Tetanus may look low-risk, but it can cause serious complications. Pneumonia, breathing difficulties, fractures, blood clots, and artery blockage are some of them.

Whooping Cough or Pertussis

Pertussis, also called whooping cough, is a bacterial infection. You get into an uncontrollable coughing fit if you get infected with pertussis. The bacteria responsible for pertussis also release toxins in the upper part of the respiratory system.

It is contagious, and it spreads via sneezes, coughs, or being close to an infected person. Some of the symptoms are:

Running Nose
Cough
Fever
Apnea (It means a pause in breathing in babies.)
Rapid coughing fits
Vomiting after Coughing
Tiredness

Whooping cough can be serious for babies under twelve months. They need care in a hospital immediately. The complications of pertussis include pneumonia, apnea, brain disease, and sometimes death.

How to Prevent These Infections?

You can maintain hygiene around the baby to prevent Diphtheria and Pertussis. But they are difficult not to get infected from. Babies have weak immune systems and they can get the infection from the air.

According to statistics by CDC, tetanus is most common among people from twenty to sixty years of age. It also states that almost all the tetanus cases are of those people who haven’t had a vaccine or haven’t followed up on the vaccination schedule.

So, the best way to prevent diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis infections are to get the DTaP vaccine.

What is DTaP Vaccine?

DTaP vaccine is a combination vaccine that provides immunity against three bacterial diseases, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.

In India, babies receive the pentavalent vaccine. It is a combination of Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, HiB, and Hepatitis B.

How are DTaP and Tdap Vaccines Different?

You must have heard about two different terms for this vaccine. DTaP and Tdap. Both may contain the same letters. But they signify different things.

In DTaP, the capital letters signify the full strength of the vaccine. The ‘a’ stands for acellular type vaccine for pertussis.

In Tdap, only the tetanus vaccine is full strength, and the other two are smaller doses.

DTaP Vaccine Schedule

Babies get DTaP in the pentavalent vaccine. So, the vaccination schedule is the same as the pentavalent vaccine:

First Dose: when the baby is six weeks old
Second Dose: when the baby is ten weeks old
Third Dose: when the baby is fourteen weeks old

The baby gets all three doses via intramuscular injection on the left thigh.

Babies younger than six weeks should not get the vaccine.

After the three doses, your baby will need two booster doses. One of them is between sixteen to twenty fours months of age. The second booster dose comes in when the kid is between five and six years old.

DTaP Vaccine Side Effects and Risks

With every vaccine, there are side effects associated with it. Here are the ones that you should look out for:

Fever
Irritability
Tiredness
Less appetite
Retching

Along with the side effects, the vaccine can turn out to be risky for some. Babies might faint after the vaccine shot or feel dizzy.

But the biggest and the rarest risk is a serious allergic reaction. However, the chances are grim. One in a million cases have such severe reactions. But the reaction will occur within a few minutes after vaccination. So, you should immediately seek help from a doctor.

Who Should Not Get the DTaP Vaccine?

There are a few conditions under which you should avoid getting the DTaP vaccine for your baby:

If your baby has had a severe allergic reaction due to the vaccine.
The baby is not well.
It has developed a brain disease after the vaccine.
If your baby had a seizure after getting the vaccine.
If the baby is suffering from any brain or nervous system-related issues like has seizures or is in a coma.
In the case of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a neurological disorder.
There is severe pain or swelling in the arm or leg.
Also, older than seven-year-old children should not get the DTaP vaccine.

Preventive Measures Before Getting the Vaccine

There are a few things to take care of before you get your baby vaccinated:

Make sure that your baby is not ill and is fully healthy.
Consult a doctor about the allergies of your baby.
If the baby cannot get any of the three vaccines, you can get the rest of them separately.
Get all your doubts cleared with your doctor before vaccinating your baby.

We hope this information helped you clear your mind about DTaP vaccination. If you ever find something unusual after getting the vaccine, please do not hesitate to get help from a doctor. The sooner the better!