How do DPT Shots Help Protect My Child?
Keeping your new baby healthy includes making sure that vaccinations are given at the right times.
If your baby doesn't get vaccinated, he may be at risk for getting very sick and developing diphtheria,
tetanus, or pertussis. When you take your baby for his regular scheduled checkups, bring your vaccination
record with you so that your nurse practitioner or doctor can record these vaccinations for you.
What diseases does this immunization prevent?
- Diphtheria is a very serious disease. It is marked by a very sore throat and can make a
person unable to breathe, cause paralysis (when a person cannot move some muscles), or cause heart failure.
About one out of every ten people who get diphtheria dies. Fortunately, only a few cases of diphtheria have been
reported in the United States during the past few years. This decrease in cases is due largely to immunizations.
- Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, may be mild or serious and is easily passed from one
person to another. Pertussis can cause spells of coughing and choking that make it hard to eat, drink, or
breathe. The coughing can last for several weeks. Pertussis is most dangerous to babies under one year of age.
Nearly half of all babies with pertussis are so sick that they must be hospitalized. About one out of 100 with
the disease dies or is left with permanent brain injury.
- Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, can occur after a cut or wound gets infected. Tetanus makes a
person unable to open the mouth or swallow, and causes serious muscle spasms. Three out of every ten people
who get the disease die, and those who survive have to stay in the hospital for a long time.
When is the vaccine given?
The DPT vaccine is given in five doses: at 2, 4, 6, and 15 months and at 4 years of age. After the fifth dose,
a tetanus booster needs to be given, by injection, every ten years.
What are the side effects of the vaccination?
Most children have no side effects. You may notice that your baby is a little fussier than usual. Some
children may have some mild redness or swelling where the injection was given and may run a fever. A pain
reliever is effective in treating any discomfort your baby might experience from the vaccine. Check with
your doctor or nurse practitioner for the correct dose for your baby.
Call your doctor or nurse practitioner immediately if:
- Your child runs a fever higher than 101.5 degrees
- You notice any swelling or redness at the injection site lasting more than two days
- You notice uncontrollable crying or any other unusual symptoms that you are concerned about
Adapted from Healthy Steps. Edited and Compiled by the Center for Promotion of Child Development Through Primary Care 2011