diphtheria, pertussis acellular, and tetanus vaccine (DTaP, pediatric)

Pronunciation:	dif THEER ee uh, per TUSS iss ay SEL yoo ler, and TET nus
Brand:	Boostrix (adolescent formulation), Daptacel (pediatric formulation), Infanrix (pediatric formulation), Tripedia (pediatric formulation)

What is the most important information I should know about diphtheria, pertussis acellular, and tetanus vaccine?

The DTaP vaccine is given in a series of 5 shots. The first shot is usually given when the child is 2 months old. The booster shots are then given at 4 months, 6 months, 15 months, and 20 months of age. Your child's individual booster schedule may be different from these guidelines. Follow your doctor's instructions.

Your child can still receive a vaccine if he or she has a cold or fever. However, in the case of moderate or severe illness, wait until the child recovers before getting this vaccine.

Your child should not receive a booster vaccine if he or she had a life-threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.

Keep track of any and all side effects your child has after receiving this vaccine. When the child receives a booster dose, you will need to tell the doctor if the previous shots caused any side effects. Getting diphtheria, tetanus, or pertussis disease is much more dangerous to your health than receiving this vaccine. However, like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects. The risk of serious side effects is extremely low.

What is diphtheria, pertussis acellular, and tetanus vaccine?

Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis are serious diseases caused by bacteria.

Diphtheria causes a thick coating in the nose, throat, and airways. It can lead to breathing problems, paralysis, heart failure, or death.

Tetanus (lockjaw) causes painful tightening of the muscles, usually all over the body. It can lead to "locking" of the jaw so the victim cannot open the mouth or swallow. Tetanus leads to death in about 1 out of 10 cases.

Pertussis (whooping cough) causes coughing so severe that it interferes with eating, drinking, or breathing. These spells can last for weeks and can lead to pneumonia, seizures (convulsions), brain damage, and death.

Diphtheria and pertussis are spread from person to person. Tetanus enters the body through a cut or wound. Vaccines for these diseases contain a small amount of the bacteria, which helps the body develop immunity to the disease.

The diphtheria, tetanus acellular, and pertussis pediatric vaccine (DTaP) is used to help prevent these diseases in children who are ages 6 weeks to 6 years old (before the child has reached his or her 7th birthday).

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before receiving diphtheria, pertussis acellular, and tetanus vaccine?

Your child should not receive this vaccine if the child has:

a disorder or disease affecting the brain;
uncontrolled epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
a neurologic disorder;
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection; or
a weak immune system caused by disease or by taking certain medicines or receiving cancer treatments.

Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor if your child has:

a bleeding or blood clotting disorder such as hemophilia or easy bruising;
if the child is taking a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin); or
if it has been less than 4 weeks since the child last received a DTaP vaccine.

Your child should not receive this vaccine if he or she has ever received a diphtheria, pertussis, or tetanus vaccine before and the vaccine caused any of the following:

a very high fever;
a life-threatening allergic reaction;
fainting or going into shock;
Guillian-Barre syndrome (within 6 weeks after receiving a tetanus shot);
seizure (convulsions); or
a severe skin reaction.

If your child has had any of these conditions after receiving a previous diphtheria, pertussis, or tetanus vaccine, he or she may not be able to receive the DTaP vaccine.

Your child can still receive a vaccine if he or she has a cold or fever. However, in the case of moderate or severe illness, wait until the child recovers before getting this vaccine.

The pediatric version of this vaccine (Boostrix, Daptacel, Infanrix, Tripedia) should not be given to anyone over the age of 6 years old. Another vaccine is available for use in older children and adults.

How is the diphtheria, pertussis acellular, and tetanus vaccine given?

This vaccine is given as an injection into a muscle. Your child will receive this injection in a doctor's office or other clinic setting.

Your doctor may recommend reducing fever and pain by giving the child an aspirin-free pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, and others) when the shot is given and for the next 24 hours. Follow your doctor's instructions about how much of this medicine you should give. It is especially important to prevent fever from occurring in a child who has a seizure disorder such as epilepsy.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Contact your doctor if you miss a scheduled booster vaccine.

What happens if I overdose?

An overdose of DTaP vaccine is unlikely to occur.

What should I avoid before or after getting diphtheria, pertussis acellular, and tetanus vaccine?

There are no restrictions on food, beverages, or activity before or after receiving DTaP vaccine unless your doctor has told you otherwise.

What are the possible side effects of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis acellular, and tetanus vaccine?

Your child should not receive a booster vaccine if he or she had a life-threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.

Get emergency medical help if your child has any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if the child has any of the following serious side effects:

extreme drowsiness, fainting;
fussiness, irritability, crying for an hour or longer;
seizure (black-out or convulsions); or
high fever.

Other less serious side effects are more likely to occur, such as:

mild fever or chills;
redness, pain, tenderness, or swelling where the shot was given;
loss of appetite;
joint pain, body aches;
drowsines; or
vomiting.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome to the child.

What other drugs will affect diphtheria, pertussis acellular, and tetanus vaccine?

Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor if your child is receiving any drugs or treatments that can weaken the immune system, including:

an oral, nasal, inhaled, or injectable steroid medicine;
cancer chemotherapy or radiation;
azathioprine (Imuran);
basiliximab (Simulect);
cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf);
etanercept (Enbrel);
leflunomide (Arava);
muromonab-CD3 (Orthoclone);
mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept);
efalizumab (Raptiva);
sirolimus (Rapamune); or
tacrolimus (Prograf).

If your child is using any of these drugs, he or she may not be able to receive the DTaP vaccine.

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect this vaccine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your doctor or pharmacist may have additional information or suggest additional resources regarding DTaP vaccine.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

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