We have delayed giving the dtap vaccine to our two year old. Has anyone else delayed this vaccine? We are trying to figure out if we should get it, and how often to give the next shot (booster).
Feedback is appreciated
DOn't do it! The Pertussis portion of the vaccine has been shown to cause chronic ear infections. I'll take the whooping cough any day over ear infections :(
I have never seen a link to the DTaP and ear infections, but do know that pertussis is back on the rise because they are finding out the vaccine we recieved is wearing off in adulthood. I do see many many babies and toddlers hospitalized as sick little muffins when they have pertussis. Nothing worse than having your baby not beable to breath, see the chest unable to rise properly and the oxygen mask on the face after treatments and the little ones look so sad with eyes full of tears. To not be able to breath is scary for anyone. They are so sick and in so much pain that it will even break the hearts of people who do not like children. Pertussis is a nasty disease. The children sound worse than a person whith COPD in the final stages. So as we arrporach the season when Pertussis is on the rise, I would say think very carefully. You can always have titers done if you want to know immune levels.
Whooping cough (pertussus) is making a big comeback and it can be very life threatening no matter how old you are if you get it. Some high school age kids died of it last year. My son is starting middle school (6th grade) in the fall and a dTap booster is a requirement before school starts - we were told every year some kids are pulled out of the first day of school and sent home until they have their situation resolved. Tetanus - every one I know gets a booster shot every 10 yrs - even my 75 yr old mother (she's very active taking care of her yard and garden). Any emergency room injury (puncture / broken skin wound) where the status of a tetanus shot booster is not known - they recommend you get a shot right then and there. It's possible to recover from lockjaw, but if you do your muscles are never the same again. Diptheria - another serious disease that is just not worth messing around with.
There was a whooping cough outbreak at my daughter's school last winter and my newborn had to be put on three sets of antibiotics due to exposure. It was a scary time, and I was very frustrated that his life could have been threatened because of people who refuse to vaccinate. It is a deadly disease and it is a public health issue.
I second the Dr. Sears vaccine book. Also, check out the website www.nvic.org. It talks about all kinds of vaccines, pros and cons. You should get your answers there.
Then be sure your family is practicing optimal lifestyle habits (adequate sleep, lots of water, stress reduction, exercise and LOTS and LOTS of fresh fruits and veggies. This will make sure that the immune system is working at peak efficiency. Should take some of the worry out of catching any bugs. If you have any questions about that optimally healthy lifestyle, please feel free to ask. I am studying with a Naturopath who has her PhD in Nutrition. I am learning that there is so much we don't know, especially about how to prevent disease.
Anyway, good luck with your research. You are already doing a great job just by asking these questions. In health, D.
Maria apparently hasn't been around whooping cough. I have a friend who recently had whooping cough and ended up with stress fractures in her ribs from the coughing. She was sick for a few months and hospitalized for a couple days. I'd take the ear infections over whooping cough any day ... if it in fact actually does cause them.
J., my T. children were given Dtap vaccine. They have had ear infections but not more than the average kid. You need to consider that school districts and private schools require vaccinations to be updated. We did not delayed this vaccine nor the rest of the vaccinations. Regarding when to give the boosters? Boosters are given at 12 mos of age and then
at 4yrs old (if remember correctly). Ask your Pediatrician or his/hers Nurse.
Best of luck!
you should ask your dr.. . or dr sears wrote a book with alternative vaccine schedules..
you could even get the package insert.. instruction manual for hte vaccine.. it will have a schedule on how to give the vaccine..
this vaccine rarely causes problems..
I used info from AskDrSears.com. I was very informative and had a nice time line for each vaccine. example, when you should get them, when to delay and which to spread etc.
http://www.autismwebsite.com/practitioners/us_lc.htm
find a vaccine place that has clean vaccines. there are a few out there that do not put mercury and other dangerous perservitaves in the vaccines. although we do not have one in our city houston,austin,san antonio, i belive are all on the list. find one call and talk to them about it. i havent used these its just some information i have on the topic.
You got some good resources to look into from other moms. You can get an exemption rather than have the actual vaccine for pre-school purposes. Also before you give boosters you can do a blood test to determine if titers already exist.
