This vaccine helps prevent 3 serious infections:
All of these infections can lead to serious illnesses and deaths.
This vaccine uses pieces of the germs. These pieces cannot cause an infection but will show the immune system what the germ looks like. If the bacteria enters the body, the immune system will be able to see it and attack before an infection starts.
The DTaP vaccine is often required before starting school. The regular schedule is to give the vaccine at:
Talk to your doctor if you or your child have not been fully vaccinated. They will create a catch-up plan for you.
Most people will not have any problems with this vaccine. The most common side effects are pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site. There may also be mild fever, tiredness, nausea, or vomiting. Rarely, a fever of more than 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.6 degrees Celsius) and seizures may occur.
Acetaminophen is sometimes given to reduce pain and fever that may occur after getting a vaccine. In infants, the medicine may weaken the vaccine's effect. However, in children at risk for seizures, a fever-lowering medicine may be important to take. Discuss the risks and benefits of taking acetaminophen with the doctor.
Most should receive their vaccinations on schedule. However, vaccination risks may outweigh the benefits for some such as:
Talk with your doctor before getting the vaccine if you have:
Prevention will depend on the infection:
WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Healthy Children—American Academy of Pediatrics
DTaP vaccine: What you need to know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/dtap.pdf. Accessed October 12, 2020.
Immunization schedules. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/index.html. Accessed October 12, 2020.
11/4/2011 DynaMed Systematic Literature Surveillancehttp://www.dynamed.com: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Updated recommendations for use of tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) in pregnant women and persons who have or anticipate having close contact with an infant aged < 12 months—Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2011. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2011;60(41):1424-1426.
Last reviewed September 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Chelsea Skucek, MSN, BS, RNC-NIC Last Updated: 8/7/2020