The DTAP Vaccine

All too often we hear on the news of the devastating effects of a disease that could have been prevented by vaccines, but because of parents refusal to vaccinate their infants and children, public health professionals are now confronted with a health crisis. The importance of vaccinations is to provide children with added protection because of a young, developing immune system. Consequently, vaccines will help in boosting the immune system in recognizing and protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, mumps, and pertussis, also known as whooping cough.1 For example, pertussis, a bacterial infection that is preventable by vaccines, has infected 16 million persons worldwide, and causes about 195,000 deaths

There is approximately 1,000 infants die each year as a direct result of the DTP vaccine. Approximately 35,000 acute neurological reactions occur within 48 hours of the shot. (www.tuberose.com). Doctors, FDA, and CDC are all telling us the vaccines are safe, but are they really. I visited a site called the Tragedy of Vaccinations and in this site it had pictures and a list of names of children who had a severe reaction to vaccinations, first on the list was a boy name Chris- Christopher died 21 hours after receiving his first DPT and OPV vaccination at two months of age. Second, Ashley- 72 hours after receiving her 4th DPT and OPV and HIB, she was hospitalized with encephalitis and kidney failure, she is severely mentally and physically handicapped. Third Richell- 10 hours after her 3rd DPT and OPV she suffered a grand mal seizure, she is now mentally and physically handicapped (www.yourlifesource.com) and the list went on. These are only a few of the thousands of children who suffer from mental and physical handicaps and who have died from these so called routine vaccinations. I would guarantee you that the parents of these children would argue that vaccinations are not safe by any means.

They are harmless variant or derivative of a pathogen that stimulates a host’s immune system to mount defenses against the pathogen

A few years earlier in Britain, pediatric neurologist John Wilson, claimed that the pertussis vaccine caused brain damage in children. Further medical studies reported that 1 in 100,000 children suffered brain damage because of DPT. The media exploded with the results of these studies, an enormous amount of lawsuits were filed, and the vaccine stopped being given. After years of replicating the initial study that found a correlation between the pertussis vaccine and brain damage, none of the studies were able to prove an association (Offit, 2010). Further research found that children with defects to a

The vaccinations of children are a cornerstone of the United States public health measures to protect people from a host of infectious diseases and possible death. Vaccines are beneficial to the greater good of the public health including your own as well as being a cost effective way to manage infectious diseases. Diseases that used to be common throughout this country and around the world can now be prevented by vaccination. These diseases include polio, measles, diphtheria, pertussis, rubella, mumps, tetanus, rotavirus, and haemophilus influenza type b (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014).

Rotavirus causes inflammation of the stomach and intestines; it effects infants and young children often causing severe watery diarrhea, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, and dehydration. Tetanus toxoids (lock Jaw), pertussis (whooping cough), and diphtheria which is described as a thick covering in the back of the throat, are all included in the TDaP vaccine. Diphtheria may lead to breathing difficulties, paralysis, heart failure, and even death. The hemophilus influenza type B vaccine which prevents meningitis (an infection of the covering of the brain and spinal cord), pneumonia, and epiglottitis (a severe throat infection). Pneumococcal vaccine protects against streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria which can cause severe ear infections and meningitis.

Poliomyelitis (polio) is a disease that attacks the nervous tissue in the spinal cord and the brain stem resulting in paralysis (Document One). Polio is caused by the poliovirus, but it is unknown how this virus is acquired. The virus enters the digestive tract and stays in the intestines for up to eight weeks, and then attacks the lymphatic system, the blood stream and eventually travels to the brain and spine (Document Four). Once it is infected in one’s body, the disease is highly contagious and can be spread through contact of saliva, food, germs, or feces (Document Two). “The poliovirus causes most of its infections in the summer and fall. At one time, summer epidemics of polio were common and greatly feared” (Document Four). This may

The two vaccines that are most refused by parents are the MMR, and the Dtap vaccine. The Center of Disease Control and Prevention has all vaccine risks posted online to the public. The mild effects of MMR (fever, mild rash, and swelling glands) are worth having rather the actual disease. The severe risks of MMR seizure, temporary pain or stiffness in joints, and temporary low platelet count affect less than 4%. The Dtap vaccine was accused of causing Barbara Fisher’s son to develop autism. The most common conspiracy it is known for is causing autism in children. This however isn’t true according to the British Medical Journal Lancet children vaccinated or unvaccinated have the same risk of developing

Once vaccinated, the person is protected from whooping cough for roughly 10 years and needs to receive the Tdap booster vaccine again. (Tdap- Tetanus and Diphtheria). This is a negative aspect as one vaccination doesn't provide a lifelong solution to Pertussis.

The increase in pertussis incidences and morality may include diminished immunity, as childhood pertussis vaccine does not provide lifelong immunity.4 Tdap booster shot at 11 or 12 years old and expected mothers in their third trimester should be given to continue their protective antibodies and those that would be passed to the infant.4 Also, the increased in pertussis may be a decreased usage of the pertussis vaccine, increased doctor awareness and public health reporting.

For instance, pertussis, or commonly known as whooping cough, “Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection (cdc.gov).” This infection may resemble a common cold; however, it quickly turns into a more serious illness, causing babies or those with compromised immune systems to stop breathing and can become fatal. Babies cannot receive this vaccination until they are two months of age. Most babies who have whooping cough catch it from their caregivers or other family members. Whooping cough spreads easily from person to person, through coughing and sneezing, usually people who spread whooping cough are unaware that they even have it. The best way to prevent this is to receive the pertussis vaccination, DTaP in children and TDaP in adults. If you have received the vaccination in the past, it is always best to ask your health care provider if you are in need of a booster vaccination. Much like other vaccinations, the boosters are just as important as the initial vaccination. The immunity can wear off over time leaving one susceptible to the

Bordatella pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a serious and highly contagious respiratory tract infection that is transmitted from person to person. During the pre-vaccine era (1922-1940), that in every 100,000 persons, 150 cases of bordatella pertussis are reported and has to continue to increased in 1980s (Faulkner, Skoff, Martin, Tondella, & Liang, 2015). One study found that pertussis is one of the vaccine-preventable disease in the United States that continues to have high incidence among adolescents and adults and increase mortality in children less than 12 months of age (Chiappini, Stival, Galli, & Martino, 2013). Whooping cough is a public-health problem due to its resurgence in recent

Also, keep babies and other people at high risk for pertussis complications away from infected people. In the United States, the recommended pertussis vaccine for babies and children is DTaP. This is a combination vaccine that helps protect against three diseases: diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.Vaccine protection for these three diseases fades with time. Before 2005, the only booster (called Td) available contained protection against tetanus and diphtheria, and was recommended for teens and adults every 10 years. Today there is a booster (called Tdap) for preteens, teens, and adults that contains protection against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. Pertussis is generally treated with antibiotics such as Clarithromycin (Biaxin), Erythromycin (Ery-tab), Azithromycin (Zithromax).Guaifenesin (Mucinex) may also be used if self-treated. Treatment may make your infection less serious if it is started early, so early treatment is very important. It can also help prevent spreading the disease to those in close contact with the one infected. Treatment after three weeks of illness is not likely to help because the bacteria are gone from your body. However, the symptoms usually will still be there because the bacteria have already done damage to your

On April 19, 1982, a televised documentary titled Vaccine Roulette aired showing the world the severe side effects DTP was causing on children and scientists opinions against the vaccine. What Vaccine Roulette purposely forgot to mention to nations of concerned, watchful parents was that the DTP vaccine nearly extinct the pertussis virus and that they had taken the answers of scientists and cropped their answers to best fit their case. As a British epidemiologist previously stated, “Once again the media have succeeded in denting parents confidence in childhood immunization” (Conis 209). Shortly after this documentary aired, vaccine compensation programs were established to protect those who unfortunately had a severe reaction to a vaccine and new and improved vaccines were formulated, tested, and released for administration to the

This vaccine is a three in one vaccine that protects against diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus. The vaccine has some side effects as slight fever, crankiness, and tenderness of skin. DPT is usually given in the leg or the arm. You can also be give the DT vaccine.