DTP vaccination is one of the most dangerous, but its importance cannot be underestimated. Prior to its invention, many children died from infectious diseases such as diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus. The main causes of these ailments were poor living conditions, non-observance of personal hygiene and a low level of development of medicine. Nowadays, doctors recommend that children and adults receive this vaccine, despite the possible consequences, since it significantly reduces the risk of developing these dangerous diseases, which overwhelmingly lead to death. However, the issue should be approached correctly. To do this, you need to know the schedule of vaccination and revaccination of DTP. Let's take a closer look at the age at which tetanus and diphtheria vaccinations should be given in our country.
Why vaccinate children against tetanus, pertussis and diphtheria?
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Before considering the schedule of vaccination and revaccination of DTP for children and adults, let's first find out why this procedure is needed. The adsorbed vaccine is designed to produce immunity antibodies to one of the most dangerous infectious diseases of all time, which often lead to serious and irreversible complications. That is why DTP vaccination is practiced not only in our country, but also around the world.
Vaccines are non-living strains of whooping cough, as well as purified toxoids of diphtheria and tetanus. Once in the body, they can not cause any harm, however, since the cells of infectious disease pathogens are inactivated, even a child’s body is able to cope with them. In this case, the immune system activates protective functions, and antibodies begin to be produced in the body.
To date, in Russia, DTP vaccination (the vaccination schedule is shown in the photo below) is carried out using two types of medications:
- Cell-free. Produced on the basis of purified bodies of viruses and infections. These funds are good in that they form a stable immunity in children, and also practically do not cause side complications after an injection. The most famous drugs in this group are Infanrix and Pentaxim.
- Cellular The composition includes dead microorganisms, because of which the babies experience intense and pronounced symptoms after vaccination.
To make the child much better tolerated the vaccine, it is best to choose the drugs of the first group, preferably foreign production. In their characteristics, they are many times superior to domestic counterparts.
First vaccination
When to do it and what you need to know about it? In children, the immune system begins to form from the very first days of life. During the first months after birth, the protective functions of the body still do not work at full strength, so babies are much more susceptible to attacks of various viruses and infections than adults. At the same time, babies are simply not able to tolerate many diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, the first vaccination with DTP is carried out already in the third month of life. It takes place in three stages with an interval of 45 days between each. Thus, it turns out that children are vaccinated at 3, 4, 5 and 6 months. Qualified specialists recommend strictly adhering to the schedule, however, in some cases, certain shifts are allowed. The formation of the immune system does not suffer from this.
To make the baby easier to get vaccinated, he should be given antihistamines for three days before going to the hospital. They will significantly reduce the likelihood of allergic reactions. In addition, most likely, after vaccination for several days the child will have a high fever, so you need to stock up on antipyretic drugs.
The vaccine is given only to completely healthy children, so if they have any pathologies, then the schedule of vaccination with DTP can be adjusted by a doctor. The medicine is injected intramuscularly into the external surface of the thigh. Previously, the baby is examined for contraindications. After vaccination, parents should closely monitor their child and, in the event of any atypical manifestations, immediately go to the hospital.
The most difficult for babies is the second procedure, which is carried out a month and a half after the first, that is, at the age of 4-5 months. This is due to the fact that it is tolerated by children much worse. After the injection, they may experience allergic reactions, fever up to 39 degrees, sleep disturbance and cramps. This is due to the fact that after the first DTP vaccination (the vaccination schedule in Russia can be clarified in any hospital), antibodies are produced in the body, so the immune system reacts to the toxoid when it is secondarily released into the blood and begins to actively fight it. If the temperature rises above 39.5 degrees, and the intensity of the symptoms does not decrease for several days, this is cause for concern. In this case, you need to show the baby to the doctor or call an emergency ambulance.
The third vaccination is done in order to finally strengthen the immune system. If at this time the child suffered a disease or there were other reasons why it could not be done, the schedule for vaccinating children with DTP can be moved up to two months in advance. Here, everything happens according to the same scheme as in the case of the first vaccination. As a rule, the baby tolerates it completely painlessly.
Booster vaccination
Despite the fact that the effect of vaccination persists for 5 years, a second DTP vaccination is carried out after 30-45 days. This is due to the characteristics of the human body. The first acquired immunity from tetanus and pertussis in about 20% of children completely disappears just a year after vaccination. The body ceases to consider the infection as pathogenic, therefore, it does not produce antibodies that can overcome it. Therefore, in no case should you refuse to revaccinate.
It is important to take into account that the vaccine schedule for DTP in Russia does not provide for pertussis vaccinations for children over four years of age. Based on this, you should soberly assess the situation and timely take your child to the hospital for an injection.
Subsequent revaccination
Babies 4 years of age and older also require DTP vaccination. The vaccination schedule for older children almost completely coincides with the adult. However, the rules for conducting the procedure change significantly. A drug intended for protection against pertussis is excluded from the vaccination program. This is because the immune system is not able to produce antibodies against this infection, so after the vaccine is administered, the child will simply become infected. But it’s not worth panicking at the same time, as older children are not so susceptible to this disease. But vaccinations against diphtheria and tetanus are mandatory. They are made at 6 and 14 years old, after which vaccinations are carried out every 10 years.
How to prepare your baby for vaccination?
Before leading your child to the hospital, you must first clarify the schedule of vaccination with DTP. If the timing is right for you, then shortly before the vaccination, it is recommended to start preparing the baby for it. This will reduce the likelihood of development and the intensity of the manifestation of side effects.
Doctors advise to adhere to the following rules:
- to reduce the risk of developing an allergic reaction, you need to stop taking vitamin D for several days;
- 3 days before and after the injection, the child is given antihistamines and calcium gluconate;
- if after an injection the baby has a strong temperature, they give him an antipyretic;
- medicines and their dosage are selected by specialists based on the clinical picture and characteristics of the child.
If the DTP vaccination schedule and all the recommendations of the doctors were observed, but side effects could not be avoided, as a result of which the child’s body will not tolerate the effects of the injection, then you should contact the hospital as soon as possible to receive qualified medical care. It is not recommended to self-medicate and give any medications without consulting a pediatrician, as this can be fraught with very serious consequences.
Vaccine instructions
Let's look at it in more detail. As mentioned earlier, a tetanus and pertussis vaccine is one of the most dangerous vaccines given to children for the purpose of immunizing the body. Therefore, it is very important to follow the basic rules for vaccination with DTP. The vaccine is sold in the form of a solution intended for intramuscular administration in 0.5 ml glass ampoules. Before making an injection, the product is heated to body temperature, after which the bottle is shaken until a homogeneous mixture is formed.
If it is not possible to get the vaccine at the scheduled time, for example, due to some kind of illness, this is done as soon as the baby's condition returns to normal. The procedure is performed in compliance with all aseptic and antiseptic norms. The remaining preparation after opening the ampoule is strictly prohibited, so it must be disposed of.
In addition, DTP cannot be used for vaccination in the following cases:
- damage to the ampoule;
- expiration date;
- there is no labeling on the drug;
- funds were stored in unsuitable conditions;
- the medicine has changed color or an uncharacteristic precipitate has formed at the bottom of the ampoule.
After vaccination, the nurse must register it in the prescribed form of strict reporting, indicating the date of the procedure, number and series of medication, shelf life and manufacturer. This is necessary in order to correctly calculate the vaccination schedule for DTP. The vaccine is placed in the muscle tissue of the thigh or shoulder, where the medicine is most rapidly absorbed. Stabbing in the buttocks is not recommended, since there is a possibility of damage to the sciatic nerve. The injection site is pre-disinfected with medical alcohol.
Baby Care After Vaccination
After vaccination, you should not leave the walls of the hospital for half an hour, so that doctors can provide the necessary assistance with the development of a strong allergic reaction to the drug. If there are no symptoms, then you can go home. Parents should provide the baby with complete peace and constantly monitor his condition. With a strong increase in temperature, which occurs in most cases, they give an antipyretic, produced in the form of a syrup based on paracetamol. Before going to bed, you can give anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Nurofen or Nimesulide.
Until the child's condition returns to normal, one should refrain from walking in the fresh air. The day after vaccination is not recommended to bathe and do massage. As a rule, a few days after the injection, the body temperature returns to normal, and unpleasant symptoms become less pronounced until they disappear altogether.
How do adults get vaccinated?
Representatives of the older generation, although to a lesser extent than children, can still get diphtheria and tetanus, so they also need a vaccination. The vaccination schedule for adults (DTP, by the way, is given only to children) differs from that followed by vaccinating babies during the first four years of life. This is due to the fact that their immune system is capable of producing antibodies, however, over time, their number gradually decreases. To maintain the body's resistance at a sufficiently high level, every 10 years, starting from the age of 24, revaccination is performed. To do this, use the drug "ADS-M", since the adult generation of pertussis is not terrible. Some people refuse vaccination, which increases the risk of developing the disease. However, even in case of infection, the ailment proceeds in a mild form and does not entail irreversible complications, since each of us in childhood was vaccinated against whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus, which means that the immune system is able to independently fight the infectious agents. Nevertheless, doctors recommend that adults adhere to the DTP vaccination schedule (or rather, DTP), because any disease is much easier to prevent than to cure.
Adverse reactions
You need to get acquainted with them first. The DTP vaccine (the timing of vaccination for children and adults has been specified in detail earlier) belongs to the group of reactogenic medications, so most babies have certain side effects. As a rule, they make themselves felt about the third day after the injection, but here it all depends on the individual characteristics of each child.
Among typical reactions, the following can be distinguished:
- Fever. It lasts for about 3 days and rarely exceeds 38 degrees. To combat it, antipyretic drugs are used.
- Redness, swelling, and pain at the injection site. To improve the well-being of the baby, you can put alcohol compresses.
- Impaired mobility of the arm or leg in which the vaccine was placed. This is due to poorly developed muscles, which is why the drug resolves longer than in adults. In this case, massage and rubbing with a warm towel helps.
- General weakness and migraine.
- Stomach upset. This can be avoided if you do not give your child food a few hours before and after vaccination. For diarrhea, activated charcoal or Smecta should be given.
- Increased tearfulness, moodiness, irritability and insomnia;
- Cough. This is a completely normal reaction on the part of the body to the ingestion of the pertussis pathogen. In most cases, it passes without any treatment after 3-4 days.
- Poor appetite or complete refusal to eat.
- Skin rashes. Over time, they disappear. If accompanied by itching, then you need to give your child antihistamines.
It is worth noting that the intensity and severity of the manifestation of adverse reactions can be different, but most often the symptoms disappear a few days after vaccination.
Possible complications
If you strictly follow the DTP vaccination schedule, then, according to doctors, vaccination almost never leads to serious health problems.
However, in some cases, babies may experience the following reactions:
- severe allergies;
- violation of the normal blood circulation of internal organs caused by arterial hypotension;
- organic damage to the central nervous system and brain;
- inflammatory damage to the spinal cord;
- increase in body temperature to 40 degrees and above;
- the formation of a large cone at the injection site, the diameter of which can reach 8 centimeters.
If you notice any of the above adverse reactions in your baby, you should immediately go to the hospital.
Contraindications
Any medications are acceptable for use not in all cases.
DTP is prohibited in the presence of the following problems:
- immunodeficiency;
- any form of tuberculosis;
- hypocoagulation;
- various pathologies of the central nervous system occurring in severe form;
- allergic reactions to the vaccine;
- hepatitis;
- hypersensitivity to any of the components that make up the drug;
- severe adverse reactions from previous vaccination.
In addition, the vaccine is not performed if the baby has any diseases.
Conclusion
Many people do not want to get DTP for their children because this vaccine is difficult to tolerate. However, refusing it can be much more dangerous, since pertussis, tetanus and diphtheria are very serious diseases that can not only cause irreversible complications, but also lead to death. Therefore, it is better not to risk the health of the child, but to vaccinate him in accordance with the established schedule.