Whooping cough and Tdap shot

As we're about to have a newborn, our doctors have encouraged us to get a Tdap shot. I wanted to tell you a little about it...

I've learned from all of my specialists that this is very important for adults to get. This vaccinates against whooping cough (Pertussis). It is a 90 day virus, a terribly scary and life threatening illness. Once thought to be long gone, it is now on the rise... This is on my heart and mind because our close friends, Terry and Christy, have a son who recently caught whooping cough at 5 weeks old. It was life threatening, he was in the NICU for a while, and they're still having a rough time with it at home.

As I've learned from our friend's current experience, as well as from my doctors in the hospital here, doctors at Texas Children's Hospital, and read about in my Parents magazine -- Whooping cough is on the rise in babies, and if not treated, will lead to death. There have been an increased number of cases in Houston and around the nation. All of my Perinatologists, Neonatologists (and the Pediatricians from TX Children's Hospital) strongly recommend everyone taking care of a child under 12 months old to get the Tdap shot, a vaccination against Pertussis (whooping cough). Mark, my parents and Mark's parents will get this shot, in addition to the flu shot, before Hunter is born. I, too, will get the shot before leaving the hospital after I give birth to Hunter. My Perinatologist today, in fact, was discussing that in the near future, the Tdap shot will likely be given to all pregnant women between 30-32 weeks gestation, to help protect their babies against pertussis.

Why is the Tdap shot recommended? We all had it as children but they have recently found out it wears off within 5-10 years after you receive the last dose of it. You especially need it if you are in contact with children under 12 months old. However, you can still catch the whooping cough even with the vaccine just as this sometimes happens with the flu shot. The vaccine will, however, help to reduce how badly you have it, or the risk of spreading it. Once one family member gets it, it is with 70-100% likelihood that all other family members in the same household will get it due to the close contact with the household - kissing, drinking after each other etc. It is not life threatening to adults or children, just babies. If babies are not treated, watched closely under the proper care, and receive the oxygen treatments needed at times, they will die. More and more cases of this virus are occuring. If you have the shot, you will reduce the chance of infecting your family. You can get this at your General Practitioner's office or even at your local Pharmacy.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/09/21/eveningnews/main644846.shtml

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/550117