DTP/Hib : immunisation

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough)and Hib ( a meningitis bacteria)

Currently the DTP/Hib immunisation is given by injection in three doses: at 2, 3 and 4 months old. The government has announced plans for the polio vaccine to be given with the DTP/Hib jab making it a 5-in-1 jab to be given as before in threee stages at 2, 3 and 4 months old.

Diphtheria

This is now a very rare disease in the UK but is very serious. It begins with a simple
sore throat, but quickly develops into a dangerous illness which can last for weeks. It
blocks the nose or throat, causing babies to choke and making their breathing difficult.

Tetanus

Tetanus is caused by germs from soil or dirt getting into an open wound or burn. It
attacks the nervous system, causing painful muscle spasms which can affect the chest
muscles and breathing. It can be fatal. Thanks to immunisation, it’s now quite rare,
but without immunisation there is still a real chance of getting it. It is important for
adults to keep their tetanus vaccinations up to date. Check with your doctor when you last
had a tetanus vaccination.

Pertussis (whooping cough)

Whooping cough is a very infectious disease and can cause long, distressing bouts of
coughing, choking and vomiting. The bouts exhaust and frighten the child, and can happen
up to 50 times a day. The illness itself usually lasts about 3 to 4 weeks. The coughing
may go on for much longer. Occasionally there are complications, such as pneumonia. It is
especially dangerous for babies, and could be fatal.

Side effects

Side effects after the DTP injection are common but are almost always mild:

  • Your baby may become fretful and slightly feverish within 24 hours
    of the injection
  • About one child in every 10,000 may have a febrile convulsion after
    DTP immunisation

Contact the doctor or health visitor if you are worried about your baby.

The whooping cough part of the triple vaccine is the one which some parents worry
about. There have been questions about the vaccine’s safety and the possibility of
brain damage.

A major British study (the largest in the world) and studies in the United States, have
looked at the safety of whooping cough vaccine. The results failed to find a convincing
link between the vaccine and permanent brain damage.

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