worried about whooping cough

[sweetulip0623]

The only vaccine i'm really thinking about getting for my 2 month old right now is the dtap, there have been a lot of whooping cough going around right now. She will be starting day care in another month, and i'm still breastfeeding. I guess i'm just asking is if it's really worth it, and what the chances of her really getting it, even if she does get the vax. the only other one i'm considering is the pervar, because i know that can be commen.
any thoughts to help my decide?

[Marnica]

I would start by finding out if there are any epidemics of WC in your area.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5832md.htm

If not I would avoid the Dtap. (well personally I wouldn't get it even if there was an outbreak in my area) It is a very reactive vaccine IMO (especially the pertussis portion). My son began daycare at 3 months old during WC season and he was fine (16 months now).
Breastfeeding is the best way to protect your baby and using common sense.

When you say you may get prevnar because "it" can be common...what are youy referring to??

[Lineymom]

I am VERY worried about whooping cough, too. I have been reading some threads from the archives here, but need to know more. My grandfather has been sick for 4 weeks and was just diagnosised with it. He actually caught it from my uncle who got it from and friend at work. So it really seems to be spreading in my area. I am 29 weeks pregnant right now, was planning on no vax, for sure delayed selected for this baby, but I am scared.... Also for my and 6 yr olds who I stopped vaxing before they finished the rounds of DtaP.

[13Sandals]

keep in mind that any adult or child with an up to date pertussis vax record would NOT have been diagnosed with pertussis a few years ago. They have only just started admitting that the vaccine can wear off and that the teen/adult population has always been spreading it. So, just because it is now being diagnosed more often does not mean there is an actual increase in cases.

that being said, pertussis is most dangerous for infants under 6 months. if you are still breastfeeding and the baby contracts pertussis - you will help her fight it off (not necessarily prevent it). pertussis can be mild, or it can be fatal. but the vax is also linked to SIDS and autism (says so right on the insert). So what's a parent to do? I kept my child as close as possible, breastfed as long as possible and cancelled plans on numerous occasions if I felt the baby was unwell in any way - or starting to feel unwell. I supplemented with cod liver oil and liquid vit c during winter or times the baby seemed to be fighting something.

its a tough call that only you can make - but don't make it because of reported 'epidemics'. Pertussis has always been endemic, even when doctors refused to diagnose it.

also - please do some research on Prevnar and serotype replacement. Its one of the most counter-intuitive vaxes on the schedule.

[ammiga]

The only people I know that have had WC are people who have been vaxed for it. I don't think the vax caused it, but I do think it taxed their immune systems and made them more susceptible to junk that goes around. And their cases were pretty bad, so I don't buy into the whole argument that it would have been worse had they never received the vax.

While I wouldn't intentionally expose dd to WC, there is a bit of research that suggests that it actually strengthens the lungs and that rates of asthma and other lung diseases are lower in those who have had it.

My very pro-vax pedi said that the DTap is one of the least effective vaxes, especially for WC, because the WC virus constantly changes. When he ranked the order of importance for the 2 month vaxes, DTaP was at the bottom (because of the ineffectiveness of P, babies aren't really at risk for T, and D is not an issue here). Of course, he still recommended we get it Personally, the DTaP vax scares the bejeezers out of me.

[KoalaMommy]

My dd was exposed to whooping cough before she had the vax, and she didn't get it. Of course she wasn't in with the person regularly or anything, but we know she was exposed.

I'd say follow your gut on this one. I don't think it circulates that widely among kids, most cases are teens and adults who are no longer protected by the vax, which was the situation we had.