dtap for older sibs to protect newborn?

[mamaonthefarm]

My baby is due late Feb and we live in Pacific NW. We are not into vaxing and therefore, my 3 older kids (ages 7, 5, and 2) are not up-to-date with the DTAP. They are homeschooled but are social enough to be exposed to stuff. I really don't want to put the newborn at risk for whooping cough. Should I dtap my older kids to protect the babe? (I really don't want to dtap the two oldest because their bodies are sensitive to certain foods and things - my 2-yr-old on the other hand, is super hardy and could probably handle it) How do I find out when/if there is a whooping cough outbreak in my area? (I heard that outbreaks come every 3 years or so?) What should I do? Advice please!!

[Fyrestorm]

There are serious questions as to whether DTaP prevents transmission despite the TV ads.

http://insidevaccines.com/wordpress/...-transmission/

[maplesugar]

Just as an anecdote, ds was a social guy when dd was born, and compleatly unvaccinated. No whooping cough with either of them. Or any vpd for that matter.

[Deborah]

It is perfectly possible they have all had pertussis, because it is asymptomatic at least 10% of the time, maybe more. The vaccine doesn't prevent transmission. On the bright side, if your kids had it, you probably had it, which means you can provide at least some immunity to the baby.

Unfortunately, your best bet is to read up on how to care for a baby who gets whooping cough and be prepared. And then not worry any further. Worry is bad for the health.

My entire family has always been anti-vaccine. We had 5 kids in the family and no one every had symptomatic whooping cough and that includes all of us as babies.

[CorasMama]

Since we're all contributing our anecdata, I am going to get DD this vaccine. I would have gotten her caught up on the ones we want within a few years (she's 12 now), but with this baby coming, and probably having lung issues, we'll be doing it sooner rather than later.

[Deborah]

Good luck CorasMama and I hope it works for you! It is difficult having a child with particular challenges and the decision making processes are super tough, especially with incomplete data.