Most parents are aware that a number of vaccines are given to infants and young children to protect them from serious and sometimes deadly diseases. But did you know that mothers, fathers, siblings, and other household members need certain vaccines to protect the baby as well? These vaccines keep parents and siblings from catching certain diseases so that they will not give it to the baby. In some cases this is the only way to protect the baby because she is too young to get the vaccine herself or has not had enough time to develop immunity.
Whooping Cough Vaccine
Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a serious and sometimes deadly disease in children. Infants are most at risk; however, a baby does not receive its first whooping cough vaccine until it is 2 months old, and immunity does not develop for several more months until additional doses are given. By the time a person is a teenager or young adult, immunity has worn off; whooping cough is actually not uncommon in adults and teenagers. Fortunately, it is a milder disease at this age. However, in recent years, it has become clear that babies are catching whooping cough from their parents or siblings.
For this reason, several years ago a whooping cough booster was added to the regular tetanus booster given to teenagers, and now the Tdap vaccine recommended for all teenagers instead of the old tetanus (Td) vaccine. A few years later, the vaccine was recommended for all post-partum women who have not had a tetanus shot in the past two years. In 2011, the recommendation was changed to give the vaccine during the last trimester of pregnancy if it had not been given before. Then in 2013, the recommendation was changed again, and now pregnant women should receive the vaccine at each pregnancy. In my area, it seems that many local OB/GYN practices are not offering the vaccine or even informing mothers about it, even those who have never received the vaccine, even though it is recommended by the ACOG. Some internists and family doctors offer the vaccine, but many still only offer the Td vaccine. For this reason, to protect babies, we vaccinate pregnant women and family members in my practice.
The vaccine is also recommended for all adult caregivers and family members. It should be given to anyone who has not had one dose in their lifetime, since age 10. If you have or are about to have a baby in the house or have just given birth, then it is recommended that everyone in the house be up to date with a whooping cough booster. This is an official recommendation from the CDC and other public health organizations.
Flu (Influenza) Vaccine
Influenza (the flu) is an extremely common disease in the winter months; it is preventable with the fu vaccine. The disease is more serious in infants and in the elderly, and in people with chronic diseases including asthma and diabetes. The flu vaccine cannot be given to infants less than 6 months old, yet these infants are at higher risk of complications from the flu. For this reason, it is recommended that all household contacts of infants receive a flu vaccine. Each year, the vaccine is given from September-October through the end of flu season, which is usually around February or March. It is recommended to get the vaccine in October or November before the flu season starts.
The flu shot is widely available at doctor’s offices, pharmacies, and other locations. We are willing to give the vaccine to parents who wish to get the vaccine here rather than at another location.
Protect your baby
It is recommended that all household members – moms, dads, brothers, sisters, and any others – of a newborn baby be vaccinated against whooping cough before or as soon as the baby is born. It is also recommended that everyone receive a flu vaccine prior to the start of flu season. We can provide these vaccines to you if you have any difficulty obtaining them from another source.
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