How to Protect Your Baby from Whooping Cough
Get vaccinated while pregnant., Make sure others are vaccinated., Prevent contact with unvaccinated individual., Have your baby vaccinated., Get booster shots., Avoid anyone who is sick., Take antibiotics to prevent spreading., Recognize the signs...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get vaccinated while pregnant.
You can help protect your baby from whooping cough by getting vaccinated during your pregnancy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that every woman get the vaccine for whooping cough between their 27th and 36th weeks of pregnancy.
This can help pass some protective antibodies to your unborn baby.Recognize that the vaccine booster for whooping cough, or pertussis, is called Tdap, which stands for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.This is different than DTaP, which is the vaccine for children under seven.
Ask your doctor the best time to get vaccinated during your third trimester. -
Step 2: Make sure others are vaccinated.
One of the best ways to protect your baby from whooping cough is through cocooning.
This means the only people who come into contact with your baby are vaccinated individuals.This is especially important because your baby is most likely to catch whooping cough from someone in your home.
Ask friends and family members if they’ve kept up with their Tdap vaccine.
Only let vaccinated individuals have contact with your baby.Make sure your children or those of friends and family are vaccinated and up to date on booster shots.
Encourage anyone who hasn’t had the vaccine or boosters to have them at least two weeks before meeting your baby.
Mention that the vaccine does lose strength over time so that it’s better to be safe than sorry. , You can refuse an unvaccinated individual access to your baby until they are properly vaccinated or your baby has received the first round of pertussis vaccinations.
Letting people know you would prefer they stay away until such time can further protect your baby from exposure to whooping cough.Be firm in your decision.
Say, “Cam, we’d love for you to meet Emmanuelle, but you don’t believe in vaccinations.
Unfortunately, I can’t risk her health to have you and your kids over until she is older and has her vaccines.” , The best way to protect your baby is having them vaccinated against whooping cough.
The vaccine for children under 7 is called DTaP, which stands for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.
Your baby’s doctor will give them a series of five injections over their first six years of life.
Make sure you don’t miss any appointments to boost the vaccine.
Doctors recommend the DTaP vaccine at:2 months 4 months 6 months 15-18 months 4-6 years At age 11 or 12 years, they may be given the TDaP, which has a reduced dose of the diphtheria and pertussis vaccines.
The TDaP may also be administered after age 19 if they didn’t get it as a preteen/ teen. , Make sure that your baby and family members get booster shots regularly.
This can ensure that your baby has maximum protection against whooping cough.Get booster shots for your baby after the three initial vaccination injections.
Ensure that others close to your baby also get booster shots., The first signs of whooping cough are similar to those of the common cold.
The infection develops from there.
Since you cannot ensure whether other people have the vaccine or not, keep your baby away from anyone who is sick.Explain to people that your baby is young and doesn’t have their vaccines, so you need to stay away.
For example, “Hey Molly, I know you have a cold, but I’m worried about exposing Cecily to germs.
She’s only had one round of vaccines.
Maybe we can get together when you’re better?” If contact with a sick person is absolutely unavoidable, make sure that the sick person covers their mouth while they cough and that they wash their hands frequently.
Furthermore, if other family members are sick, everyone in the household should wash their hands frequently, even if they themselves are not sick. , You or other individuals who come near your baby may live or come in contact with someone else who has whooping cough.
If this is the case, make sure you or they take antibiotics to prevent spread of the disease, even if any of you have the whooping cough vaccine.Talk to your doctor if you are worried about your baby getting whooping cough.
Your doctor will inform you about the risk and give you tips on preventing the spread of the bacteria that cause whooping cough.
They may also prescribe antibiotics for you or another person exposed to it, even if they have received the vaccine.These antibiotics may include: erythromycin, clarithromycin, and azithromycin.Remember that babies who haven’t had the first three doses of the vaccine are still susceptible to whooping cough. , The symptoms of whooping cough resemble a cold during the first 7-10 days after infection.
After that, they get more serious and include the high-pitched “whoop” that gives the infection its name.
Identifying potential symptoms of whooping cough can help you properly protect your baby from others with the infection.
It can also your ensure your baby gets prompt diagnosis and treatment.
Common symptoms of whooping cough in babies include:
Runny nose Nasal congestion Red, watery eyes Fever Severe coughing attacks that may also include vomiting and/or a red or blue face Extreme fatigue A high-pitched whooping sound when coughing Difficulty feeding Dehydration Bluish tint of the skin caused by low oxygen (cyanosis) Difficulty breathing or periods where the baby stops breathing entirely (apnea) -
Step 3: Prevent contact with unvaccinated individual.
-
Step 4: Have your baby vaccinated.
-
Step 5: Get booster shots.
-
Step 6: Avoid anyone who is sick.
-
Step 7: Take antibiotics to prevent spreading.
-
Step 8: Recognize the signs of whooping cough.
Detailed Guide
You can help protect your baby from whooping cough by getting vaccinated during your pregnancy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that every woman get the vaccine for whooping cough between their 27th and 36th weeks of pregnancy.
This can help pass some protective antibodies to your unborn baby.Recognize that the vaccine booster for whooping cough, or pertussis, is called Tdap, which stands for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.This is different than DTaP, which is the vaccine for children under seven.
Ask your doctor the best time to get vaccinated during your third trimester.
One of the best ways to protect your baby from whooping cough is through cocooning.
This means the only people who come into contact with your baby are vaccinated individuals.This is especially important because your baby is most likely to catch whooping cough from someone in your home.
Ask friends and family members if they’ve kept up with their Tdap vaccine.
Only let vaccinated individuals have contact with your baby.Make sure your children or those of friends and family are vaccinated and up to date on booster shots.
Encourage anyone who hasn’t had the vaccine or boosters to have them at least two weeks before meeting your baby.
Mention that the vaccine does lose strength over time so that it’s better to be safe than sorry. , You can refuse an unvaccinated individual access to your baby until they are properly vaccinated or your baby has received the first round of pertussis vaccinations.
Letting people know you would prefer they stay away until such time can further protect your baby from exposure to whooping cough.Be firm in your decision.
Say, “Cam, we’d love for you to meet Emmanuelle, but you don’t believe in vaccinations.
Unfortunately, I can’t risk her health to have you and your kids over until she is older and has her vaccines.” , The best way to protect your baby is having them vaccinated against whooping cough.
The vaccine for children under 7 is called DTaP, which stands for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.
Your baby’s doctor will give them a series of five injections over their first six years of life.
Make sure you don’t miss any appointments to boost the vaccine.
Doctors recommend the DTaP vaccine at:2 months 4 months 6 months 15-18 months 4-6 years At age 11 or 12 years, they may be given the TDaP, which has a reduced dose of the diphtheria and pertussis vaccines.
The TDaP may also be administered after age 19 if they didn’t get it as a preteen/ teen. , Make sure that your baby and family members get booster shots regularly.
This can ensure that your baby has maximum protection against whooping cough.Get booster shots for your baby after the three initial vaccination injections.
Ensure that others close to your baby also get booster shots., The first signs of whooping cough are similar to those of the common cold.
The infection develops from there.
Since you cannot ensure whether other people have the vaccine or not, keep your baby away from anyone who is sick.Explain to people that your baby is young and doesn’t have their vaccines, so you need to stay away.
For example, “Hey Molly, I know you have a cold, but I’m worried about exposing Cecily to germs.
She’s only had one round of vaccines.
Maybe we can get together when you’re better?” If contact with a sick person is absolutely unavoidable, make sure that the sick person covers their mouth while they cough and that they wash their hands frequently.
Furthermore, if other family members are sick, everyone in the household should wash their hands frequently, even if they themselves are not sick. , You or other individuals who come near your baby may live or come in contact with someone else who has whooping cough.
If this is the case, make sure you or they take antibiotics to prevent spread of the disease, even if any of you have the whooping cough vaccine.Talk to your doctor if you are worried about your baby getting whooping cough.
Your doctor will inform you about the risk and give you tips on preventing the spread of the bacteria that cause whooping cough.
They may also prescribe antibiotics for you or another person exposed to it, even if they have received the vaccine.These antibiotics may include: erythromycin, clarithromycin, and azithromycin.Remember that babies who haven’t had the first three doses of the vaccine are still susceptible to whooping cough. , The symptoms of whooping cough resemble a cold during the first 7-10 days after infection.
After that, they get more serious and include the high-pitched “whoop” that gives the infection its name.
Identifying potential symptoms of whooping cough can help you properly protect your baby from others with the infection.
It can also your ensure your baby gets prompt diagnosis and treatment.
Common symptoms of whooping cough in babies include:
Runny nose Nasal congestion Red, watery eyes Fever Severe coughing attacks that may also include vomiting and/or a red or blue face Extreme fatigue A high-pitched whooping sound when coughing Difficulty feeding Dehydration Bluish tint of the skin caused by low oxygen (cyanosis) Difficulty breathing or periods where the baby stops breathing entirely (apnea)
About the Author
Jack Wilson
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow pet care tutorials.
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