Your child should not receive this vaccine if he or she has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to any vaccine containing diphtheria, haemophilus, pertussis, or tetanus.
Your child should not receive this vaccine if the child has:
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severe or uncontrolled epilepsy or other seizure disorder; or
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if the child has received cancer chemotherapy or radiation treatment in the past 3 months.
Your child may not be able to receive this vaccine if he or she has ever received a similar vaccine that caused any of the following:
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a very high fever (over 104 degrees);
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a neurologic disorder or disease affecting the brain;
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excessive crying for 3 hours or longer;
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fainting or going into shock;
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seizure (convulsions); or
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Guillain-Barré syndrome (within 6 weeks after receiving a vaccine containing tetanus).
Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor if your child has:
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a bleeding or blood clotting disorder such as hemophilia or easy bruising;
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a history of seizures;
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a neurologic disorder or disease affecting the brain (or if this was a reaction to a previous vaccine);
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an allergy to latex rubber;
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a weak immune system caused by disease, bone marrow transplant, or by using certain medicines or receiving cancer treatments; or
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if the child is taking a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin).
Your child can still receive a vaccine if he or she has a cold or fever. In the case of a more severe illness with a fever or any type of infection, wait until the child gets better before receiving this vaccine.
This vaccine is given as an injection into a muscle. Your child will receive this injection in a doctor’s office or other clinic setting.
The diphtheria, haemophilus influenzae, pertussis, and tetanus vaccine is given in a series of shots. The first shot is usually given when the child is 2 months old. The booster shots are then given at 4 months, 6 months, and 12 to 15 months of age. Your child’s individual booster schedule may be different from these guidelines. Follow your doctor’s instructions or the schedule recommended by the health department of the state you live in.
Your doctor may recommend treating fever and pain with an aspirin-free pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, and others) when the shot is given and for the next 24 hours. Follow the label directions or your doctor’s instructions about how much of this medicine to give your child.
It is especially important to prevent fever from occurring in a child who has a seizure disorder such as epilepsy.
Contact your doctor if you will miss a booster dose or if you get behind schedule. The next dose should be given as soon as possible. There is no need to start over.
Be sure your child receives all recommended doses of this vaccine. If your child does not receive the full series of vaccines, he or she may not be fully protected against the disease.
Your child should not receive a booster vaccine if he or she had a life-threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.
Keep track of any and all side effects your child has after receiving this vaccine. When the child receives a booster dose, you will need to tell the doctor if the previous shots caused any side effects.
Becoming infected with diphtheria, haemophilus influenzae, pertussis, or tetanus is much more dangerous to your child’s health than receiving the vaccine to protect against these diseases. Like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects, but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if the child has any of these serious side effects:
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extreme drowsiness, fainting;
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fussiness, irritability, crying for an hour or longer;
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seizure (black-out or convulsions); or
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high fever.
Less serious side effects include:
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redness, pain, tenderness, or swelling where the shot was given;
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low fever;
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mild fussiness or crying;
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headache or tiredness;
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joint pain, body aches;
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loss of appetite; or
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mild nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting.
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome to the child.
The diphtheria, haemophilus influenzae, pertussis, and tetanus vaccine is given in a series of shots. The first shot is usually given when the child is 2 months old. The booster shots are then given at 4 months, 6 months, and 12 to 15 months of age. Your child’s individual booster schedule may be different from these guidelines. Follow your doctor’s instructions or the schedule recommended by the health department of the state you live in.
Be sure your child receives all recommended doses of this vaccine. If your child does not receive the full series of vaccines, he or she may not be fully protected against the disease.
Your child can still receive a vaccine if he or she has a cold or fever. In the case of a more severe illness with a fever or any type of infection, wait until the child gets better before receiving this vaccine.
Your child should not receive a booster vaccine if he or she had a life-threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.
Keep track of any and all side effects your child has after receiving this vaccine. When the child receives a booster dose, you will need to tell the doctor if the previous shots caused any side effects.
Becoming infected with diphtheria, haemophilus influenzae, pertussis, or tetanus is much more dangerous to your child’s health than receiving the vaccine to protect against these diseases. Like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects, but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.
There are no restrictions on food, beverages, or activity before or after receiving this vaccine unless your child’s doctor has told you otherwise.
Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor about all other vaccines your child has recently received.
Also tell the doctor if your child has received drugs or treatments in the past 2 weeks that can weaken the immune system, including:
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an oral, nasal, inhaled, or injectable steroid medicine;
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medications to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune disorders, such as azathioprine (Imuran), efalizumab (Raptiva), etanercept (Enbrel), leflunomide (Arava), and others; or
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medicines to treat or prevent organ transplant rejection, such as basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf), muromonab-CD3 (Orthoclone), mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept), sirolimus (Rapamune), or tacrolimus (Prograf).
If your child is using any of these drugs, he or she may not be able to receive the vaccine.
There may be other drugs that can affect this vaccine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications your child has received. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your child’s doctor.
An overdose of this vaccine is unlikely to occur.