Answers On Pertussis
Some common questions about pertussis, with information provided by the Spokane County Health District:
How can a child who is fully immunized get pertussis?
The pertussis vaccine is not completely effective, but the vaccine will prevent serious complications and reduce the severity of the illness.
Can you get pertussis from being around someone who was exposed?
It takes significant exposure to someone with pertussis to become infected. It is less likely that a person would become infected by someone who was merely exposed to pertussis and is not having any symptoms.
If my child has tested negative for pertussis, why does he/she still have to take medicine?
Children may be incubating the infection but not yet able to test positive. By treating children who have been exposed, the risk of transmission to others is reduced dramatically.
Why is my child being excluded from school for five days?
If your child is likely to be infected, or has tested positive, it will take five days for the antibiotics to reduce the risk of spreading infection.
My antibiotics are making me sick. What can I do?
Some individuals have difficulty taking erythromycin. If the symptoms cannot be tolerated, contact your medical provider to prescribe one of several choices. It is important to complete a full course of antibiotics.
My child has special health care needs. Is he/she likely to get pertussis or experience severe side effects?
Every child needs to be fully immunized whenever possible. Medical conditions such as asthma and heart problems could increase the risk of severe complications from pertussis. Immunizations will reduce the chance of these complications.
I had chosen not to get my children immunized against pertussis. Is there anything I can do now to protect them?
Talk to your health care provider, and see if doses of DTaP can be given to your child (under the age of 7) so they may receive some protection against pertussis.
I am behind in immunizing my children. Is it too late to immunize them?
It is usually possible to get you child caught up with immunizations. A child under 7 may receive one or more doses of DTaP. It is important to get your children in for immunization as soon as possible.
Why are we having an outbreak of pertussis?
Because pertussis is a fairly mild illness in adults and immunized children, it often goes undetected. Because of the outbreak in North Idaho, an unusual number of cases that normally would have gone unnoticed have been identified.
We have a 4-week-old infant at home. What can we do to protect our baby?
The first dose of DTaP is generally given at 2 months of age. At the earliest, it can be given at six weeks. A 4-week-old is un-immunized and has immature lungs. The chance of a bad outcome for the infant is much higher that for an older child or adult.
You should make prudent decisions regarding where you take your child; avoid church day cares, child care centers and other places where the risk of exposure to a case of pertussis might be greater. Shopping malls, parks and other places where there is rapid air exchange probably are less risky.
Do we have to immunize our children?
Parents retain the right to choose to immunize their children. A child who is not immunized and is attending school must have their parent sign an “exemption” from immunization. If vaccine-preventable disease occurs in their school, they may be required to leave school until it’s safe to return. This could be weeks in a large outbreak.