The Tdap vaccine is an immunisation created to protect against three diseases – tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. Getting the Tdap vaccination can help prevent serious complications of these diseases and protect you from contracting them altogether.
Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is caused by the tetanus toxin. Symptoms of tetanus include muscle spasms in the jaw and neck. You may also experience trouble swallowing and contracted abdominal muscles. Tetanus can lead to fever, high blood pressure, and a fast heart rate.
Management of tetanus focuses on treating symptoms over the fourteen days the disease lasts. You can easily prevent tetanus by cleaning out minor wounds well, not sharing needles, and removing objects like splinters or other foreign bodies from cuts or other wounds, which is how the tetanus toxin enters the body.
Diphtheria is a bacterial disease that causes upper respiratory symptoms. These may include fever, fatigue, trouble breathing, sore throat, and even a grey coating on the throat. Diphtheria often occurs as a result of living in crowded, unhygienic conditions and can also appear on the skin when grey-ish ulcers form. It’s important to get treated as soon as possible to prevent complications like nerve and heart damage as well as difficulty breathing by yourself. Diphtheria is treated quickly and aggressively with antitoxins and antibiotics.
Pertussis is also known as whooping cough, and it’s extremely contagious. Hallmark symptoms include a severe cough and breathing that creates a “whooping” sound. Other symptoms may include congestion, fever, cough, fatigue, and vomiting.
Young infants and older children are most at risk for catching pertussis, and it can pose a risk to infants who may temporarily stop breathing. Teenagers are at risk for rib breaks due to coughing and weight loss. There isn’t a lot that can be done for pertussis once someone has it, besides time, rest, and monitoring for signs of dehydration and difficulty breathing.
Tdap is given to children once they reach the age of seven. It’s recommended that one dose is given around age 11 or 12, adults should get a dose if they’ve never had a Tdap shot, and pregnant people should get a Tdap shot every pregnancy.
Inform your healthcare provider if you:
They can decide when to give you the vaccine based on your medical history and current health.
The Tdap vaccine is given in the thigh or arm muscle.