[Medical Q&A] What should you pay attention to before and after giving your baby the DPT vaccine?

Author: Wang Lin, Chief Physician, Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics

Reviewer: Dong Jian, Chief Physician, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University

DTP vaccine is the general name for the combined vaccine of pertussis, diphtheria and tetanus. It is a triple vaccine. It is mainly used to prevent pertussis, diphtheria and tetanus, which are prone to cause serious infections in infants. Parents should pay attention to the following matters before and after taking their babies to receive DTP vaccine.

1. Precautions before vaccination

(1) Babies with the following contraindications are not recommended for vaccination, including: ① Neurological diseases, including epilepsy, convulsions, encephalitis, polio, etc.; ② Allergic constitution and spastic constitution; ③ Organic diseases of major organs, including heart, liver, kidney diseases and active pulmonary tuberculosis; ④ Suffering from acute infectious diseases, acute severe infections, fever, and rash all over the body; ⑤ Allergic to vaccine ingredients or adjuvants; ⑥ The diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus vaccine is administered on the upper arm, so there should be no rash or local ulceration on the upper arm.

(2) It is recommended to give your baby a bath before vaccination, because you cannot take a bath within 24 hours after vaccination.

2. Precautions after vaccination

(1) After vaccination, you need to stay in the hospital for 30 minutes before leaving.

(2) Do not allow your baby to engage in strenuous exercise within 2 to 3 days after vaccination, keep the skin at the injection site clean, and do not allow your baby to scratch. Do not give your baby irritating food, and allow your baby to drink more warm water and eat more fruits and vegetables.

(3) After vaccination, try to avoid taking your baby to crowded places to avoid other infections.

(4) When the baby is vaccinated with the fourth dose of DTP vaccine, the baby may have a strong reaction. If the baby has a high fever (above 39°C), antipyretic drugs should be given in time to avoid convulsions caused by high fever. If there is local redness, swelling, or nodules, cold compresses should be applied within 48 hours (such as cold compresses with raw potato slices). After 48 hours, hot compresses can be applied to reduce local adverse reactions. At the same time, the baby's performance should be carefully observed. If abnormal reactions such as high fever, coma, convulsions, etc. occur, medical treatment should be sought in time.