One of the most common childhood vaccinations is the DTaP vaccine or diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine. The DTaP vaccine is a safer variant of the DTP vaccine which is no longer used in the U.S. Thousands of children are protected from heavily-contagious diseases from this vaccine that is given in 5 doses throughout a child’s early development.
There’s also an adult and adolescent variant of the DTaP vaccine that’s referred to as Tdap. DTaP is not licensed for adults, adolescents, or children older than 7. Tdap is a single-dose vaccine and is recommended once between the ages of 11 and 64. There is another variant of Tdap referred to as Td that protects against tetanus and diphtheria only.
DTap and Tdap vaccines protect against three diseases:
Diphtheria: A bacteria-caused disease which causes a thick lining to cover the back of the throat. It can cause breathing difficulties, paralysis, heart failure, and even death.
Tetanus: Tetanus is sometimes referred to as “lockjaw”. It’s a disease caused by bacteria that causes painful tightening of the body’s muscles, especially the jaw. Tetanus leads to death in roughly 2 out of every 10 cases.
Pertussis: Pertussis is often referred to as “whooping cough”. It’s a bacteria-caused disease that causes severe coughing spells that may last for several weeks and lead to pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and possibly death.
What Are the Dangers of DTaP and Tdap Vaccines?
While DTaP and Tdap vaccines protect against diseases that are worse than either of the vaccine’s possible side effects, both vaccines still have a few associated risks.
Minor, common side effects include fever, redness and swelling at the vaccine injection site, soreness and tenderness, lethargy, poor appetite, fussiness, and vomiting. These side effects generally occur 1-3 days after the shot is given.
Severe side effects and vaccine complications include the following:
- Serious allergic reactions
- Seizures (long term)
- Permanent brain damage
- Coma/lowered consciousness
The complications listed about are extremely rare. In the legal world, we commonly refer to vaccine complications like those listed above as vaccine injuries. Vaccine injuries are inherently very rare, but they do occur. Most doctors and medical professionals are hesitant to mention the risks of getting a vaccine injury.
If you or a loved one has experienced any of the above serious complications from the DTaP or Tdap vaccine, you should contact a vaccine injury lawyer at Urban & Taylor as soon as possible. Our Milwaukee, WI law office can help your family receive financial compensation that can be used for recovery costs by filing a National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program claim on your behalf.
The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program is a federally-funded program that helps victims of vaccine injuries recover from complications after routine vaccinations. You can be in any state to file a claim, and our attorneys are ready to assist you at any time or travel to your state if required during trial. To learn more, get in touch.