What is ActHIB with DPT (Diphtheria/Haemophilus/Pertussis,Acel/Tetanus)?

Diphtheria, haemophilus influenzae, pertussis, and tetanus are serious diseases caused by bacteria.

Diphtheria causes a thick coating in the nose, throat, and airway. It can lead to breathing problems, paralysis, heart failure, or death.

Haemophilus influenzae can cause minor flu symptoms or it can cause more serious symptoms such as swelling around the throat, making it hard to swallow or breathe. Haemophilus influenzae can also cause swelling of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).

Pertussis (whooping cough) causes coughing so severe that it interferes with eating, drinking, or breathing. These spells can last for weeks and can lead to pneumonia, seizures (convulsions), brain damage, and death.

Tetanus (lockjaw) causes painful tightening of the muscles, usually all over the body. It can lead to “locking” of the jaw so the victim cannot open the mouth or swallow. Tetanus leads to death in about 1 out of 10 cases.

Diphtheria, haemophilus influenzae, and pertussis are spread from person to person. Tetanus enters the body through a cut or wound.

The diphtheria, haemophilus influenzae, pertussis, and tetanus vaccine is used to help prevent these diseases in people who are ages 2 months to 5 years old.

This vaccine works by exposing your child to a small dose of the bacteria or a protein from the bacteria, which causes the body to develop immunity to the disease. This vaccine will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body.

Like any vaccine, the diphtheria, haemophilus influenzae, pertussis, and tetanus vaccine may not provide protection from disease in every person.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking ActHIB with DPT (Diphtheria/Haemophilus/Pertussis,Acel/Tetanus)?

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:

• severe or uncontrolled epilepsy or other seizure disorder; or
• 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:

• a very high fever (over 104 degrees)
• a neurologic disorder or disease affecting the brain
• excessive crying for 3 hours or longer
• fainting or going into shock
• seizure (convulsions); or
• Guillain-Barr

Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor if your child has:

• a bleeding or blood clotting disorder such as hemophilia or easy bruising
• a history of seizures
• a neurologic disorder or disease affecting the brain (or if this was a reaction to a previous vaccine)
• an allergy to latex rubber
• a weak immune system caused by disease, bone marrow transplant, or by using certain medicines or receiving cancer treatments; or
• 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.

ActHIB with DPT Side Effects

What are the possible side effects of ActHIB with DPT (Diphtheria/Haemophilus/Pertussis,Acel/Tetanus)?

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:

• extreme drowsiness, fainting
• fussiness, irritability, crying for an hour or longer
• seizure (black-out or convulsions); or
• high fever

Less serious side effects may include:

• redness, pain, tenderness, or swelling where the shot was given
• low fever
• mild fussiness or crying
• headache or tiredness
• joint pain, body aches
• loss of appetite; or
• mild nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

ActHIB with DPT Interactions

What other drugs affect ActHIB with DPT (Diphtheria/Haemophilus/Pertussis,Acel/Tetanus)?

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:

• an oral, nasal, inhaled, or injectable steroid medicine
• medications to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune disorders, such as azathioprine (Imuran), efalizumab (Raptiva), etanercept (Enbrel), leflunomide (Arava), and others; or
• 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.

This list is not complete and 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.

What should I avoid while taking ActHIB with DPT (Diphtheria/Haemophilus/Pertussis,Acel/Tetanus)?

Follow your doctor’s instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity after receiving the vaccine.

ActHIB with DPT Dosage

How should I take ActHIB with DPT (Diphtheria/Haemophilus/Pertussis,Acel/Tetanus)?

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.

What happens if I overdose on ActHIB with DPT (Diphtheria/Haemophilus/Pertussis,Acel/Tetanus)?

An overdose of this vaccine is unlikely to occur.

What happens if I miss a dose of ActHIB with DPT (Diphtheria/Haemophilus/Pertussis,Acel/Tetanus)?

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.

Edited from everydayhealth.com