Protecting babies from whooping cough

(HealthDay News) -- Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a bacterial infection that is highly contagious and can be extremely dangerous for babies.

Follow these tips to help protect babies from whooping cough:

• Any parent should be vaccinated against whooping cough.
• Any adult who may come into contact with an infant should receive a whooping cough vaccine at least two weeks before being around the infant.
• Pregnant women should be vaccinated against whooping cough (with the Tdap vaccine) during pregnancy, preferably sometime between weeks 27 and 36.
• New moms who were not vaccinated during pregnancy should be vaccinated at the hospital immediately after giving birth.
• Vaccinate babies with the DTaP vaccine (which includes a whooping cough vaccine) according to your pediatrician's recommended schedule, remembering that babies will need five doses of the vaccine.
• Keep babies away from anyone who is sick and coughing or has symptoms of whooping cough.

Attribution: -- Diana Kohnle

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First published: 02/27/2013
Last updated: 02/27/2013