Pertussis - Preventing whooping cough
- Introduction
- Symptoms of whooping cough
- Treating whooping cough
- Complications of whooping cough
- Preventing whooping cough
- See what the doctor sees with Map of Medicine
In the UK, whooping cough is now rare due to children and pregnant women being vaccinated against it.
The 5-in-1 vaccine
The whooping cough vaccine is given as part of the 5-in-1 vaccine (DTaP/IPV/Hib), which also protects against diphtheria, tetanus, polio and Hib (haemophilus influenzae type b).
In the UK, babies are given the 5-in-1 vaccine when they are two, three and four months old.
The pre-school booster
The 4-in-1 pre-school booster (DTap/IPV) is given before children start school (when they are between three and five years old) to boost their protection against whooping cough.
The whooping cough vaccine is given in three separate jabs plus a booster, so that your child's body has time to build up an effective level of protection.
Side effects of the whooping cough vaccine
The whooping cough vaccine is very safe. The most common side effects that babies experience are:
- pain, redness and swelling at the injection site
- irritability and increased crying
- being off colour or having a fever
Read more about side effects of the 5-in-1 vaccine.
If your child has a problem with their immune system, speak to your GP for advice about vaccination. Babies with mild coughs or colds can still have the vaccine.
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