DPT Vaccine : What is it; is it Safe? Do you know what the DPT vaccine includes and whether it is really safe? We want the truth! The
DPT vaccine is a mixture of three vaccines: to immunize against diphtheria, pertussis [whooping cough] and tetanus. It also comes with its risks of adverse reactions, although it has been "reported" that severe problems closely following
DPT immunization happen very rarely.
If you were to ask my mother about the
DPT Vaccine of the early 1950s, she may tell you a different story about how safe it
WAS
back in the 1950s. I had an older brother but he is no longer with us! I created this page in remembrance of my older brother who I sure wish I had the opportunity to get to know before he passed away. I want to think that he is an angel in Heaven looking down upon us and our family, and particularly smiling at my mom.
You know, this particular lens has been a challenge for me and my mom. I wanted to be considerate of the pain she has gone through, over the years, since losing her firstborn. She doesn't like to talk about it much. The
DPT vaccine is a sore point for my mom. I don't believe she has ever stopped to visit this personal page of mine because of her bad memories.
Do you know what the DPT vaccine includes and whether it is really safe? Yes, no ... maybe??? I think we all just want to know the risks and be able to make an informed decision about what is safe for ourselves and for our children. That's all.
Photo Credit: Whooping Cough Vaccine Being Tested for Potency on a Rabbit.
The DPT Vaccine Poll
Please take a moment to answer our question. What type of experiences have you had with the DPT vaccine?
- I personally had an adverse effect to the DPT vaccine.
- Somebody in my family had an adverse effect to the DPT vaccine.
- I know of someone who had an adverse effect to the DPT vaccine.
- Only positive experiences with the DPT vaccine.
- Not sure.
Is It Safe?
In this book, Dr. Stephanie Cave explains vaccinations the pros and the cons. With detailed facts about each vaccination, as well as regulations and laws, this book provides easily understandable information to help parents make a knowledgeable, responsible choice about vaccinating their children.
Stephanie Cave, M.D., is a family practitioner in Baton Rouge who specializes in children with autism and related disorders.
She has been featured on CNN regarding children and vaccinations and testified in congressional hearings in July 2000.
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About(TM) Children's Vaccinations
My Brother Bruce Alan - RIP
You see, I had an
older brother who received the
DPT Vaccine as directed, however, he was one of those reportedly "rare cases" of the severest of adverse reactions requiring hospitalization for high fever and uncontrollable seizures. He quickly became a "test subject" for the Cleveland Clinic. Unfortunately, there was not much that could be done for him. He died shortly after his fourth birthday! I wish that he was with us today; however, because he received the DPT vaccine and had severe reactions to it, he is not with us. See the picture to the right? That is a baby picture of my brother.
What is the DPT Vaccine?
First hand experience with the DPT vaccine!
DPT, (sometimes DTP) is a mixture of three vaccines, to immunize against diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus.
DTP vaccine may be distinguished as “DTwP” and “DTaP”, with “wP” referring to “whole cell pertussis” and “aP” referring to “acellular pertussis”. (The acellular form is considered safer and contains far fewer antigens than the older preparation.) Current versions of DTP in Europe do not contain preservatives; older ones contained Thiomersal. In the Netherlands, DTP refers to a mixture of diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis vaccines
. –
wikipedia.com.
What is Diphtheria?
Diphtheria (Greek (diphthera) – “pair of leather scrolls”), is an upper respiratory tract illness characterized by sore throat, low fever, and an adherent membrane (a pseudomembrane) on the tonsils, pharynx, and/or nasal cavity. A milder form of diphtheria can be restricted to the skin. It is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a facultatively anaerobic Gram-positive bacterium.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious disease spread by direct physical contact or breathing the aerosolized secretions of infected individuals. Once quite common, diphtheria has largely been eradicated in developed nations through wide-spread vaccination. In the United States for instance, between 1980 and 2004 there have been 57 reported cases of diphtheria (and only five cases since 2000 as the DPT (Diphtheria-Pertussis-Tetanus) vaccine is given to all school children. Boosters of the vaccine are recommended for adults since the benefits of the vaccine decrease with age; they are particularly recommended for those traveling to areas where the disease has not been eradicated.
–
Learn more about Diphtheria at wikipedia.com.
What is Pertussis?
Also known as Whooping Cough
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, a highly contagious disease caused by the bacterium, Bordetella pertussis; it derived its name from a characteristic severe hacking cough followed by intake of breath that sounds like ‘whoop’; a similar, milder disease is caused by B. parapertussis. Although many medical sources describe the whoop as “high-pitched,” this is generally the case with infected babies and children only, not adults.
Worldwide, there are 30-50 million pertussis cases and about 300,000 deaths per year. Despite generally high coverage with the DTP and DTaP vaccines, pertussis is one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable deaths world-wide. Most deaths occur in young infants who are either unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated; three doses of the vaccine are necessary for complete protection against pertussis.
–
Learn more about Pertussis at wikipedia.com.
What is Tetanus?
Commonly referred to as Lockjaw
Tetanus is a medical condition that is characterized by a prolonged contraction of skeletal muscle fibers. The primary symptoms are caused by tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin produced by the Gram-positive, obligate anaerobic bacterium Clostridium tetani.
Infection generally occurs through wound contamination, and often involves a cut or deep puncture wound. As the infection progresses, muscle spasms in the jaw develop hence the common name, lockjaw. This is followed by difficulty swallowing and general muscle stiffness and spasms in other parts of the body. Infection can be prevented by proper immunization and by post-exposure prophylaxis. –
Learn more about Tetanus at wikipedia.com
Report on the first symptoms of neurological damage
In 1994, the Institute of Medicine of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences published a report stating that if the first symptoms of neurological damage occurred within the first seven days following vaccination with whole-cell pertussis vaccine, the evidence was compatible with the possibility that it could be the cause of permanent brain damage in otherwise apparently healthy children. It continued by stating:
This serious acute neurologic response to DPT is a rare event. The estimated excess risk ranged from 0 to 10.5 per million immunizations (IOM, 1991). The committee stresses that this is not the strongest statement regarding causality; the evidence does not “establish” or “prove” a causal relation….
The evidence remains insufficient to indicate the presence or absence of a causal relation between DPT and chronic nervous system dysfunction under any other circumstances. That is, because the NCES is the only systematic study of chronic nervous system dysfunctions after DPT, the committee can only comment on the causal relation between DPT and those chronic nervous system dysfunctions under the conditions studied by the NCES. In particular, it should be noted that the chronic nervous system dysfunctions associated with DPT followed a serious acute neurologic illness that occurred in children within 7 days after receiving DPT.
Severe problems with DPT?
Severe problems closely following DPT immunization happen very rarely. These include a serious allergic reaction, prolonged seizures, a decrease in consciousness, lasting brain disease, or even death.
Our Last Summer Together!
July 1953, Cleveland, Ohio
The significance of this picture? It is from the Summer of 1953 as I rode my little tricycle with my brother Bruce Alan. We lived on the Westside of Cleveland, Ohio in a little brick bungalow on Dennison Avenue.
You know, I don’t really have any memories of this time together with my brother. If you look closely at the picture, you see that I look much healthier than my brother who was 18 months older than me.
It is personally very sad to think that I never got to know my older brother. You saw the baby pictures of the beautiful baby boy?
This was our last Summer together.
Only .0007%?
Such severe neurologic events occur after approximately 1 in 140,000 doses of the DPT vaccine (0.0007%). Most of the reactions to DPT injection are thought to be from the pertussis component.
Our Last Fall Together!
Autumn, 1953, Cleveland, Ohio
What a sweet picture of me and my brother Bruce Alan. I’m not sure if mom or dad put us in that little wagon, but it sure made for a great photo opportunity.
I think this is one of my favorite pictures of me with my brother. It surely is the last Fall we spent together in Cleveland, Ohio. Such were the days in the early 50s, with not much of a care in the world. Well, except if you didn’t have your health.
I really wonder, what kind of experiences I could have had with my brother if he had survived his crisis all those years ago.
The P in the DPT Vaccine may be hazardous to your child's health.
Swinging with My Brother!
Autumn, 1953, Cleveland, Ohio
This is probably my second favorite photo of me with my late brother Bruce Alan. In the previous photo, you could see the two of us in that wagon. In the background, was this swing.
I’m thinking we enjoyed a lot of time in our backyard on the Westside of Cleveland either in that wagon or on this swing! But, we needed mom and/or dad to help us out.
Push us, please … mom! Higher … higher!
P.S. I miss you Bruce!
Our Last Christmas Together!
December 1953, Cleveland, Ohio
What is the significance of this picture? Well, it is the last Christmas that Bruce Alan spent with us! As I was going through my photo album preparing to scan a few memories of my brother, I came upon this picture.
I think this must have been a Polaroid that my dad took of us kids sitting around our Christmas tree in Cleveland, Ohio. We lived near Kamm’s Corner not far from the Cleveland Hopkins Airport.
In the picture, left to right, Bruce Alan, my sister Diane and me!!
RIP Bruce Alan : March 5, 1954
This is the actual “holy card” that I had in my photo album that commemorates the passing of my brother Bruce Alan. In Loving Memory of his beautiful short life.
He was just 4 years old [and almost 2 months] when he passed away on March 5, 1954.
The significance of this image? This is a “holy card” that I received from my grandmother Julia Nagy.
That is my handwriting as a young child. In Catholic School, we took penmanship and my handwriting improved.
What’s also interesting is that this “holy card” was printed in Italy!
Gosh, I wonder if a lot of those cards are still printed in Italy.
Of course, that was a lot of years ago!
RIP Bruce
xoxoxo
Is It Safe?
In this book, Dr. Stephanie Cave explains vaccinations the pros and the cons. With detailed facts about each vaccination, as well as regulations and laws, this book provides easily understandable information to help parents make a knowledgeable, responsible choice about vaccinating their children.
Stephanie Cave, M.D., is a family practitioner in Baton Rouge who specializes in children with autism and related disorders.
She has been featured on CNN regarding children and vaccinations and testified in congressional hearings in July 2000.
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About(TM) Children's Vaccinations
What do you think of the DPT Vaccine?
Are you familiar with any adverse reactions to the DPT vaccine? Know someone? Your comments are welcome.
History: DPT Vaccine : What is it; is it Safe? was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on December 21, 2007. Highest lensrank ever achieved: #2,818 overall. Lens #216 in the quest for Giant Squid 300 Club.
