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[tadpole] Pertussis PSA
Mar. 11th, 2011 12:46 pm[Feel free to pass it along in whatever form you prefer.]
As y'all know, I'm due any day now (or maybe not for a few weeks) and as such, have become aware of all sorts of things about which I previously had no real clue. While many of these relate to tmi bodily functions, there's also some useless stuff, such as pertussis, aka whooping cough.
Recently, the immunization guidelines for pertussis were updated and the upshot is that, unless you've had a kid recently or had it specifically called to your attention for some reason like working in healthcare or with kids, odds are good you are not up to date on your booster. (Or maybe you have a better PCP than I do. I just found out I'm out of date on the entire Tdap set by pretty much any measure, and given that I'd been seeing the same doctor for over 10 years, they were perfectly aware of that and should have told me I was due for a booster. But it seems that sort of proactivity is not very common.) I will get my booster immediately post-partum (which has become pretty standard in the wake of the resurgence).
Anyway, there are a bunch of new babies coming in the relatively near future, pertussis has become a much bigger issue than it's been in a while, and babies are particularly vulnerable. I've seen many recommendations that parents not allow anyone to even hold their baby who isn't up to date on their immunizations. I don't know that we'll go that far, but we are making sure that all the grandparents get theirs and I respectfully request that you consider it for yourself for the sake of the community. I know there are mixed feelings about vaccinations for children for various reasons, but shots for adults are a different matter, right?
If you want to know, you should be able to call your PCP and find out your status. Note that it used to be common to get a Td (tetanus, diphtheria) booster without the pertussis part, so even if you've had a tetanus shot recently, you may not be current.
I know several parents who've had to deal with the pain of their baby catching this (always from an adult, btw, not another kid), and while luckily they all survived, it is a serious medical ordeal in an infant that is best avoided.
Thanks.
PS: Respectful disagreement and debate is, as always, welcome.
--
And for the sake of an update: Today's checkup (38w3d) was even less eventful than the last. I wasn't offered an internal (she only mentioned it in the context of "We could do this if you want, but it won't really provide anything useful" so it didn't seem worth taking clothes off for) and situation remains at everything is good to go whenever it happens. Tadpole is chillin' out upside-down with periodic rolls side-to-side. Cop a feel if I see you tonight. ;)
As y'all know, I'm due any day now (or maybe not for a few weeks) and as such, have become aware of all sorts of things about which I previously had no real clue. While many of these relate to tmi bodily functions, there's also some useless stuff, such as pertussis, aka whooping cough.
Recently, the immunization guidelines for pertussis were updated and the upshot is that, unless you've had a kid recently or had it specifically called to your attention for some reason like working in healthcare or with kids, odds are good you are not up to date on your booster. (Or maybe you have a better PCP than I do. I just found out I'm out of date on the entire Tdap set by pretty much any measure, and given that I'd been seeing the same doctor for over 10 years, they were perfectly aware of that and should have told me I was due for a booster. But it seems that sort of proactivity is not very common.) I will get my booster immediately post-partum (which has become pretty standard in the wake of the resurgence).
Anyway, there are a bunch of new babies coming in the relatively near future, pertussis has become a much bigger issue than it's been in a while, and babies are particularly vulnerable. I've seen many recommendations that parents not allow anyone to even hold their baby who isn't up to date on their immunizations. I don't know that we'll go that far, but we are making sure that all the grandparents get theirs and I respectfully request that you consider it for yourself for the sake of the community. I know there are mixed feelings about vaccinations for children for various reasons, but shots for adults are a different matter, right?
If you want to know, you should be able to call your PCP and find out your status. Note that it used to be common to get a Td (tetanus, diphtheria) booster without the pertussis part, so even if you've had a tetanus shot recently, you may not be current.
I know several parents who've had to deal with the pain of their baby catching this (always from an adult, btw, not another kid), and while luckily they all survived, it is a serious medical ordeal in an infant that is best avoided.
Thanks.
PS: Respectful disagreement and debate is, as always, welcome.
--
And for the sake of an update: Today's checkup (38w3d) was even less eventful than the last. I wasn't offered an internal (she only mentioned it in the context of "We could do this if you want, but it won't really provide anything useful" so it didn't seem worth taking clothes off for) and situation remains at everything is good to go whenever it happens. Tadpole is chillin' out upside-down with periodic rolls side-to-side. Cop a feel if I see you tonight. ;)