Adults Need Shots Too!

I am frequently asked by parents, "When is my child done with their shots?" My answer is, "Never, you continue to need immunizations throughout your lifetime." Talk to your doctor about what you might need but I wanted to discuss two immunizations for adults that can help protect your children. The flu vaccine is now recommended for everyone older than 6 months of age. Also there has been a pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine available for adults since 2005 but it is not widely used. Both the flu and pertussis will make an adult very sick but are usually not life-threatening to you. The problem is when you give these diseases to a young child they can become very ill. By immunizing yourself you can help protect your child.

Whooping cough (pertussis) is an illness that we still see frequently. Our office generally sees several cases a year. Until 5 years ago there was no immunization for pertussis for people older than age 6 so most people lost their immunity to pertussis by the time they were teenagers. When an older child or adult has pertussis they have a chronic cough that lasts a month or more. Most people who have pertussis never know they have it unless they infect a young child who gets very sick and is then tested.

The immunization for pertussis is combined with the tetanus shot (Tdap). If you have had a tetanus shot in the past 5 years you might be protected. Unfortunately many hospitals and doctor's offices are using the old tetanus vaccine (Td) that does not protect you from pertussis. Ask your doctor which vaccine you received. The pertussis vaccine is especially important for adults who will have contact with young children and new babies. It can't be given to anyone older than age 65. It is not commonly given to pregnant women(ask your OB) but it is safe to receive while breastfeeding.

The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone every fall. The strains in the vaccine change each year based on what strains are expected. H1N1 is included in this year's vaccine. Even if you had H1N1 or the vaccine, it is recommended that you get a flu shot this fall.

Our office is now providing pertussis vaccines for parents and family members of our patients. In the fall (most likely October)we will be offering flu shots as well for adults. Please call the office for more information.