Vaccine-specific information
Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines
(DTaP)
Printable version (vaccine information sheet) (.pdf)
Mild problems (common)
* Fever (up to about 1 child in 4)
* Redness or swelling where the shot was given (up to about 1 child in 4)
* Soreness or tenderness where the shot was given (up to about 1 child in 4)
These problems occur more often after the 4th and 5th doses of the DTaP series than after earlier doses. Sometimes the 4th or 5th dose of DTaP vaccine is followed by swelling of the entire arm or leg in which the shot was given (up to about 1 child in 30).
Other mild problems include:
* Fussiness (up to about 1 child in 3)
* Tiredness or poor appetite (up to about 1 child in 10)
* Vomiting (up to about 1 child in 50)
These problems generally occur 1-3 days after the shot.
Moderate problems (uncommon)
* Seizure (jerking or staring) (about 1 child out of 14,000)
* Non-stop crying, for 3 hours or more (up to about 1 child out of 1,000)
* High fever, over 105F (about 1 child out of 16,000)
Severe problems (very rare)
* Serious allergic reaction (breathing difficulty, shock) (less than 1 out of a million doses)
* Other severe problems have been reported after DTaP vaccine. These include:
o Long-term seizures, coma, or lowered consciousness
o Permanent brain damage.
These are so rare it is hard to tell if they are caused by the vaccine.