The fourth DTaP, as the shot is called, is often forgotten because it is given during the age of 12 to 18 months.
Diphtheria causes a coating in the nose, throat, or airway.
It can lead to breathing problems, heart failure, paralysis, or death. Tetanus causes serious, painful spasms of all muscles. Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, starts with cold-like symptoms. Within 2 weeks, a severe cough can develop with violent coughing spells. This is one of those vaccinations that falls at a time in the baby s life that is hard to remember that another shot is due, but it is so important for the child to have the fourth shot of DTaP vaccine.