But in 1990, FDA licensed the first vaccine effective in babies under a year old, the age group in which Hib infections are most damaging. FDA has licensed four Hib vaccines, including a combination of other vaccines mentioned earlier. Depending on the brand of vaccine, Hib is given in either three or four doses by the time the child is 12 to 18 months old. Side effects are very minor, consisting mostly of low-grade fever and soreness at the site of the shot. The DTP shot is a combination inoculation against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.
Diphtheria is an infection of the throat, mouth and nose.
It's extremely rare today, but highly contagious. The infection causes a sore throat and cough. Sometimes a fine web of gray membrane forms over the tonsils, blocking the windpipe and suffocating the child. If not promptly treated, diphtheria can also lead to pneumonia, heart failure, and paralysis. Pertussis, or whooping cough, is life-threatening, especially in children under 1 year.