Contents:
- Medical Video: Infectious Diseases A Z Why pregnant women need Tdap vaccine
- What is the difference between Dt immunization and Td immunization?
- When should children be given Dt immunization and Td immunization?
- What must be considered before Dt immunization
Medical Video: Infectious Diseases A Z Why pregnant women need Tdap vaccine
Has your child been immunized? Immunization is usually given to children when under five and school age. The type of immunization also varies, depending on the age of the child. Pay attention to what types of immunizations should be given to children according to their age, because there are several immunizations whose names sound the same, but their functions are completely different. For example immunization Dt (diphtheria tetanus) and Td immunization (tetanus diphtheria) Then what is the difference between the two?
What is the difference between Dt immunization and Td immunization?
Although both types of vaccines have almost the same names, be careful because they are different. Dt immunization is immunization given to prevent several infectious diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (pertussis). Whereas Td immunization is an advanced immunization from Dt immunization so that the child is increasingly immune to the three infectious diseases.
Both vaccines actually have the same function, namely preventing the occurrence of diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (pertussis). However, what is different is the time of administration and the composition of the dose.
Td immunization is often referred to as additional immunization, because it works to increase immunity against the three types of infectious diseases above - diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough. In addition, the dose of the Td immunization drug is less than the Dt immunization.
Every person is recommended to get anti tetanus and diphtheria immunization every 10 years. The reason is that your immune system against these three diseases can decrease over time. Therefore, TD immunization is more recommended for adults.
When should children be given Dt immunization and Td immunization?
Children get at least five Dt immunizations with the following schedule:
- One dose at 2 months of age
- One dose at 4 months of age
- One dose at 6 months of age
- One dose at 15-18 months
- One dose at 4-6 years
While Td immunization is given afterwards, when the child has exceeded the age of 7 years. Usually, this immunization is given to children aged 11 years. Then it is given again when adults, namely at the age of 19-64 years.
In Indonesia alone, the provision of both immunizations is carried out in schools, namely with a schedule such as the following:
- Class 1 elementary school, measles immunization is given with the implementation time every August and immunization diphtheria tetanus (DT) every November.
- Class 2-3 elementary school, tetanus diphteria (Td) immunization is given in November.
What must be considered before Dt immunization
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that children who are sick when the immunization schedule arrives to wait until they recover. But if the child only has a cold, flu, or regular fever, it doesn't matter to get immunized right away.
In addition, there may be children who will experience allergies to this immunization, so you should discuss this with your pediatrician. If the child is fine, immunization should still be done because the vaccine not only protects your child from the threat of infection, but also the people around you.
