Information updated November 2011

Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection of the nose and throat. About 1 in 10 people who get diphtheria could die. The bacteria are spread through the air by persons sneezing or coughing and direct skin-to-skin contact. The disease can result in very severe breathing problems. It can also cause heart failure and paralysis.

Tetanus, also called "lockjaw", is caused by bacteria mostly found in the soil. When the germs enter the skin through a cut or scrape, they produce a poison that can cause painful tightening of muscles all over the body. It is very serious if the breathing muscles are affected. Up to 2 in 10 people who get tetanus could die.

Pertussis, or "whooping cough", is a serious bacterial infection of the lungs and throat. About 1 in 200 infants who get pertussis could die. Pertussis can cause pneumonia, convulsions, brain damage or death. These complications are seen most often in infants. The bacteria are easily spread by coughing, sneezing or close face-to-face contact. Pertussis can cause severe coughing that often ends with a whooping sound before the next breath. This cough can last several months and occurs more often at night.

Polio is a disease caused by a virus. While some polio infections show no symptoms, others can result in paralysis of arms or legs and even death. Polio can be spread by contact with the bowel movements (stool) of an infected person. This can happen from eating food or drinking water contaminated with the virus.

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is a bacterial infection that most commonly infects children under 5 years old. Despite its name, this disease is not the same as influenza or the "flu". For every 20 children who get sick, one could die. Hib infection is spread by coughing, sneezing or close face-to-face contact. Hib can cause serious and life-threatening infections of the lining that covers the brain (meningitis), the blood (septicemia) and the throat (epiglottitis). A child with epiglottitis may have severe difficulty breathing and may need an emergency operation to help breathe.

• Be immunized. The vaccine is the best way to protect your child against these serious and sometimes fatal diseases.
• When you get your child immunized, you help protect others as well.
• Practice good hygiene (e.g. handwashing).

• Children between 2 months and up to 6 years of age (before their 7th birthday) as their primary series.
• For infants, the vaccine is given as a series of four doses.

It is very important to begin your child's immunizations on time for the best protection against these diseases.

A mild illness, with or without a fever, is not a reason to avoid immunization.

• Children who have a serious illness, with or without a fever, should delay immunizations.
• People who have had a life-threatening reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine or who have serious allergies to any of the vaccine components.
• People who developed Guillain-Barré Sundrome (GBS) within 8 weeks of getting tetanus vaccine should not get the vaccine. GBS is a rare neurological condition that can result in weakness and paralysis of the body's muscles.

Vaccines are very safe. It is much safer to get the vaccine than to get sick from one of these diseases.

Common reactions to the vaccine may include soreness, redness and swelling at the injection site. Some children may have a fever, or experience crankiness, drowsiness, or a loss of appetite. These reactions are mild and generally last 1 to 2 days.

It is important to stay in the clinic for 15 minutes after getting any vaccine because there is an extremely rare possibility of a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. This may include hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the throat, tongue or lips. If this happens after you leave the clinic, call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number. This reaction can be treated, and occurs less than one in a million people who get the vaccine.

• Report any adverse or unexpected reactions to your local public health nurse, your doctor, or nurse practitioner as soon as possible.

Talk to your public health nurse if:

• You have questions or concerns about your child's reaction to immunization.
• You had to take your child to your doctor, hospital or health centre with an illness that might be related to immunization.

PEDIACEL® contains: diphtheria toxoid, tetanus toxoid, acellular pertussis vaccine, inactivated polio vaccine, Hib conjugate vaccine, aluminum phosphate, 2-phenoxyethanol, polysorbate 80, bovine serum albumin, and trace amounts of formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, neomycin, streptomycin and polymyxin B. The vial stopper does not contain latex. The vaccine does not contain thimerosal.

Your immunization information will be recorded in a computerized system known as the Saskatchewan Immunization Management System (SIMS). Information collected in SIMS may be used to:

• Manage immunization records;
• Notify you if you or your child needs an immunization; and
• Monitor how well vaccines work in preventing vaccine preventable diseases.

Your immunization records may also be shared with health care professionals in order to provide public health services; assist with diagnosis and treatment; and to control the spread of vaccine preventable diseases.

For more information contact:
your local public health office,
OR your physician, nurse practitioner
Or HealthLine at 1-877-800-0002