Are babies your constant companion?

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Grandparents eager to hold the new baby in the family might consider getting a shot first.

Anyone who comes into close contact with infants is now urged to get vaccinated against whooping cough, or pertussis.

The recommendation for expanded vaccinations for whooping cough — even for those over 65 — is new from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It comes after a nationwide surge in whooping cough infections during 2010.

Lakendria Ross didn’t let her newborn leave the house last December. “I was on pins and needles because she was a December baby,” Ross said.

People who wanted to see the baby had to come to her home and promptly wash their hands. She also told friends and family members not to touch the infant’s face.

Being a “pit bull” for your baby is the right thing to do, according to Dr. Eric Scott Palmer, a neonatologist .

“Not only is there pertussis or whooping cough, but we are entering the influenza and respiratory syncytial virus seasons,” Palmer said. “These are some viral illnesses and bacterial illnesses, such as whooping cough, that can and do kill infants, particularly former premature infants. At family gatherings, while everyone loves babies, the infection control during those times is of critical importance — particularly as it relates to hand-washing.”

Many adults mistakenly believe they are protected against pertussis because they’ve had whooping cough before, while others walk around with the virus without realizing it, said Dr. Kelly Moore, who directs immunization programs for the Tennessee Department of Health. Also, the vaccine wears off over time, so a booster shot is needed about every 10 years.

“People may assume it’s like measles, where you get it once and you never get it again,” Moore said. “Unfortunately, this is something you can get many times. The problem is the symptoms aren’t as classic as measles or chicken pox. People might not even realize they have it because it is not as obvious.”

Pertussis is most infectious before people think they may have it, Moore said, because the cough gets progressively worse. It is highly communicable. Eighty percent of those in a household where someone has the disease also will get it, she said.

Doctors start vaccinating infants for pertussis at 2 months old, but protection requires booster shots. Children need five doses of the vaccine, and three of those occur before the age of 1. Another new recommendation from the CDC is that pregnant women get the shot after the 20th week of gestation if they have not been previously vaccinated.

Gannett News Service