SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., – Did you know that protection from the whooping cough vaccine decreases over time? The best way to protect an infant against whooping cough (pertussis) is through a series of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTaP) vaccinations. During National Infant Immunization Week, April 21 through 28, Regional West’s health care providers urge parents to make sure their baby receives all his/her whooping coughs shots on time, as well as other pertinent vaccinations. If you are starting a family or if you have a grandchild on the way, contact your provider and ensure that the adults in the family are also up-to-date on their immunizations.

“Doctors recommend that children get five doses of the DTaP shot for best protection,” said Paulette Schnell, MSN, Regional West Community Health Director/Scotts Bluff County Health Director. “Your child will need one dose at each of the following ages: two months, four months, six months, 15 to 18 months, and four to six years of age.”

It’s also important that family members who will be in close contact with a newborn receive the TDaP vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough).

“Help protect your child against whooping cough by encouraging anyone who will be in contact with your baby to be up-to-date with their whooping cough vaccination,” said Todd Brubaker, DO, FAAP, a pediatrician with Regional West Physicians Clinic-Pediatrics. “Getting one shot is a simple way to ensure peace of mind and help prevent what could be a life-threatening disease in an infant.”

Contact your health care provider for more information about whooping cough or other vaccinations, or to schedule an appointment. Learn more about the dangers of whooping cough at cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/diseases/child/vpd-infographics/whooping-cough.html. 

Regional West Health Services in Scottsbluff, Neb., is the parent company of Regional West Medical Center, a 188-bed regional referral center and one of three Level II Trauma Centers in the state. As the region’s only tertiary referral medical center, Regional West offers care that spans more than 32 medical specialties provided by over 28 physician clinics. With nearly 300 providers, and over 2,000 employees, Regional West provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming.