Prior to administration of DT, health-care personnel should inform the parent or guardian of the patient the benefits and risks of immunization, and also inquire about the recent health status of the patient to be injected.

As part of the child's permanent immunization record, the date, lot number and manufacturer of the vaccine administered MUST be recorded.^11,12,13

The health-care provider should inform the parent or guardian of the patient about the potential for adverse reactions that have been temporally associated with DT administration. The parent or guardian should be instructed to report any serious adverse reactions to their health-care provider.

IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WHEN THE CHILD RETURNS FOR THE NEXT DOSE IN THE SERIES,THAT THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF THE PATIENT SHOULD BE QUESTIONED CONCERNING OCCURRENCE OF ANY SYMPTOMS AND/OR SIGNS OF AN ADVERSE REACTION AFTER PREVIOUS DOSE (see CONTRAINDICATIONS; ADVERSE REACTIONS sections).

The health-care provider should inform the parent or guardian of the patient the importance of completing the immunization series.

The health-care provider should provide the Vaccine Information Materials (VIMs) which are required to be given with each immunization.

REFERENCES

11.CDC.Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System United States. MMWR 39:730-733,1990

12.CDC. National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act: requirements for permanent vaccination records and for reporting of selected events after vaccination. MMWR 37:197-200,1988

13.Food and Drug Administration. New reporting requirements for vaccine adverse events. FDA Drug Bull 18 (2),16-18,1988

Last reviewed on RxList: 6/8/2006
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.