Parents who don’t realize that they have the disease can infect their newborn. / Lilly Dong, Botanica/Getty Images
One of the best gifts you can give to your newborn is to get a whooping cough vaccine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, babies age 8 weeks or younger are especially vulnerable to this potentially deadly infection because they haven’t had their first shots.
About half of infants with whooping cough — also known as pertussis — are infected by their parents, who may develop what first appears to be a common cold. Because childhood vaccines usually wear off by the time we reach adulthood, doctors recommend whooping cough shots for everyone who lives with or cares for a newborn, including grandparents, babysitters and siblings. The vaccine, which also protects you from tetanus and diphtheria, is recommended for adults every 10 years.
People taking care of newborns also should be vaccinated against seasonal and H1N1 flu.
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