Can the DTaP (Diptheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis) vaccine cause seizures and brain damage?
Getting any of these diseases is much riskier than getting the DtaP vaccine. However there is a very small risk of a serious reaction with this vaccine. The common side effects are swelling, redness or pain at the site, fever, fussiness or vomiting. Less common are a seizure (1 in 14,000), non stop crying for 3 hours or more, (1 in 1000) , high fever over 105 degrees (1 in 16,000). Very rare and serious problems are an allergic reaction (less than 1 in 1 million) and permanent brain damage ( although reported, these cases are so rare it is hard statistically to tell if the vaccine is the cause). Is there a relationship between the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine and Autism (or Autistic Spectrum Disorders)? In recent years, this question has been raised in many public forums. Scientists generally agree that most cases of ASD result from events that occur before a baby is born or shortly after birth. However, the symptoms typically emerge in the second year of life – about the
