What Is Kinrix Used For?
Kinrix can be given to children between the ages of 4 to 6 years old who need their booster doses of DTaP and IPV before they start kindergarten to protect them against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and polio.
Facts
Kinrix can be given as the fifth dose of DTaP and the fourth dose of IPV to children between the ages of 4 to 6 years old. Since preschoolers usually get four vaccines when they get their shots to get ready for kindergarten, including DTaP, IPV, MMR, and Varivax (chickenpox booster), combining the DTaP and IPV vaccines into a single shot will be welcome news for most kids.
More About Kinrix
A combination DTaP-IPV has been used outside the United States since 1996.A research study has shown the Kinrix is as effective and as safe as getting the DTaP and IPV vaccines as separate shots.Kinrix can be given with the MMR booster at the 4- to 6-year-old well-child visit.
Side Effects
The most common side effects reported after receiving Kinrix include injection shot pain, redness, increase in arm circumference, swelling, drowsiness, fever, and loss of appetite.
What You Need to Know
Like most vaccines in the current childhood immunization schedule, Kinrix is thimerosal-free. Children should not be given Kinrix if they have had a serious allergic reaction to a previous diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, or polio vaccine, neomycin or polymyxin B (components of the Kinrix vaccine), if they have had encephalopathy (a diffuse brain disease that leads to having an altered mental status) within seven days of a previous pertussis shot, or if they have a progressive neurologic disorder.
