Can a 7-Year-Old Receive Adacel for DTaP Catch-Up?
No, a 7-year-old child cannot receive Adacel (Tdap) for catch-up vaccination because Adacel is not licensed for use below age 10 years, and the appropriate vaccine for catch-up in this age group is Td (tetanus-diphtheria), not Tdap. 1
Age-Specific Licensing Restrictions
The FDA licensing for Tdap products creates clear age boundaries that must be respected:
- Adacel is licensed only for ages 10-64 years 2
- Boostrix is licensed for ages ≥10 years 2, 1
- Neither Tdap vaccine is approved for children under 10 years of age 1
At age 7, this child falls below the minimum age threshold for any Tdap product currently available in the United States.
Correct Catch-Up Strategy for Age 7
For children aged 7-10 years requiring catch-up vaccination, use Td vaccine (not Tdap) for all catch-up doses. 3, 4
The recommended approach is:
- Administer Td vaccine immediately to begin or continue the catch-up series 3
- Complete the catch-up series with Td according to the standard schedule (doses separated by appropriate intervals based on how many prior doses were received) 3
- Reserve Tdap for age 11-12 years as the adolescent booster dose to provide pertussis protection 3, 4
Why DTaP Is Also Not Appropriate
DTaP is not indicated for persons aged ≥7 years because it contains higher amounts of diphtheria toxoid that are associated with increased rates of adverse reactions in older children and adults. 2
However, if DTaP is inadvertently administered to an undervaccinated child aged 7-10 years, this dose should count as the Tdap dose of the catch-up series, and the child should still receive an adolescent booster dose of Tdap at age 11-12 years. 2
Timing of Pertussis Protection
A critical point to understand: Children aged 7-10 years in catch-up will not receive pertussis-containing vaccine during the catch-up phase. 3
- Td provides protection against tetanus and diphtheria only (no pertussis component) 3
- Pertussis protection is deferred until the Tdap dose at age 11-12 years 3, 4
- The interval between the last Td dose and Tdap should ideally be at least 5 years in routine situations, though Tdap can be given regardless of interval when indicated 2, 4
Common Pitfall to Avoid
Do not attempt to use Tdap off-label in children under age 10 years. 1 The vaccine has not been studied for safety or efficacy in this age group, and using it would violate FDA licensing restrictions. This applies even when the clinical intent is to provide pertussis protection during catch-up—the appropriate strategy is to wait until age 11-12 years for Tdap. 1