Tetanus is difficult. Unfortunately the tetanus toxoid "booster" cannot be given until children are older.
I would suggest giving the DTP - as someone has mentioned, it is one of the vaccines recognised as "least harmful", and tetanus can be quite dangerous.
Schmick - if I did go for the DTP shot for the tetanus component, what would that mean as far as the D and the P. What would the repercussions of a quarter (iykwim?) imu status?
Thanks Schmickers. I keep abreast of your posts and greatly value your opinion. We've pretty much decided that getting the vac is probably the lesser of 2 evils but I still don't feel that good about it.
Lu, Not sure if you mean administering 1/4 of the dose but if you do, I doubt that the vac would work at all...?
Lu, do you mean getting 1/4 of the vac dose, as in only the one dose, not all 4??
I *think* the first couple, at a young age, only last till the next one anyway, so if you just get the last one, your still covered, like a vac'd person.... again, I *think*....
That's how I understand it? I'm pretty rusty on this stuff though. Kind of like, the more times you fight something off, your immunity gets a bit stronger each time? Or is it just that the immunity doesn't last?
I did have this problem. I didnt immunise Harry by the schedule (because NSW health only uses the rotten Hexa) and waited until he was 2 before I started them and then did them at 6m apart. At 3yo he had only had 2 of the tetanus and did - literally - step on a rusty nail. I called my Dr who sent me to the hospital to get the full Tetanus Immunoglobulin for him.
I told them this is what the Dr wanted, I gave them the Drs mobile number so they could double check with him. Harry got a shot and off we went. When the Dr opened the letter from the hospital it says they gave him ADT - which is Adult Diptheria and Tetanus. Not what the Dr wanted at all because it is a vaccination that takes 2 weeks to built up antibodies where as the immunoglobulin is antibodies that start fighting Tetanus immediately.
What annoyed me about this is despite having the ADT, NSW Health still insisted he needed the third Hexa Dose because ADT only covered 2 of the 6 virii that the Hexa does. So my poor boy has now had 4 doses of Diptheria and Tetanus. The point is, the hospital does carry TIG (the only place that does) should your bub be exposed to a tetanus risk factor - but you have to stay on their case and make sure they are doing the right one.
In the interim, I know this may sound bad, but if bub does cut themselves on something dirty - make sure it bleeds. Get a bottle of saline, make sure the wound is open and irrigate it with saline. Tetnus can only grow without oxygen and so by having the wound open, letting it bleed a bit and irrigating, you can hopefully clean it out well enough to reduce the risk factor. Harrys was a puncture that sealed immediately and didn't bleed enough so I had to go the needle way.
If a child or adult has not been immunised they need the TIG which is generally obtained from the blood bank of the hospital as it is an immunoglobulin. They also get given the ADT (generally - the CDT equivalent is not readily available in ED). This means 2 injections - usually one in each butt cheek because the TIG is thick and a reasonable volume and hurts.
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