20 mo old, ER visit, and pressure to vax for Tetanus - Page 2

[pokeyrin]

Originally Posted by AnalogWife

Do they have a tet-only for children? Other than the Tig?

Honestly I have no idea and the other thing to consider is that it isn't widely used and so I believe it still contains Thimerosal which makes me sick to my stomach just thinking I got talked into it. I didn't think at the time to ask for the package insert.

[momma_unlimited]

For heaven's sakes, if the ER told me my child could DIE from not having a tetanus shot, I would remind them that my child could DIE from *getting* one!!!

Luckily when my 3yo got a rock chucked at his face and needed stitches, I didn't have an arrogant jerk for a doctor. He asked me about it, I was all flustered, and my awesome friend who was with me piped up and said, "he bled A LOT, it shoudn't be an issue" and we proceeded to stitch him up.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by pokeyrin

Actually there is a tetanus only vax, it's the TT the tetanus toxoid. I only know about this is because I got one when I was bitten by a dog and pregnant. :

My OB scared me into it : and this was before I knew better (about OB's and Vaccines). I totally regretted it afterwards and vowed never again and of course switched to a midwife.

But for those who selectively vax there is a tetanus only shot, but it's extremely difficult to find outside of a vaccine clinic.

Originally Posted by AnalogWife

Do they have a tet-only for children? Other than the Tig?

The solo T is only approved for use in kids over 7yrs old.

-Angela

[rosewater]

Originally Posted by alegna

The solo T is only approved for use in kids over 7yrs old.

-Angela

This is intersting. MY DD is only 3 now, and she was 2 when our pediatritian "offered" it to us. I have denied all vaccines. But in the last 6 months I have started to consider tetanus. After reading some more now, I feel like we don't need it, I think. Anyway, at our check up 6 months ago, I was talking again with our pediatrician who prefers vac's, but will see you if you don't do them. She really pushes DTaP. I told her over and over I wasn't into the combo, I would only do Tetanus if it was by itself. She said that we could not do DT or PT (I forget which one) if we do Tetanus by itself. I said I didn't want the other one and we kept cordially arguing until I finally said "Can't we get plain tetanus by itself?" And she sighed and said "Yes, by prescription only. I have to write you a script, you go and get it and bring it back here for me to administer". She seemed irritated, and she irritates me, but she's the best I can find in my area right now. She wrote the script, and it's still on my fridge. I don't think I'll do it. If I decide to, I want to make sure it's thirmersol (spell?) free.

[Tracy]

The tetanus fear is so over the top.... sigh.


http://www.mothering.com/discussions...8&postcount=10

[AurorasMommy]

My daughters ped said that all it would take was for my daughter to fall and scrap her knee in my driveway to get tetanus and DIE!

This was before I started researching!

[ashleep]

OP here.

I am going to write a letter to the supervisor of the woman that was so rude to us. I am outraged that not once was it mentioned that it would be the whole Dtap. Hasn't anyone there heard of informed consent??

Sigh...

On a brighter note, DS's stitches are out and he is healing nicely, despite the fact that "tetanus is EVERYWHERE..."

DH and I joked every time DS touched anything slightly unclean in the days following the ER... "Hon, go get the sanitizer; DS touched the tetanus." lol

[WCM]

I'm glad you're feeling better about things OP, taking action.

We just went through this a few weeks back, ds stepped on a, wait for it, rusty nail, and I slowly freaked right out. I was all set to get the tiG, and called our local clinic.

'oh yes we have the tiG right here, TD adsorbed'.

no, that's the vax!
"let me ask the doctor" she says. "oh yes, he confirms it, this is EXACTLY what you need for post-wound in an un-vxed person". Um, I'll get back to you.

call our pharmacist, and ask him. He agrees, says why on earth would they offer the vax AFTER the fact? I need the tiG. so he looks it up, tries to order it, and is baffled. Why does he have a DIN number for it, but if he tries to order it, it denies him?

In the end, we did nothing. just hot soaks, ledum and SA.

and the Tet only vax available in Canada? gov't has stopped funding it, as they are pushing dipth. vax, so it's no longer available. now it's TDip for kids over 7.

and FYI, the T only vax was with mercury, TD is without.


stop the insanity!

[2cutiekitties]

I absolutely love this thread - a lot of good info.

[peainthepod]

Originally Posted by WCM

call our pharmacist, and ask him. He agrees, says why on earth would they offer the vax AFTER the fact? I need the tiG. so he looks it up, tries to order it, and is baffled. Why does he have a DIN number for it, but if he tries to order it, it denies him?

Wow! That is crazy on so many levels. I also LOVE LOVE LOVE that your pharmacist was more knowledgeable (or maybe just more honest) than the ER doc. Yikes.

In the end, we did nothing. just hot soaks, ledum and SA.

Sorry for my ignorance, but what's ledum?

[grahamsmom98]

I'm so sorry you had to go through that.

We are incredibly fortunate that we live in an area with a fabulous small hospital. They do ask about being up-to-date on vaccinations, if you have an ER visit, but only for their records. They have never pushed a vaccination on any of us (13 years of using this hospital). Very respectful of their patients.

Ds had his only ER visit a few years ago (he was, I think, 6 years old, at the time) after he slipped and impaled himself, in the armpit, on our wrought iron fireplace screen. Ripped a huge flap of skin open with only a drop of blood (it was amazing).

To close it required over 25 stitches. The ER crew did ask about being up-to-date on his vaccinations (routine questions) and I explained we stopped all vaccinations when he was 7 months old, after a life-threatening adverse reaction, while in the doctor's office, to one of the vaccines he received during his well-child check. They said, "Oh, I'd have stopped vaxxing, too!!" That was it.

Of course, dh & I stayed with ds every moment he was there and looked at everything they were doing. But, all was as perfect as it could be and the ER visit (and, all those stitches with sedation) went without a hitch.

Same goes for me, I simply told them (during a need-for-stitches visit related to a fall down the hillside ) I don't vaccinate. No more explaination than that, no reason mentioned. No questioning from them as to why or trying to convince me otherwise.

Oh, and we have never been asked to sign a waiver about our refusal to accept vaccinations in the ER. I would refuse to sign anyway, but it's nice to know we don't have that agenda pushed upon us.

We love our local health care system!

[Spencersmom]

I feel so relieved after finding this thread this evening. We just had an ER visit today for my 5 yo ds. He split his chin open on our coffee table while horsing around. We do not vax. On the way to the hospital I was worried about the vaccine question and if it would come up. Sure enough they asked if my son was up to date on all of this vaccinations. I said no that we do not vaccinate. Next question? Does he have a ped? Yes and I give them his name. The doc sees us and stitches my son up without any mention of Tetanus until the end. I asked if they send a letter to our ped about what happened at the ER so that it is part of his record (yk because I'm such a neglectful nonvaxing mother). He says, "Yes, your doctor will get a quick note about the laceration and that we stitched it up. And we'll also mention the need to speak with you about tetanus." I brush off that part by not acknowleding. Then he says, "Where did he hit his face? Was it inside?" On a coffee table in my living room. My clean coffee table, in my clean living room in my clean house. What am I missing? I don't know whether to be shocked or appalled? I cannot believe that Tetanus is such an issue that even when my son presents to them after an injury that in no way, shape or form could give him tetanus, they are asking about it. I guess I should be glad that I didn't get a lecture about how my child could die and about how neglectful I am.

What I wanted to say here is that we steer away from mainstream medicine in many instances, vaxing being just one of them. We often self treat at home with homeopathy, herbs, tinctures and the like but I am just learning and when things as "serious" as what happened today come up, I panic a little. When that happens I tend to refer back to what I know which is go to a doctor. It was warranted today, I believe, because my son had a gaping wound that would not have stayed close with any means that I had available. The point being that I think that there is a time and place for doctors. I think that there are circumstances where their skills are invaluable and I am grateful for them. However, I feel very vulnerable. I bring my son to them so that they can work their magic and fix him but then I get a dose of their rigid protocol and incredible misinformation. It makes these situations very high stress for me because I don't know where the line is of trusting and not trusting? How do you trust someone that would give your child DTaP without even informing you that it's not a straight tetanus vaccine? What that they would give the tetanus vaccine vs the TiG. And that if they were to give the shot I would leave there thinking my son was protected from tetanus because that would have been their attitude. What if he wasn't and was showing signs? Would I not recognize them because no one educated me about the shortcomings of the vaccine given at the time of injury? OMGoodness. It makes me sick to think about it. Then it makes me so angry because informed consent is the biggest joke EVER!! :

What am I doing to make myself feel better? I am writing down all the reasons that I do NOT want the tetanus vax for myself or my family and giving myself the facts about the disease and the vaccines so next time I won't feel so unsure and uninformed. Thank you all for sharing the information in this thread. I will go to bed tonight feeling very validated in my decision not to vax.... I left there having absorbed their "neglectful mother" energy and it felt yucky. It's nice to let that go.

[Spencersmom]

I just want to make sure I have this right. The TiG is only for children over 7 correct? Does anyone know what kind of additives it contains? Mercury, aluminum, formaldehyde?

[alegna]

Originally Posted by Spencersmom

I just want to make sure I have this right. The TiG is only for children over 7 correct? Does anyone know what kind of additives it contains? Mercury, aluminum, formaldehyde?

I don't know of an age restriction on Tig. It would be for any questionable injury I would think.

The tetanus solo vax is for over 7- perhaps that's what you're thinking of?

-Angela

[luminesce]

Originally Posted by rosewater

This is intersting. MY DD is only 3 now, and she was 2 when our pediatritian "offered" it to us.

The vaccine is only approved for kids 7 and over but I think this is only because it has LESS tetanus toxoid in it. Theoretically, (I think) more is required to induce immunity in younger children; plus they know that more = more risk of adverse effects. So they put less toxoid in shots approved for older people.

[luminesce]

Originally Posted by alegna

I don't know of an age restriction on Tig. It would be for any questionable injury I would think.

The tetanus solo vax is for over 7- perhaps that's what you're thinking of?

-Angela

Tig can be used for any wounded unvaccinated or partially vaccinated person regardless of age. It is, however, a blood product so it carries all the sane disease risks of receiving blood (hepatitis, hiv, etc.)

[yarngoddess]

I overheard a elderly man in the Er and he cut his thumb and was getting stitched up and they were talking about tetanus shots. I asked the nurse practiconer(sp) when he came in if they were giving him the TiG or an actual vaccination. His response was "What's the difference?" he was not joking. I explained that Tig was antigens and the vax didn't do anything to the wound today. He tells the nurse to hold off on the shot and he goes and looks it up. Sure enough, he says, you're right. I'm having the Tig sent up right now (i used to work in this hospital and a group of parents and nurses, myself included, petitoned the hospital to have Tig on hand, but they failed to teach any thing to the doc's or nurses about having it on hand) and this nice guy got the Tig instead.

Even my lovely ped(she's pro vax, but doesn't push at all-respects selective or no vax) told me in my last visit that in med school they learn nutrition for 3 days and they are taught about VPD's in books from the pharmaceuticle(sp again geeze!) companies. She said that she's starting to see my "follow the money" line. She also is now supportive of my use of herbal and homeopathic remedies because of my Vax damaged son is doing better.

OP- and all you other mom's/dad's out there that have been harrassed by doc's in ER's and Doc's offices over Tetanus shots- they are REALLY clueless about what's right, and they are fed BS after BS after BS all bought and paid for by the Big Pharma. makes my stomach sick......
Glad you're DS is healing nicely too!

[Spencersmom]

Originally Posted by serenitii

Tig can be used for any wounded unvaccinated or partially vaccinated person regardless of age. It is, however, a blood product so it carries all the sane disease risks of receiving blood (hepatitis, hiv, etc.)

So what's worse? Potential tetanus or possible HIV/Hep? Sheesh. There just aren't any good answers in this scenario. What it does for me though is it reminds me that our best prevention against disease is good nutrition. I've been lax lately and needed motivation to get back on the bandwagon. Truly, the best thing I can do for my children is to feed them the best possible food I can get my hands on and watch their vitamin levels (thinking primarily D and C here). Seems like the safest bet going.