I'm really hoping someone on this board can help me out. I'm scared for my little boy.
DS got his DTaP at 3 months and had a reaction. He screamed for 2-3 hours afterwards and the injection site swelled up to the size of a golf ball. As a result, we stopped vaccinating and I started researching. He's had his 2 month shots (we're in Ontario )and nothing else since.
I have since found out that my sisters have had reactions to the tetanus shot in the past, to the point where they were advised not to have it again unless their risk of tetanus outweighed the risk of a vax reaction. I've never had a reaction to the shot, neither has DH (to my knowledge). I do know that tetanus reactions (if that's what he's reacting to, which given my family history is probably the case) tend to be worse each time. I hate that once the vax is in him, there's no going back, no reversing it, no cure.
He had his 18 month checkup a couple of weeks ago. My family doc brought up the vaccine question again. She basically told us, "I'm okay with you guys not vaccinating, but tetanus really concerns me, because if he gets tetanus, he dies."
I know the vax is highly effective, and it would provide really good protection for him. But at what potential cost?
My doctor has arranged for us to see a specialist in a major children's hospital about 4 hours away. He will administer the DT shot and monitor DS for at least a couple of hours in case he reacts.
I only have a couple of hours to get back to the receptionist and let her know if we're coming or not. The clinic is this Friday. This is our last chance to vax him for tetanus if we want to, as we've found excuses to turn down the clinic twice this past year, so it's now or never.
Thing is, I'm not entirely comfortable with him not being vaxed for tetanus either. I don't want to have to always panic when he hurts himself outside. I was a super active kid and was always running around barefoot and stepping on stuff, and I want to let him have that kind of freedom without always having this huge tetanus monster of potential doom looming over him. I want to let him dig in the dirt without this anxiety!
I've been sobbing since I got off the phone with the clinic. I'm not comfortable enough with either scenario to decide what's best, I see it as pretty much life or death either way and I don't want to make that call. worse still, DH keeps telling me I'm 'overthinking things' and that we should just give him the shot.
Ahhhhh I can't decide! Help, mama's! I'm trapped in this vax fear and I'm alone in it
How do I know what's right for my son?!?
ETA: at this point, we would only consider the tetanus vax, we don't intend to vax for anything else although we may vax selectively if he goes to school.
DS got his DTaP at 3 months and had a reaction. He screamed for 2-3 hours afterwards and the injection site swelled up to the size of a golf ball. As a result, we stopped vaccinating and I started researching. He's had his 2 month shots (we're in Ontario )and nothing else since.
I have since found out that my sisters have had reactions to the tetanus shot in the past, to the point where they were advised not to have it again unless their risk of tetanus outweighed the risk of a vax reaction. I've never had a reaction to the shot, neither has DH (to my knowledge). I do know that tetanus reactions (if that's what he's reacting to, which given my family history is probably the case) tend to be worse each time. I hate that once the vax is in him, there's no going back, no reversing it, no cure.
He had his 18 month checkup a couple of weeks ago. My family doc brought up the vaccine question again. She basically told us, "I'm okay with you guys not vaccinating, but tetanus really concerns me, because if he gets tetanus, he dies."
I know the vax is highly effective, and it would provide really good protection for him. But at what potential cost?
My doctor has arranged for us to see a specialist in a major children's hospital about 4 hours away. He will administer the DT shot and monitor DS for at least a couple of hours in case he reacts.
I only have a couple of hours to get back to the receptionist and let her know if we're coming or not. The clinic is this Friday. This is our last chance to vax him for tetanus if we want to, as we've found excuses to turn down the clinic twice this past year, so it's now or never.
Thing is, I'm not entirely comfortable with him not being vaxed for tetanus either. I don't want to have to always panic when he hurts himself outside. I was a super active kid and was always running around barefoot and stepping on stuff, and I want to let him have that kind of freedom without always having this huge tetanus monster of potential doom looming over him. I want to let him dig in the dirt without this anxiety!
I've been sobbing since I got off the phone with the clinic. I'm not comfortable enough with either scenario to decide what's best, I see it as pretty much life or death either way and I don't want to make that call. worse still, DH keeps telling me I'm 'overthinking things' and that we should just give him the shot.
Ahhhhh I can't decide! Help, mama's! I'm trapped in this vax fear and I'm alone in it
How do I know what's right for my son?!?ETA: at this point, we would only consider the tetanus vax, we don't intend to vax for anything else although we may vax selectively if he goes to school.
Still a bit worrisome though.
