Tetanus Shot for 2nd Degree Burn?

[MrsJewelsRae]

My dd (5) touched a friend's wood-burning stove today with her right hand. She got 2nd degree burns on the tips of her 3 fingers (they were white/leathery blisters almost instantly). I still feel just ill about it, my heart could break from all the screaming and crying she did. We put it under cool water right away for 20 minutes and put aloe vera juice on it, strait from the plant. We were out of town and had to drive nearly an hour to the hospital, they were so busy they said it would be at least 3 hrs before they'd be able to get her in. She was pretty calm by this point and they gave her Advil to help. The nurse said to keep the air off it and take her to our doctor on tuesday if we didn't wait to be seen. Since then she's been keeping it iced and I just put some more aloe vera on it and convinced her to give up the ice pack.

Read this on intellihealth:
"# Tetanus risks. All patients with second- and third-degree burns also need to have up-to-date tetanus shots. If you have not had a tetanus vaccine in the past five years, see a doctor today for a booster shot. If you have not completed the introductory tetanus series of three shots (usually given in infancy, but given to adults who were not vaccinated earlier), it is especially important to see a doctor, as you may need to receive an immunoglobulin shot to kill tetanus bacteria in the burn wound."

So I've been reading up on treating burns and keep seeing "check if you tetanus shot is up to date" and I'm wondering, what is the risk of tetanus with a burn such as this? It's not large, and it's been kept fairly clean, the blisters are intact so far. My dd is completely unvax'd and has eczema with sensitivity to milk and soy and allergic to penicillin (FWIW!)- so if my doctor suggests on tuesday that she needs a tetanus shot should I get one? Is there a "real" risk of tetanus, or is it with more severe/large/open burns? What are the risks of the shot for a girl her age in good health and no developmental delays, etc? Thanks for any help, I'm just a mess about this!

[Emmeline II]

My unvaxed dd had some small 2nd degree burns when she was very young; I just treated them and they healed quickly. Depite the blisters, her wounds were shallow and had access to oxygen. I don't see the need for a shot with a shallow clean wound that is healing well.

Sometimes shots are pushed for liability reasons, as when I was pushed to have a rogham though dh is O Neg, I am B Neg, and our first child was O Neg ; the nurse really did not know what Rhogam does or why it is given...really.

[fruitfulmomma]

Tetanus would not concern me under those conditions. However, if you are concerned about her risk from this or any other injury she would need to be given TiG (Tetanus Immune Globulin), within 48 hours I believe. The tetanus vaccine is not retroactive and would be useless at this point.

[Magali]

Originally Posted by fruitfulmomma

Tetanus would not concern me under those conditions. However, if you are concerned about her risk from this or any other injury she would need to be given TiG (Tetanus Immune Globulin), within 48 hours I believe. The tetanus vaccine is not retroactive and would be useless at this point.

This. Especially the part that I bolded.

[Marnica]

I'd skip the shot and be putting manuka honey on it

[MrsJewelsRae]

Thanks a lot! Actually we decided not to take her to the doc after all since she was seen by 2 nurses the day it happened and we did bring her to the hospital, if they had thought it was that bad they would have reccomended us waiting to see the doc. I've still been putting the aloe vera on and it and keeping it lightly covered with gauze. The blisters are still intact and seem to be healing well, if she shows signs of increased pain or infection I'll bring her in. Never heard of manuka honey, I'll have to look that up.

[lastrid]

If the blisters are intact, I'm not sure how it would be possible to contract tetanus at all. It has to get in somewhere.

[springbabes]

But what if the blisters aren't intact? I was just coming here to ask this question, but for third degree burns. My 2 yo DD fell against the glass part of our gas fireplace last week and got third degree burns on her arm and hand. The arm has mostly healed but she is still missing a lot of skin on the side of her hand.

The burn doctor is concerned about her picking up tetanus from the environment at any point through her open wound. I've been instructed to leave the wound tightly wrapped in gauze and to change the bandages twice a day.

She likes going outside to play, but I must admit I'm a little worried about tetanus. Should I just keep her out of the dirt or should I consider the vax?

[claddaghmom]

At this point I would not be talking vaccines at all. If Tetanus is suspected, then she needs the antigen shot (TiG).

If the doctor wanted to offer the tig and then sell the Td or Dt or whatever, then at least that makes sense. Otherwise I'd be PO'd.

[springbabes]

But. . . I think the worry isn't that she already has tetanus, but that she will acquire tetanus at some future point during the healing process, that perhaps a burn might lend itself to being more susceptible to a tetanus infection than other types of wounds. Anyone know?

If I remember correctly, tetanus is killed by oxygen so I would assume that a big open wound like a burn wouldn't be much of a risk. But I don't know . . .so help.

[member234098]

Edited by member234098 - 6/11/12 at 7:06am

[ttcintexas]

Both of my children have had 2nd degree burns Both are completely unvaxed. My DD was the first to receive the burn--it was a good portion of her torso. Her doctor never brought up Tetanus. The big concern was infection and making sure all the dead skin was removed. I kept Bacitracin on it and kept it well covered. When I was no longer concerned about infection, I kept Emu oil on it. Sometime after her burn I read about the Tetanus risk with burns, asked the doctor why she never brought it up and she said she never thought of it (not a big risk? or used to kids being vaxed for it?). My son stepped on a burning bbq coal and got the 2nd degree burn on his foot. We were out of town and the on-call doctor I talked to did not think Tetanus was a risk--and this time I specifically asked. I followed the same treatment plan as my daughter--removed dead skin, kept Bacitracin on it, kept it covered, used Emu after no longer concerned with infection. Both have healed wonderfully. I hope your daughter is feeling ok. I certainally know what you mean by feeling ill about it!

[mandms]

bumping this as we have had a similiar situation.. 2nd and partial 3rd degree burns on both palms and all digits (gas fronted fireplace and  fast baby... daddy with a broken heart and forever guilt :( )

anyways, we have deep open wounds and lots of open blisters.. so im looking at old threads for advice. we delay vaxes until at least six months and so she;s ten months and only had one set.. im not adverse to the shots.. just dont want to introduce more to her tiny system right now..

any thoughts?

[spatulagirl]

When my first DD was 9 months old, she got huge second and third degree burns on her arm, torso and leg. She spent 6 weeks in the hospital. When we took her to the ER, they asked if she was up to date with shots and she was unvaxed. They wanted to give her tetanus in the form of DTaP and I refused. I just wanted plain tetanus. They gave her that and then she was airlifted out to a better hospital with a burn unit.

I think if it was something small. treatable at home, then I wouldn't worry about the shot. But really severe burns, I was comfortable her getting it. She is 6 and it has been the only vax she has ever received.

[mama2soren]

Originally Posted by spatulagirl 

When my first DD was 9 months old, she got huge second and third degree burns on her arm, torso and leg. She spent 6 weeks in the hospital. When we took her to the ER, they asked if she was up to date with shots and she was unvaxed. They wanted to give her tetanus in the form of DTaP and I refused. I just wanted plain tetanus. They gave her that and then she was airlifted out to a better hospital with a burn unit.

I don't think there is a tetanus-only vaccine for babies.  Do you think she actually got TiG?