DTaP or not to DTaP

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

My ds will be 6y this coming Oct. I am debating whether or not to finish up the DTaP series with him or not.

He got the first 2 as an infant. I stopped for several reasons but now I am wondering if I should go ahead with this particular shot for him.I am not particularly concerned with the D or the P for that matter but T is something that I do think about.

So at his age what are the possible risks for doing the shot? Should I just forget it and get the TIG should a injury arise and just forget the DTaP? If I do decide to do them how many more would he need?

Help me think this through please.

[mgg]

Children typically receive five doses. However, the fifth dose is not considered necessary if the child receives the fourth dose after the age of four. So your child would need two more doses to be considered fully immunized.

Since your child had two doses in infancy. If he didn't have a problem then, from a medical perspective, there is not much concern that he would have a problem now.

Here's a link to the CDC catch-up schedule. It's useful for those "how many more would (he/she) need now" questions!

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/sch...chedule-pr.pdf

[Marnica]

The Dtap series is so many because the pertussis component is not very effective. If your child had 2 Dtaps, he is likely fine for coverage for tetanus at this point.

Personally I don't think tetanus is that major of a concern that I would even bother. If you educate yourself about proper wound care, and how rare tetanus really is, that might make you feel better.

If you are set in having a tetanus vaccine, I would certainly not to it now (since he most likely doesn't need it) and at some point when he is older get the him the TD.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Ds is not exactly clumsy but he is very much physically active and gets hurt way more than dd ever has. Having said that he has never had an injury where I felt he was in danger of tetanus.

The only reason I am thinking of it now is because dh brought it up and I wanted to look into it again to see if any thing had changed from when I did last time.

As far as reactions goes he started to develop eczema after the first set of shots then after the second it got worse much like my dd did the only difference is I stopped when I saw it happening with ds and his eczema went away 100% where with dd I didnt stop and she still suffers from eczema to this day.

I was telling dh that if I waited till he was over 7 then he would just get the TD and not the DTaP which I like the idea of more so for now I will let things go as they stand and if ds or dd for that matter where to get hurt where I felt tetanus was a real threat I will do the TIG.

[Lisa1970]

There is no finishing up this series. You need boosters your entire life or you lose immunity.

I did do the DTP recently, for the P. I am not worried about the T at all. We have soap here, do not live in a 3rd world area, we have clean water, that sort of thing. If you plan mission work or travels to a 3rd world country, then maybe I would consider it for the T, otherwise, not.

I don't know if we needed or should have done the DTP. I had just had a baby so I got the whole family the DTP so no one would bring it home to the baby. I had the DTP as a child so I figure it has been around long enough to not have much for problems. But I do not know for sure and would never fault anyone for not getting it at all. But I would never get it for the T.

On the "finish up the series" part, many people think that once they get the childhood recommended list, they are immune to all those diseases. In reality, they all expire and all those shots are needed all through adulthood to continue vaccination-induced immunity. The only "finishing up" you are doing is the under 18 schedule. Plus, there are things that are not on the teen list yet just because the shots are new or have not yet added certain shots. They gave my 14 and 15 yr old the DTPs even though they have had the entire series, on time, to date. We only started skipping vaccinations in the last two years, so they got their DTPs all along. (or DTaP, I cannot recall which is for olders and which is for youngers)

[PGTlatte]

I chose to start it for DS2 at the age of 4 yrs. I was concerned because he has an extremely high pain threshold, and I was finding skin injuries on him that he got when he was playing outside, that he didn't tell me about, and when I discovered them and asked, DS2 wouldn't even remember getting them, and DS1 would tell me how they happened and that it was several days ago. All of them were dirty. One of them involved a pretty deep slice into the palm of his hand...and I found out he had got it pinched in a stall door in the barn of the petting zoo, at a drop-off class they took together, and the injury was three days old. Neither boy had even told the teacher "because it didn't bleed and he wasn't even crying". They just handled it on their own. Yikes. I've tried to impress on them that when DS2 is cut I need to know. I do my best to give him a quick exam now when they come in from playing. With DS1 I don't need to do this because the slightest scratch has him asking for attention. Anyway I decided I would be more comfortable having him vaccinated for tetanus.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Since the P dosnt prevent transmission I am not concerned with keeping that one up to date anyway. The only reason I think of tetanus is because of where we live and the environment and even then I am not that concerned really since the TIG is available.

[Asiago]

Perhaps do a titer and see if there is an immune response.

[Dixielane]

Originally Posted by MCatLvrMom2A&X

Since the P dosnt prevent transmission I am not concerned with keeping that one up to date anyway. The only reason I think of tetanus is because of where we live and the environment and even then I am not that concerned really since the TIG is available.

Totally OT, but I saw your avatar and wanted to say that I am SO team Jasper! LOL Everyone is team edward or jacob, but I happen to like Jasper thank you very much. LOL

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

yep I am not attracted to either Jacob or Edward but in this last movie WOWSA go Jasper

[Fyrestorm]

Originally Posted by Lisa1970

I don't know if we needed or should have done the DTP. I had just had a baby so I got the whole family the DTP so no one would bring it home to the baby. I had the DTP as a child so I figure it has been around long enough to not have much for problems. But I do not know for sure and would never fault anyone for not getting it at all. But I would never get it for the T.

Just so you are aware... now that the whole family is vaxed, you have to be 20 times more careful around the baby. Anyone can still bring it home, they just won't have typical symptoms so you won't be aware that they are sick and therefore are even more of a danger to the babe.

http://insidevaccines.com/wordpress/...-transmission/

[polishprinsezz]

Originally Posted by Lisa1970

There is no finishing up this series. You need boosters your entire life or you lose immunity.



On the "finish up the series" part, many people think that once they get the childhood recommended list, they are immune to all those diseases. In reality, they all expire and all those shots are needed all through adulthood to continue vaccination-induced immunity. The only "finishing up" you are doing is the under 18 schedule. Plus, there are things that are not on the teen list yet just because the shots are new or have not yet added certain shots. They gave my 14 and 15 yr old the DTPs even though they have had the entire series, on time, to date. We only started skipping vaccinations in the last two years, so they got their DTPs all along. (or DTaP, I cannot recall which is for olders and which is for youngers)

this is so true and most people dont realize this.