My kid fell into a rose bush...trying not to worry.

[Toposlonoshlep]

We were at the botanical garden and my 18 month old tripped and landed on a low rose bush. One thorn went into his upper arm. There is a drop of blood. I disinfected it.

He has had 2 dTaps, one at 5 months and one at 9.5...

Do you guys have any idea how much tetanus protection 2 doses provide? Trying not to worry...

[Maiasaura]

He won't get tetanus from a plant. You have to get that from things like rusty nails. He'll be fine



HTH.

[AGierald]

i am not a doctor, nurse or anything like that, but i truly don't believe falling into a rosebush would give any reason to worry about tetanus. a deep puncture wound on someone with very bad blood circulation, from something that can be infected with animal feces, is a danger for tetanus, from my research.

[Toposlonoshlep]

Originally Posted by Maiasaura

He won't get tetanus from a plant. You have to get that from things like rusty nails. He'll be fine



HTH.

Well, yes and no. The rusty nail thing comes from the olden days when rusty nails in the ground came out if horse hooves and had manure in them (tetanus grows in animal guts and comes out in the poop). You can't get tetanus from rust itself. Gardeners, however, are warned to update their tetanus vaxes because rose thorns can have infected earth and manure on them. That's why I am trying to find info on the effectiveness of two doses of dtap, but of course all the stats are for three and up. *sigh*

[Maiasaura]

Originally Posted by Toposlonoshlep

Gardeners, however, are warned to update their tetanus vaxes because rose thorns can have infected earth and manure on them.

Oh...well, who knew. Thanks for enlightening! I didn't even think of that.

[Toposlonoshlep]

Originally Posted by Maiasaura

Oh...well, who knew. Thanks for enlightening! I didn't even think of that.

LOL. Well, I have done my worried mama research and you're welcome. Also, I have found a study (done with Argentinian kids) that showed 100% immunity for tetanus from 2 doses. It is the Pertussis that is iffy with 2 doses, but the tetanus is taken care of with two. Hope that helps someone else out there with only a couple dTaps.

[Maiasaura]

Originally Posted by Toposlonoshlep

Also, I have found a study (done with Argentinian kids) that showed 100% immunity for tetanus from 2 doses. It is the Pertussis that is iffy with 2 doses, but the tetanus is taken care of with two. Hope that helps someone else out there with only a couple dTaps.

Oh, really? That would be us

DS had two dT (not dTap) when he was like...hmm, 9mo old or so? And then he had a reaction and whoomp, there it is, end of vax's for us.

Got link?

[prothyraia]

I wouldn't worry about it myself, but you *could* always talk to your pediatrician and ask if s/he thinks TIG would be a good idea.

[Toposlonoshlep]

Originally Posted by Maiasaura

Oh, really? That would be us

DS had two dT (not dTap) when he was like...hmm, 9mo old or so? And then he had a reaction and whoomp, there it is, end of vax's for us.

Got link?

Had to dig for it. Here you go:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/u8463607r743gu85/

[lunarlady]

Chances are at a botanic garden any manure they use would be well composted, and maybe even heat sterilized, making the chance of infection lower than if you were in the wild where raw manure might be on the thorns. So that combined with the couple shots he's had should mean you're safe.