Worried First Time Mom over Vax

[Zechariahsmom]

If someone out there has any kind of info for me, PLEASE INFORM ME!!! I'm a first time Mom with a three month old son. I have been arguing with my son's pediatrician about the vaccines because she is very pushy and I am uncomfortable with certain ones. I cannot find a pediatrician who will give my son just the DT vax without the pertussis. Since he is half me and I had a bad  reaction to it as an infant and have horrible allergies, I am trying to find an alternative. I have called many different offices and no one can help me or they say they only give it as DTap. I am in no way going to just inject my son with something that will could potentially be very harmful to him. He is just more prone than other babies to have a reaction. Can anyone help?? :)

[elmh23]

First, find a new ped. Obviously, you guys disagree on things and she needs to not be so pushy.

Second, I don't think they offer DT for an infant.  Your best bet would be to skip that vaccine entirely.

[Zechariahsmom]

To be honest I have read a lot of the reports on the DTaP vaccination and  that is why I opted for just the DT , However the pediatrician stated that office "didn't believe" in doing the DT only so that is how I knew that had it but just didn't want to give it on their own belief. If there was a way to find who offers it would make things a lot easier and yes I completely agree with you I NEED A NEW PED. I was also looking into a natropath. It's just very hard to find out all these things and I'm new to the state I live in and don't have anyone to ask or refer me to a good Pediatrician.

[blessedwithboys]

Try posting in Finding Your Tribe, under the Tribal Area for your part of the world.

[Emmeline II]

You can try a family practitioner.

Also, the WBV schedule is based on the vaccine schedule. You don't necessarily have to go so often or at a particular marker (2mo, 4mo, etc.)

[QueenOfTheMeadow]

My son, 11 year old, just stepped on a nail when he was with my parents while dh and I were out of state at a wedding. My mom called the pediatrician in her area who told her that even though it hadn't been 10 years, he'd suggest he get the tetnus booster that comes with the pertusis because it couldn't hurt (not to mention saying that ds had to be on antibiotics just in case it got infected) . The ER told her the same thing. Her family doctor told her the same thing.

Umm, yeah, it could hurt.. Ds1 ran a fever between 103-104 fever after his last DTaP...for a week! So I told my mom I'd call our family doctor who is much more intune with alternative medicine. He said that he would not reccomend it due to the reaction that ds had had because they no longer could get tetnus by itself. So it may be that they just don't have the tetnus without pertusis anymore. Which stinks since it seems to be the pertusis that causes the worst reactions.

It does sound like you need to find a new doctor though. They shouldn't be continually pressuring you like that.

[QueenOfTheMeadow]

I'm going to move this to the vaccination forum. Enjoy the ride!

[Otto]

Originally Posted by elmh23 

Second, I don't think they offer DT for an infant.  Your best bet would be to skip that vaccine entirely.

I'm pretty sure Sanofi Pasteur still makes pediatric DT (generic).

[ETA.--OP might want to check with the local health department to see if they have it; being part of larger scale operations, they sometimes have a redistribution system for less commonly used vaccines.]

Edited by Otto - 12/11/10 at 12:47pm

[chaoticzenmom]

I would skip that vaccine altogether.  Tetanus isn't really a risk in children with good circulatory systems (according to everything I've read...could be wrong there)  Pertussis is the main concern of those 3 in that vaccine, so why bother with it.  Let him get it in DT form as an adult if he wants.

If you have access to a naturapath, go for it!  We've been using a naturapath for 6 years and I'll never go back.  We do have to pay cash for ours because our insurance doesn't cover her (only because she's not contracted with them).  We pay 50 a visit.  She weighs and measures the kids, discusses issues of concern, discusses diet and possible sensitivities, discusses whatever (usually about 45 min of talking) and runs any tests I request (allergie, etc.)  That's it.  No vaccine discussion unless I bring it up, she doesn't touch their genitals unless I say there may be an issue (found a hydrocele for example).  She tells me what diseases may be going around and we talk about whether supplementation is necessary (more vit. D and which kind of calcium supp. is best).  She tells me naturapathic ways to prevent or deal with illnesses (no dairy or citrus when we have a cold and how to make a poultice for ear infections, garlic melein (sp?) for earaches).  Just stuff you can't get from a regular Dr and that time to ask all your questions without rush.

[Otto]

Originally Posted by chaoticzenmom 

Tetanus isn't really a risk in children with good circulatory systems (according to everything I've read...could be wrong there)

The problem I have with the "good circulation" argument is that it tries to generalize backward from the well-known increased risk in diabetics or others prone to necrotizing wounds to somehow minimize the baseline risk in the general population. The question is the individual risk associated with exposure, as the spores are hardy and certainly aren't guaranteed to lodge somewhere inhospitable in case of injury.

[ma2two]

I don't know why you would bother with DT.  There is about 1 case of diphtheria per year in the U.S., and about 30 cases of tetanus.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/dip.pdf

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/tetanus.pdf