Can you get a pediatric tetanus only vax in Canada???

[Debobu]

HI

Can you get a pediatric tetanus only vax in Canada?

Thanks for any info!!!!

[westcoastmom]

When I inquired 2-3 years ago I was told that it is only available as a combo (DPT) in Canada. Even in emergency when they give people tetanus injections after injury it is a DPT injection. Health officials feel they would rather be giving more than less.

I wrote to a doctor in the US who has written that it is wise to choose tetanus only vaccines and the answer I got back from him was that tetanus only was not available in the US anymore.

Maybe in Europe?

[Debobu]

Thanks much!!!

[shenanegans]

My son is almost four and last summer, he got a big gash on his eyebrow from an old metal bouncing duck in the playground. He had to get stitches and even though he was unvaccinated up until then we decided to get the tetanus shot. I was pregnant at the time and the Dr got really stressed out because my son was crying, she started yelling at me and wouldn't let me stay in the room. Anyway looong story at the end after the shot when we got home I read the card, I saw that it wasn't tetanus but a whole bunch of vaccines together. I was so upset. They never told me it would be a number of things together. such a terrible experience!

[ghannit]

I know that when I inquired with the Health Department (almost 3 years ago) about separating the combo vaxes, I was told that N.S. has only what it ordered, and that they didn't order tetanus alone. I was also told by them (or rather a woman I spoke to representing them) that I needed to vax my daughter for the sake of other, less healthy children.

Since then I've been pressured by my Dr. to get the Polio vax for DD, and not to worry about tetanus. I've a wonderful Dr, but this is a troubling spot in our relationship to say the least. My 3yo DD is fully unvaxed and has not had more than a few slight fevers and sniffles in her life. Shes had many scrapes, and even a small cat tooth puncture wound. I cleaned all with Hydrogen Peroxide and Tea Tree oil. If I was ever truly concerned though, I'd take her into the ER stat. 

@ Shenanegans: that is a frustrating story!

That you were told your child would be receiving a tetanus vax, yet ended up getting more is just wrong. Not surprising however.

What is most frustrating about your story is how often this bizarre ignorance on a doctors part seems to occur. I've looked into tetanus a lot, and apparently when there is a real risk of infection after injury, vaccination makes no sense. At that point, one would need the TiG if the intent is to fight off the current infection. 

It takes about two weeks for the body to aquire antibodies to the vaccination. The TiG is immunoglobulin. Basically straight antibodies.

If you haven't been vaxed and really need the antibodies to prevent an infection at the point of injury, the vax is useless. For a previously unvaxed person to get vaccinated upon injury... well, it kind of blows my mind that a medical professional would offer this. Much less, so insistently.

I too though, had no idea about the TiG until I began looking into it due to my child. I am actually concerned now though, that were my dd to ever have a truly tetanus prone injury, I might be up against an ignorant Dr. with no idea about the TiG vs the vaccine.   

[corrabelle]

A friend of mine ordered a tetnus only vax from a clinic in the midwest...I'll try to ask her the name of it.

I've considered taking mine back home to Kansas for a tetnus only shot. I'd have to pay for it, but it would be just tetnus. Something i'm willing to pay for!

Luckily, we haven't had any issues that have warrented any vaccines yet.

[Debobu]

Corrabelle

Would you please ask your friend how she got the rtetanus only vax?

We live in the US.

Thanks!

[westcoastmom]

If you are buying a tetanus vaccine anywhere, I would check the bottle to make sure that is indeed what you are getting.

I don't get the typical health dept attitude of people need to vaccinate to help less healthy children. Isn't that an acknowledgement of the inefficiency of vaccines?

Sadly when it comes to vaccines I find it the one area where I feel like I should just lie when asked in emerg or other places. It seems easier to just say all vaccines are up to date. As far as I am concerned we are totally up to date with what we want. My children were very healthy when they were younger. They didn't have a cold or illness for the first 2-3 years of their lives. My 9.5 yr old just got her first ear infection and the doctor looked at me in total shock when I said she had never had one before.

Other parents I met when my kids were young used to complain that they had vaccinated against everything and their kids were constantly sick or had ear infections.

[monkeybum]

If you are worried about Tetanus, think again...see Statistics Canada stats on Tetanus here http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/im/vpd-mev/tetanus-eng.php (ignore all the blah-blah-blah how great the vaccines are, just look at the NUMBERS), rate of decline is related to high incidents from WWI and WWII, better sanitation, better living conditions, wound care, etc. and here http://dsol-smed.phac-aspc.gc.ca/dsol-smed/ndis/disease2/tetn-eng.php (these are recent numbers, but prior years show the same - no tetanus reported in children even prior to the vaccine).

Also, you could ask for the Immune Globulin NOT the tetanus vaccine if you go to Emerg with a concernig wound. http://www.talecris.com/ca/talecris-canada-hypermunes.htm  Scroll down to the Tetanus one.

Notifiable diseases statistics if you are interested, http://dsol-smed.phac-aspc.gc.ca/dsol-smed/ndis/c_dis-eng.php Tetanus is not a risk for children, in fact the risk of contracting it is so low Public Health Agency of Canada no longer tracks or reports it.

Kathy

[quantumleap]

My kids are unvaxed, but we're travelling to visit my family in central Africa soon, and our pediatrician really recommended tetanus the last time we saw him. I was very hesitant because I don't want to give dyptheria or polio. He's kind of an odd fellow, but he was perfectly willing to order in a tetanus without the polio component. I didn't ask from where, but I can the next time we see him. I'd rather give polio than dyptheria, and don't actually plan to give either, so I was pretty non-committal about it. 

I'm also very, very unconcerned about tetanus in Canada. Also, we totally have access to the TiG if it's needed. Travelling gets tricky though - higher tetanus counts in the soil, more difficult to access TiG...