Tetanus and the grandparents' horse farm

[mamabearoftwo]

I have not "been" here in many years. I now have 3 vax free kids, but am wrestling with the tetanus and horse farm issue.

My boys 7.5 and 6 are going to their grandparents' horse farm for 5 days. They are avid climbers (ie will and do climb anything!!!) and my in laws have rusting equipment, filled pole barns and horse manure galore. My husband and I are growing increasingly more uncomfortable with them not having tetanus shots.

My family doctor is awesome and is fine with us not vaxing. When I brought it up at a healthy kid check a few months back she said that most of the immune response is from the first shot. If I wanted to do one and stop or have them titered I could. It was a no pressure thought.

I am stumped. I do not believe vaxes are the root of all evil and those who push them are part of a lying conspiracy. I do believe they have helped with the better hygiene and nutrition. That said, I do not trust big pharm further than I can throw them and I do feel that the over vaxing of America and many of the toxic ingredients have contributed to many of our immuno issues.

My choices as I see them:

1. Not vax, send a letter stating they are not to be vaxed in the ER should something happen and request TIG if there is an issue.

2. Do one vax with some extra detox assistance and have then titered.

3. Fully vax them if #2 goes well with detox. (This is for long term.)

My husband is not in agreement with not vaxing, but has been respectful since my decision is well informed and logical. However, he would like our kids to get most of the vaxes someday. And we do want to take our kids on humanitarian trips in the not to distant future.

What is a reasonable parent supposed to do? We have had no issues at our Children's ER and I have been called an "ignorant idiot" by an Urgent Care doctor. But I was not at all concerned about tetanus with those well bleeding non farm injuries. However, I know what that farm is like and I know what my kids are like.
 

Last bit of info, 2 of my kids do have an egg sensitivity, but the tetanus shot does not involve eggs. Also, if I did do a shot it would be a week to week and a half before their visit.

1. Any thoughts?

2. Which tetanus shot would you use if you had to pick one? Or which one is the least worst and why?

3. What detox measures would you take if you chose a shot?

4. Does Aviva Jill Romm's vaccine book have detox suggestions? Her book was my favorite vaccine book, but it has been a few years.

5. Would a first vax one week before an injury even help with that injury? Sources please.

Thanks bunches,

Stacy (7.5, 6 and 3.5)

[Marnica]

I'd go for option 1 personally.

The odds of either of your children sustaining a wound that was SERIOUSLY a concern for tetanus is pretty slim and the TIG is something you could do if need be.

If you do choose to get them vaccinated, Id go with the DT for the 6 yr old and the Td for the 7.5 yr old since the DT is not used in kids ages 7 and over. I believe it takes 2 weeks for these vaccines to amount an immune response, which is why when someone unvaccinated goes to the ER and has a serious wound that is a concern, they are given TIG in addition. If I were to choose this option, I would consult a qualified ND or homeopath to deal with the detox issue.

[ammiga]

I would not vax and have your in-laws call you if they are concerned about a wound. Since getting Tig is not a decision that must be made on the spot, you will have a chance to assess the situation (ex: did the wound bleed?). If I were worried about tetanus, I would be worried about it all of the time, not just at a farm.

I think Marnica has an article on the incidence of tetanus in civil war soldiers that were wounded and laying in horse manure or something to that affect? It pretty much says that those soldiers didn't have higher rates of tetanus that anyone else (and this was pre-vaccine).

[hildare]

for us, we're not vaxxers at all at this point.  however, tetanus is a concern for me where we live (and i plan on having the kids learn to ride and work with horses)-- it lives in the soil where the previous owners had horses.  we haven't had to worry much at this point because dd is so young and if she were injured, i'd know. 

one thing to consider for you is this:  your kids are older and active.  how likely is it that they would tell you or your parents if they sustained an injury of the sort that could lead to tetanus? 

would they be likely to understand if you had a conversation with them about the importance of telling you about everything like that?  or be dismissive of small wounds and forget to mention them.

the major bleeding wounds would have attention called to them, i'd think, but that's not where the danger of tetanus would come from so much. 

however, it's my understanding (but i haven't done lots of research-- someone needs to verify this) that you can't easily obtain just the tetanus shot that is preventative (not the one that could be given at the time of an injury) without the pertussus vax included.  i would absolutely not choose that one, but could they be separated out, and should i not feel confident that if my kid got injured we'd know to give the tig, i might opt to do so.  i think it largely depends on your confidence in your kids to report problems/injuries to you.