Semi-emergency: need advice ASAP

[Arete]

A bit of background: DS (13 months) began with a delayed schedule, and had a DTaP vax at 2 and 4 months.  At that point (after a mild reaction--hard lump in the thigh that did not go away for weeks) I called a moratorium on the whole thing.  And he has been as healthy as a horse ever since.  Now we are having the carpet in our rental pulled up and the wood underneath refinished--it's mostly the landlord + family doing the work, but DH is helping.  The carpet went today and revealed a gazillion rusty old staples underneath.  For hours they were extracting then and DH is still at it.  I've got an area of the living room that is supposedly "done" cordoned off, but you know there is always an overlooked one, and DS may well get out of there at some point anyway.  Here, if there ever was one, is a good chance for a baby to get tetanus.  Next Sat. we go on vacation, and by the time we get back it will be sanded and sealed, so safe.  The next few days are the dangerous time, and I don't know what to do.  Is there a tetanus only vaccine for babies?  Is there aluminum in it?  And is the danger great enough to warrant getting one?  I will try to keep him out of the living room as much as I can, but the kitchen is stuffed with living room furniture, and that leaves only the bedroom, where I am reluctant to imprison him for 6 days.  What should I do?????

[Monkeygrrl]

I don't think it warrants a vaccine, regardless if you can get a single one.

Can you spend some time each day outside? At a park, on playdates, etc?

Go over the "clear" spot every day. Sweep/vacuum - whatever. 

IF he ends up with a staple puncture, squeeze it so it bleeds, wash it with soap and water. It shouldn't be very deep. Tetanus cannot live in oxygen, so the more it's rinsed out, the more it bleeds, the more oxygen is going through that area.

Good luck! :)

[ma2two]

If I had a choice of "imprisoning" a 13 month old in a bedroom with me for 6 days, or giving a tetanus vaccine, I'd happily "imprison" him. But I assume it's not even that bad. Can you go outside, in the neighborhood, to parks, to stores, to friends' houses?

There is no tetanus-only vaccine for babies. The minimum age is 7 years old for that vaccine. Plus, it contains aluminum and mercury (either 25 mcg or 0.3 mcg).

There is a diphtheria/tetanus vaccine without pertussis, but it also contains aluminum and 0.3 mcg mercury.

Metal and rust do not cause tetanus. Tetanus spores do, which are found in animal feces, such as sheep. I doubt nails which were under carpet had an opportunity to get contaminated with tetanus spores. Plus, to cause tetanus, the spores must get deep into the body where oxygen does not reach. If a wound bleeds, there is an extremely low risk of tetanus. Tetanus is also very rare in the United States--only about 30 cases annually, with most being in people over 40 and heroin users.

[Arete]

Thanks for advice--I feel much calmer now, and am working out ways for us to stay out of the house as much as possible.  I think we can do it!  It was the sight of all those staples that sent me into a bit of a panic!