Tetanus - What would you do?

[theonlykimi]

I am totally against vaccines and I've done all my research except for I cant find much on tetanus, I'm just thinking if someone in my family stepped on a rusty nail what would we do?  Does anyone have any research/experience with this?

[seawitch]

No research, but experience.

We are an unvaxing family. (We may start giving some vax now that the kids are older, but that's really neither here nor there.)

Once when DS was about 2 he had a nasty fall that we went to the ER for as it was a head wound and it was by the side of a road that had some construction litter around it. He didn't fall IN a rusty nail or anything but for all I knew it might have been an issue. The doctors found out that we didn't vax and sent in a very irate doctor to convince me that he needed tetanus. He was floored when I agreed to it without the slightest hesitation. He thought I would put up a fight, but I didn't feel a need to. It's not like I was panicking or anything, but to me the risk of tetanus at the time seemed higher than the risk of the shot. So I went with the shot, and all were happy.

It's not always the case, btw. When my DD had an ER visit for a really bad case of croup, I had another irate doctor telling me that he was going to do xyz tests on her because she was unvaxed. I flat out refused, discussed with him (calmly) my reasons, but willingly agreed to the stereoid treatments. We compromised, I guess. I wouldn't have wanted to be bullied into anything but it's the same as with any other medical treatment, I think. I agreed to some pregnancy tests while I refused others. Some doctors hate when a patient has an opinion, but I think if you talk with them respectfully many will listen. (Unless you have a renegade who calls CPS or something.)

So to circle back and answer your question, if my kid stepped in a rusty nail I wouldn't hesitate giving a tetanus shot. YMMV.

[jess in hawaii]

Depending on the specifics, I would not hesitate if warranted. We live in the tropics, before that the subtropics, there is a lot more tetanus in warm wet places. So if my kid stepped on a rusty nail in the yard when we lived in a cool climate, I would clean it well and watch closely for any signs of infection and we never had problems. However, if it had been a rusty nail through a rubber boot while mucking out a barn (the neighbor kid did this) then I probably would. When my best friend got cut while going through her hurricane and flood damaged house, I told her to go IMMEDIATELY for a booster - I actually said "This is me, your all-natural 'hippy' friend, telling you GO NOW". lol.

[rubyjune]

Tetanus is a really horrid death...blessedly very rare now

I work with horses which are a natural reservoir for the toxin, also in the semi tropics..so me and mine are all kept up to date. But it is one of those, you can get the shot when you get the injury and it will still work, and it lasts for 10 years..a perfect candidate for selective vaccination imo

[happyblessedmama]

Uhm no, a tetanus vax will not protect post injury. That's a common misconception because doctors push tetanus vaccine after a suspect injury... But the time it takes to develop antibodies post vaccine is longer than the incubation period after a possible exposure. If one is truly concerned about exposure and not vaccinated they will need to receive tetanus immune globulin or tetanus human immune globulin.

See "indications and usage"

http://www.talecris-pi.info/inserts/hypertet.pdf

http://www.drugs.com/ppa/tetanus-immune-globulin-tig.html

http://www.drugs.com/ppa/tetanus-immune-globulin-tig.html

scroll down to the part about tetanus immune globulin.

But no... It's not safe to count on a post injury tetanus vax to protect you from that exposure. Do the research on antibody development to tetanus vaccine vs. incubation time of the illness.

[alegna]

I am reactive/allergic to the tetanus vax as was my grandmother so I would be very very wary of giving it to my kids.  BUT post injury they would need the TIG not the vax anyway- different creature.  If I had an MD I trusted discussing it with me who was offering the TIG NOT the vax, I would seriously consider it.

[miriam]

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Edited by miriam - 5/27/12 at 3:57pm

[mattemma04]

Tetanus can be anywhere.I have read of people getting it from a thorn or bee sting. I suppose it could happen. You would want a TIG post injury not an actual tetanus vaccine if you have not had ANY tetanus vaccines.People who have had the vaccine before usually get a tetanus booster post injury.

Yes, tetanus is a concern and often the one vaccine people are reluctant to give up. I recall a mom giving just the T and after the second dose the kids got horrid ear infections. After the third dose she had the doctor do a titer and it showed no immunity.Maybe the kids were protected anyway.Who knows.She said she won't give boosters.

I still debate this one. I do recall reading a few recent stories of unvaccinated kids dying from tetanus,so it does happen.