calling socci, spidermama, jimjams etc

[ruty]

Hello again. I need some advice from mums who don't vaccinate. Hope you don't mind. Ds is now 12 months crawling everywhere. I just noticed today he has a cut on his finger, it looks a day or two old, it superficial but looked a bit grey. I gave it a good wash and tried to squeeze it to make it bleed but it didn't. Should i be worried about tetanus? What do you do with you children when they get cuts and you don't notice them immediately? Any advice gratefully received, rather worried. NOT a general vaccination argument from those who vaccinate please!

bump.

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I don't worry about tetanus unless its a puncture wound. Cat bite, rusty nail in a farmyard I'd go to the drs but otherwise I tend to ignore.

thanks you two. Its inevitable i suppose that they are going to get cuts and scratches and i'm not always going to notice them straight away. Hate not knowing for sure if i'm doing the right thing!

Jimjams, what do the doctors say if you take them in with a cat bite etc? Are they helpful or do they just tell you to vaccinate?

Not Jimjams , but what the doctor would offer is immune globulin, which would allow 'immediate action' against the toxin, it binds to it and helps to inactivate it. Having tetanus doesn't give protection against further attacks, since the toxin is absorbed so quickly by the body's nervous system.
Treatment with antibiotics, while it can help to fight of other infections has no effect in the traetment of tetanus because of the speed at which the toxin is taken up by the nerves.

As JJ says it is puncture wounds that are the bigest risk, since the bacteria doesn't grow well in the presence of oxygen

HTH, I used to work on tetanus toxin, nasty stuff....and before I get flamed it was for medical research, not wepons

Thanks hmb!

HMB immuneglobulin is derived from human blood isn't it? I'm a bit wary of that because of vCJD and everything. Don't know where they source it from. Would rather he had a tetanus shot pre emptively really to avoid any reason to need the former.

sorry to go on about it but this little cut had a flap of dead skin on top of it - would this prevent oxygen getting to it or am i being silly?

Can't comment on the cut, as I can't see it and I am not a medic....not wishing to worry you, I just don't think that I am compitent to comment IYSWIM

The TIG is produced from donor blood, found this on a specific information leaflet

'This product is made from human plasma obtained from voluntary donors. When products are made from human blood and injected into you, it is possible that viruses or other substances could be present in the product and cause an illness. These could be viruses such as hepatitis, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), or parvovirus B19 and theoretically the Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (CJD) agent. There could also be other infectious agents some of which may not yet have been discovered.To reduce the risk of this happening, extra steps are taken when manufacturing this product. Strict controls are applied when selecting blood donors and donations. The product is specially treated to remove and kill certain viruses. This special treatment is considered effective against viruses known as enveloped viruses such as HIV and hepatitis B and C viruses, and the non-enveloped virus, hepatitis A. The effect against the non-enveloped virus, human parvovirus B19 is limited. However, the product contains specific antibodies which can provide some protection against parvovirus B19. Despite these measures, the risk of viral and other agent's infectivity cannot be totally eliminated.'

This potential risk would have to be judged against the development of tetanus, which as you know, is a very serious condition indeed.

hmmm. thanks HMB. I do think i will have to get ds a tetanus shot somehow. Its all rather worrying.

I'll be upfront and say I am pro vaccination for my kids, but all the info I have given you is just plain info, the choice is obviously very much yours to make after weighing up the pros and cons.

i think i remembered that you were HMB but hanks for your help. i really don't like the sound of that immunoglobulin shot tho.

Hope it all gets sorted out to your satisfaction and that everything is OK

NEVER HAD A PUNcture wound (whoops). ruty I think I want to get ds2 tetanus protected in the next year or so but not sure how to do it (he starts school in a year and will be more out and about away from me and the very protective environment of nursery) . I was rather hoping a single paed vaccine would be developed but no sign yet. hell will freeze over before i give a 5 in 1 so I need to look up that dr guy who gives the adult one privately to children- and at least talk to him. Now to hunt down contact details.... The single tetanus has a very good safety record btw.

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CAT me if you want that doc's details jimjams. thanks socci - i was hoping that was the case. Any ideas on the skin flap over the cut? Would you worry about it getting enough oxygen?

i wouldn't worry about that ruty- it's doesn't sound like a puncture wound.I'd worry even less if he got it inside. I have your email address somewhere- my inbox is a mess- must put you in my address book...

its just all those medical websites say you can get it even from a scratch! He did get it inside i think, i don't know how. I need to Cat you about that toothpaste too...

It is quite unlikly to get it from a scratch. Puncture wounds are the real problem, the deeper the puncture the greater the risk. Bites are particularly bad because the puncture is V staped, with the bit at the bottom of the V being the best breeding ground.

If he got it inside, that would also reduce the risk. Classic wounds are animal bites and garden accidents

thanks hmb