Tetanus - mercury based injection? Fever inducing?

[heartinthecountry]

Sorry for slightly unclear heading.

Dd was bitten by a rabbit at school yesterday. She had her very first DTP injection at 3 months but we stopped vaccinations after that due to her epilepsy and also because she may be susceptible to autism due to her condition.

They are now suggesting she goes in for her pre-school booster. I am cautious for the above reasons but don't want to put her at risk of tetanus.

Does anyone know if the DTP vaccine is still mercury-based? Or if she could have the single Tetanus whether this is? And also whether a tetanus vaccine by itself is likely to induce a fever (as this could be a problem with epilepsy).

Sorry, bit rambling but thanks.

I seem to remember that there's a mercury-free DTP vaccine, DTaP.

They stopped doing the mercury based DTP halfway through my DS's jabs in 2004.
He was getting individual jabs as we protested against Thermiserol (sp) and then they went and changed it all!

No single tetanus availabe for children (although there is for adults- and apparent european countries use that for children) since the thimerosal laden ones were removed in 2004.

The only official way to get tetanus for kids is the 5 in 1. Which mightily annoys me as I want ds2 and ds3 to have a tetanus jab, but do not want to give them the 5 in 1 (over my dead body). I've started to look into the possibility of giving them the thimerosal free adult one- would be interested in anything you find out.

Thanks everyone.

Jimjams - just found a thread from a while back re: this in which you said you would ask hospital for 'passive antibodies' - just wondering what this is and if it might be an option?

GP is looking into whether dd can have the adult injection. Will let you know what she says.

oh yes- for the rabbit bite that would be an option. They just don't last very long (few months)- they're not as effective as the full jab either.

Thanks!

Have since spoken to various people - thought it might be helpful to post for anyone else in a similar position.

GP says dd can't have adult vaccination as too young - over 10's only - and even this is combined Tetanus/Diptheria. Single tetanus no longer available.

Spoke to a very helpful man at Davros' Holborn Clinic. He told me that absolutely no single tetanus vaccine available for children, even privately. And that the lowest combination they could give it in is the old DTP (which of course has mercury in it).

He also said though that the risk of getting tetanus from an animal bite was extremely minimal. Also asked him about a passive antibody. He said there is one available but that there were risks associated with it (didn't go into detail here) and in his opinion the risks from the antibody would be far far greater to dd than the risk of tetanus. He said greatest risk was general infection.

So we are just giving mild antibiotics and keeping our fingers crossed for now. Stumped about what to do in the future though. Feel strongly that tetanus is the one thing I would vaccinate dd against if I could and quite angered that I can't. No way I am giving her the 5 in 1 because of pertussis and her epilepsy.

thanks HITC - yes I don't get this- pertussis supposedly is supposedly containdicated with epilepsy....

On a thread on health this week (entitled something to do with vaccinations but not being into homeopathy) a german resident had given her babies tetavax- which I thought was the jab only licenced for over 10's here. In Germany there is apparently much more choice. There is supposedly a private GP who says the over 10's single thimerosal free tetanus jab is fine for under 10s.

Lets keep each other informed- I am not happy about ds2's and ds3's lack of tetanus jab, but am not prepared to give 5 in 1. I was thinking of paying for a telephone conversation with a GP vax sceptic I have come across to try and suss out what the actualk choivces are. Think I'll go ahead- I'll let you know what she says.

Definitely interesting about the tetavax - do let me know if you find out anything. We would totally be prepared to pay for a tetanus vac for dd and would possibly go overseas for it if necessary.

Also realised we will now have to decide all this for the future dd2! Interested that you don't feel comfortable giving the 5 in 1 to your ds2 and ds3 - haven't looked into it properly because the pertussis element makes it an instant no no for dd but wondering what the issues are otherwise?

That was me talking about the Tetavax. Here (in Germany) it's called Tetanol - I read somewhere that they are the same but I may well be wrong - don't understand why it would deemed suitable for babies in one country and not in another. In the UK it seems that Tetavax is for adults and only gives short-term protection so I'm beginning to think I may have been mistaken.

If you've got a tiny bit of German you may be able to glean a bit of info \link{http://www.impfkritik.de/fachinfo/tetanol-chiron-behring.pdf\here}

I think here there is more choice if you get the right doctor and you're privately insured (or stumping up yourself).

Autism has a strong genetic component- but lots of genetic traits have an environmental component as well. So I figured the boys are likely to have a similar genetic makeup to ds1 (50% the same) and therefore be more likely to be at risk from the same triggers than jo public- so we've avoided any potential ones as much as possible iyswim.

cheers franke