is your tetanus shot up to date?

[jennyanydots]

older dd, age 13+, was trying to catch the school bus when she tripped and fell on our front porch this morning. we have a metal "hoop" on the porch, the kind you use to store fireplace logs. guess what she fell against? gave herself a nasty cut across her knee.

well, I couldn't send her to school with blood gushing down her leg, so of course she missed her first period class. that meanst she had to have an excuse note.

the school nurse read the note and began asking her if her tetanus shot was up to date.

wouldn't you know my pediatrician doens't have office hours on thursdays?

the doctor who covers for him told me not to worry, but to call our doctor in the morning and have him check his records.

I'm perfectly calm. but DD is freaking out.

 

[phillybeth]

The real danger from tetanus is a puncture wound. If it was a gash and blood was flowing freely, there is a minimal chance of tetanus. Check with the doctor anyway, and get her updated if she needs it, but tell your daughter she isn't going to get tetanus/lockjaw.

 

[tiggersmom2]

Tetanus shots are good for 10 years - with your DD only being 13, I think it is a safe bet that she is still covered from her first one.

 

[Micca]

If tetanus shots are good for ten years, then mine is only 20 years out of date The odds of me getting punctured are...slim at best

 

[Crankyshank]

Nope and my insurance doesn't cover it either

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

A recent survey found that one-fifth of older children (10 to 16 years of age) do not have protective antibody levels to tetanus. "The new recommendation," says Roland W. Sutter, M.D., medical epidemiologist, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "is that children aged 11 to 13 also receive a sixth dose with Td [tetanus and diphtheria toxoids for adult use] because immunity levels can fall. It's also a convenient time to check to see if they've received the second dose of measles vaccine and whether they've received hepatitis vaccine at this point."
This is from http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/696_tet.html

DS(and all others) had to have this extra dose before starting 7th grade here.

 

[lisajl]

Yep! Mine is updated! My DD went to Washington DC with her 8th grade class a few years ago and she needed to get it.

Our pediatrician was booked up so we went to the health dept and got it. They asked me when my last tetanus shot was and I said, "I don't know." So, I rolled up my sleeve and got one with my DD. Made her feel better...me not so good!

 

[mtblujeans]

We have been replacing fencing on our place for the last 3 years. We all pitch in from time to time and it involves working with old and new barbwire. One of the kids got cut 2 summers ago so we all got boosters that year. That was when we found that youngest DS had to have one to go on to 7th grade and you can get tetanus from just about anything when animals are around - including dirt. It just made sense for us all to get updated. One less thing to worry about. But, if you have to wait a day or two to get the shot, I think you're fine.

 

[VALDAN]

My 2 DD's ages 10 & 13 just had it last week during their yearly check-up. I had one last summer, when I fell and broke some fingers and my knee was bleeding.

 

[laurie31]

The booster is good for 10 years, but if you're injured you must have had one in the last five years. My bet is that your dd had her last one when she was 5, and she needs a booster.

Everyone needs one every ten years, for their whole lives.

Laurie

 

[poohkinandpiglet]

Mine is up to date. Last year, I got a deep scratch from a rusty fence barb. Unfortunately, I had to go to the emergency room to get the shot because the dr's offices and small clinics don't have the vaccine. I felt really stupid in the emergency room with a scratch although it was pretty nasty.

 

[ElizK]

It's been 22 years since I got one. ACK!!!

 

[goofygirl]

Mine is up to date. This past spring, I fell on a manhole cover outside of work and cut my knee. Since it happened on work property it was an "incident report" and Work Health gave me the shot. The shot is nothing to be afraid of- a very small needle in your arm for a sec or 2, you hardly feel it!

 

[caitycaity]

yep - i had to have one when i enrolled as a graduate student.

 

[momsgonwild]

No, and I don't like shots. The alternative doesn't float my boat either. Catch-22. Guess I better check into it.

 

[gr8tpanther]

My tetanus shot ran out on July 20, 1998

I currently have a piece of glass in my foot that needs dug out...