Cleveland Tetanus Concern
The tetanus shot is, quite obviously, the vaccine administered during childhood and adulthood that protects against the tetanus infection. If your child is not already vaccinated as part of the DTaP/Tdap vaccine series, then you should hurry and set up a time to see your pediatrician or a local Rocky River urgent care facility to have these series of injections administered. If you have not had a booster shot within the last 10 years then you too should make an appointment.
The reason is quite simple. Tetanus is a bacterial infection that once went by the name lockjaw. The disease is caused by the entry of the bacteria Clostidium tetani into the body, often times by through a wound. The bacteria are most often found in the soil, but can be found just about everywhere. So, if you step on that rusty nail or scrape your hand while doing yard work, you are opening yourself up to the possibility of infection.
If you are not protected against Tetanus then the symptoms are pretty noticeable. The early symptoms include lockjaw, stiffness in the neck and stomach, and difficulty swallowing. If the disease persists, then the symptoms may graduate to severe muscle spasms, seizures, and severe autonomic nervous system disorders.
The bacteria itself causes these complications by infiltrating the body and creating a toxin that disrupts the nerves that control the body’s muscles.
There are treatments for tetanus if you do not the proper vaccination, but the reactive treatment is not uniformly successful. In the case that tetanus does persevere, the seizures and spasms can become so intense they lead to bone fractures. You may develop an abnormal heart rhythm as well, since the toxin affects the nerve system that affects the muscles and the heart is perhaps the most important muscle in the body.
Typically the vaccine is administered first during childhood according to the recommendations made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. There are five doses overall in which DTaP (diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis) is administered. These five doses occur at two months, four months, six months, 15-18 months, and 4-6 years old. Later on, a booster should be received every 10 years.
As with any introduction of foreign material, there are possible side effects. Ask any Cleveland area doctor or Rocky River urgent care facility and they will note that children may cry for up to three hours after the shot or develop a high fever. Adults will notice that they may experience a headache, general tiredness, and body aches.
Still, despite these possible side effects, the vaccination should not be avoided since the disease the vaccination is protecting against can be fatal in 10 to 20 percent of the reported cases.