DTaP, DT, Tdap, Td, and TT
Vaccines that Prevent Tetanus
Age/Circumstances for DTap
Age/Circumstances for DT
The DT vaccine, preventing only diphtheria and tetanus, replaces the DTaP vaccination for children below 6 years of age if the children cannot tolerate pertussis vaccines or are allergic to the vaccinations. Like DTaP, DT is given to children at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15-18 months, and 4-6 years of age. After 6 years of age, DT cannot be given because the level of diphtheria toxoid is too high for adults.
Age/Circumstances for Td
Age/Circumstances for TT
Age/Circumstances for Tdap
Symptoms of Tetanus
Symptoms of tetanus include severe muscle spasms, serious breathing difficulties, prolonged muscle activity resulting in tears in muscle tissue, drooling, excessive sweating, fever, irritability, swallowing difficulties, uncontrollable urination, and possibly death.
Death in Tetanus Victims
Tetanus can lead to death: about one out of five people die from tetanus when they are not vaccinated. Tetanus vaccines prevent 95% of all tetanus cases; therefore, getting vaccinated for tetanus is highly beneficial.
Side Effects of Vaccination
Side effects of the tetanus vaccinations include soreness (mild pain, redness, and/or swelling) at the injection site as well as a mild fever. Usually, side effects do not get worse than this mild reaction, although such mild reactions are likely.
More moderate reactions include seizures, non-stop crying, and high fever, though this only occurs in 1 out of thousands of children.
The most severe side effects include long-term seizures, comas, lowered consciousness, or even permanent brain damage, although it is hard to tell if these symptoms are caused by the vaccine. This only occurs in one out of a million children that get the vaccine.
Sources/More Information
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001640/
http://www.who.int/immunization/topics/tetanus/en/index1.html
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/163063.php
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/immunize/school/default.shtm#requirements
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_tet.asp
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/tetanus/
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/tetanus/fs-parents.html
http://www.immunizationinfo.org/vaccines/tetanus