We begin with this a series of entries in which we will explain everything related to the childhood vaccines. To start we have chosen the tetanus vaccine, one of the best known for being one of the first given to babies and for protecting against a disease with a well-known name.
The tetanus vaccine It is currently managed in several different presentations. Babies are given the hexavalent vaccine, given at 2, 4 and 6 months, which receives that name because it includes protection for six diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, polio, whooping cough or pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type B and hepatitis B.
At 18 months it is administered within the pentavalent vaccine, which serves to prevent five diseases, the same as hexavalent but without the dose of hepatitis B.
Then at 4 to 6 years, it is administered within the trivalent vaccine, together with diphtheria and pertussis.
Finally, at 11-12, it is administered in the Td vaccine, along with diphtheria, in a vaccine that until now was of choice from 7 years (when a child had never been vaccinated of tetanus or doses were lacking), but that is probably reserved only for adults when it is recommended that, at 11-12 years, the trivalent vaccine be administered, whose pertussis protection It can help control the latest outbreaks in the country.
What is tetanus?
Tetanus is a serious disease caused by the bacteria toxin Clostridium tetani and occurs when a wound is contaminated with this bacterium. The toxin acts like a poison and affects the central nervous system causing muscle stiffness, spasms, seizures and other symptoms that put the person's life at risk. A year ago we discussed the case of a child who took tetanus, for example, and what he and his family lived.
The time between the infection and the appearance of the first symptoms can range from 7 to 21 days. Most cases, and few, occur in people who have not been vaccinated of the disease or who do not carry the necessary doses.
Thanks to the vaccine, as I say, it is a very rare disease in Spain, but it is important to emphasize that the only way to prevent the disease is with individual vaccination. That is, the fact that other children get vaccinated from tetanus does not cause an unvaccinated child to have a lower risk of catching the disease, because It is not spread, one takes it alone.
Let's say that, if a person decided not to vaccinate their children, it would be advisable, at least, to administer tetanus, since with the rest of the vaccines they could benefit from the vaccination of the other children.
What injuries can be dangerous
The wounds that may be in danger of infection are those that are not of clean edges, that is, when the skin has been eroded and an open area is left (wound with clean edges is a wound that easily joins with strips or stitches and then protects again from the entry of microorganisms).
So are puncture wounds when in contact with the ground or manure, very dirty wounds with pieces of foreign bodies interlocked, burns, open bone fractures (the bone causes a skin wound), animal or person bites and freezes.
All this to say and emphasize that Tetanus is not the disease of rusty nails, but that of rusty nails, that of non-rusty nails, that of dirty nails and much more.
Where is it administered?
Babies, that is, when placed at 2, 4 and 6 months, are given intramuscularly (inside the muscle) in the leg. In the quadriceps, to be more exact. Formerly it was administered in the buttock, but it has been seen that the absorption is worse, with muscles such as deltoids (in the shoulder, but not recommended in babies) and the quadriceps being of choice.
Side effects of tetanus vaccine
The tetanus vaccine, when accompanied by other vaccines, can cause side effects derived from tetanus, but also from the accompanying vaccines. The dose of tetanus administered may produce swelling of the area and pain and, rarely, a skin rash that can last 24 hours after administration.
Diphtheria produces the same side effects, while the whooping cough portion can cause local heat in the area of the puncture and tenderness. In addition, whooping cough is discouraged if the child has suffered a seizure episode before receiving the vaccine, although this will be extended when we talk about the pertussis vaccine.
When accompanied by hepatitis B, restlessness may occur, and if accompanied by Haemophilus influenza Type B can give some fever. Although in general, Every vaccine can be accompanied by fever.
The occurrence of brain inflammation after the vaccine, but the incidence is very low (1 in 110,000 cases), and it is not known whether it is a reaction to the vaccine or if it is caused by other substances or infections.
I heard that it could be related to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
It is said that the tetanus vaccine, combined with the other vaccines, could be related to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). But nevertheless, there is no scientific evidence to show that there is a relationship between one thing and another.
The myth is still alive because the first dose is given at two months, when the risk of SIDS is very high.
Photos | Tom & Katrien, Carlos Reusser Monsalvez on Flickr More information | Medline Plus, VaccinesAEP In Babies and more | 180,000 children die each year from neonatal tetanus, "Vaccines are very effective in preventing disease." Interview with Carlos González (I) and (II), Ten things we should know about vaccines
