Question about Tetanus Vac.

[Joker]

I took my two dd's to the ped. for a checkup yesterday and was told they would need a tetanus booster at 10. I thought you only needed it every 10 years after the booster at 5. I can't find any information online that says we need boosters every 5 years and I am wondering if anyone here knows something I don't. I have gone along with vaccination schedules in the past but have begun to question recently and I want to have all my ducks in a row when they start hounding me in a few months. Thanks!

[Perry]

I took my two dd's to the ped. for a checkup yesterday and was told they would need a tetanus booster at 10. I thought you only needed it every 10 years after the booster at 5. I can't find any information online that says we need boosters every 5 years and I am wondering if anyone here knows something I don't. I have gone along with vaccination schedules in the past but have begun to question recently and I want to have all my ducks in a row when they start hounding me in a few months. Thanks!

 

 

See the current CDC recommendations here.

 

CDC

1. Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap). (Minimum age: 10 years for BOOSTRIX® and 11 years for ADACEL®)

 

• Administer at age 11 or 12 years for those who have completed the recommended childhood DTP/DTaP vaccination series and have not received a tetanus and diphtheria toxoid (Td) booster dose.
  
• Persons aged 13 through 18 years who have not received Tdap should receive a dose.
  
• A 5-year interval from the last Td dose is encouraged when Tdap is used as a booster dose; however, a shorter interval may be used if pertussis immunity is needed.
  

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I understand your reticence when it comes to vax as I used to be very anti, now my kids get most of them, but tetenus is NOT something I would "wait and see" on or take any chances with.

 

I stepped on a rusty nail when I was pregnant with Jake. The shot was preferable over the ABX they would have had to give me if I had developed tetenus.

 

 

Here is what I found online. I don't know the ages of your kids or when they got the shot previously.

 

Who should get this vaccine?

All infants and children should receive tetanus toxoid as part of their DTaP/Tdap vaccine series. Adults should be given routine booster doses of Td every 10 years. Adults without documentation of ever receiving the basic series of tetanus and diphtheria toxoids should first receive a primary series of three doses, properly spaced. A single dose of Tdap is recommended for persons age 11 years and older in place of one of the Td doses, preferably the first one.

How many doses of DTaP vaccine are needed?

The usual schedule for infants is a series of four doses given at two, four, six, and 15-18 months of age. A fifth shot, or booster dose, is recommended at 4-6 years of age, unless the fourth dose was given late (after the fourth birthday).

[Joker]

Thanks - I'm still not seeing anything that says my older dd, 9, needs the booster at 10 yrs. old. I'm looking at her history and she had the DTap/DTP (?) at 3 mo., 6mo., 8mo., 18 mo., and 5 yrs. old. What I'm seeing is that the earliest she should have it is at 11 yrs. old. If I'm missing something please let me know. I'm just trying to make sure she gets what she needs but is not given unnecessay shots.

Edited August 21, 2009 by Horton

[Perry]

Thanks - I'm still not seeing anything that says my older dd, 9, needs the booster at 10 yrs. old. I'm looking at her history and she had the DTap/DTP (?) at 3 mo., 6mo., 8mo., 18 mo., and 5 yrs. old. What I'm seeing is that the earliest she should have it is at 11 yrs. old. If I'm missing something please let me know. I'm just trying to make sure she gets what she needs but is not given unnecessay shots.

 

You're right. I'd copy the CDC chart and take it in with you. Maybe they have a reason for doing it at 10, but if they don't, it should be done at age 11-12.