This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009 at 3:57 am and is filed under General health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
The Health Blog
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TETANUS IN CHILDREN: HOME CARE, PRECAUTIONS AND TREATMENT
Home care
Prevention is the key to home care. Have your child immunized against tetanus in infancy and make sure he or she receives the booster shots necessary to guarantee immunity for life. Be sure to take proper care of wounds, even trivial ones, until they heal.
Precautions
• If a mother has not been immunized against tetanus, her newborn baby is susceptible. If a mother is immune, her baby may be temporarily immune.
• In newborns, the tetanus germ can enter the body through the stump of the umbilical cord. If a baby is delivered at home, be certain that strict antiseptic techniques are employed during and immediately after the birth.
• Be certain that all members of the family have received the initial series of tetanus immunizations and the necessary boosters. In general, clean wounds, such as those from kitchen utensils, require boosters every ten years; dirty wounds, such as those from rusty nails, barbed wire, and others that happen outdoors, require boosters every five years. For example, if your child has a wound from a rusty nail, check to see if he or she has received a booster within the last five years.
Medical treatment
Your doctor will take prompt care of wounds and administer a tetanus booster to a child who has been immunized, or human tetanus anti-serum (a substance containing antibodies to fight tetanus) to one who has not. If tetanus has developed, your doctor will hospitalize your child and order intensive treatment involving anti-serum, antibiotics, sedation, and intravenous fluids. When recovered, your child should be immune to subsequent attack.
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