Few days ago, my eldest son who was 16 years old got into an accident and had bruises and cuts. We took him to the doctor for a check-up. Incidentally, he just had his Tetanus jab a few weeks ago because the Ministry of Health gave all 15 years old (Form Three students) a nationwide tetanus jab. (I opted to have my children’s health matters taken care by private consultants and signed a form when they enter school that they do not receive any medical care/dental works/jabs from the nurses/MOs sent by the MOH to their schools.)
The same thing happened to my husband (got into bike accident, i.e.) a few months ago and he also had to be given a tetanus jab. Of course, since my son just got the jab, he did not had to be jab again. So, what is tetanus jab?
According to the vaccination schedule given by a private hospital :
| 2-3 mths | 1st DTa P*, Polio & Hib |
| 3-4 mths | 2nd DTa P, Polio & Hib |
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| 18 mths | DTa P, Polio & Hib – 1st booster |
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Our babies will be given a jab against tetanus in several doses. The DTP is Diptheria, Tetanus and Polio which comes in a single jab. You may read more of the explanation here.
Tetanus also known as kancing gigi or lockjaw. Here are more explanation :
Tetanus is caused by a germ that gets into your body through a wound, such as a cut while gardening, or an animal bite. You are more at risk of developing tetanus if the wound is deep or if it gets dirty with soil or manure, but even small wounds such as a prick from a thorn can allow enough bacteria to get into your body to cause tetanus.
From BBC:
Tetanus is a bacterial infection that causes painful muscle spasms. It can be deadly if not treated.
Caused by a toxin made by the bacterium
- Clostridium tetani
- Usually enters the body through a wound – often caused by an animal bite
- Symptoms include headache, fever and muscle stiffness in the back, neck, arms and jaw
- Without treatment can lead to painful muscle spasms
- If the muscles of the chest and throat are affected, then a person may find it difficult to breathe and could suffocate
As usual, remember to keep to the vaccination schedules given by your doctor/Kelinik Kesihatan. Keep the vaccination card safely because you will need to produce them when your child enter Primary One at 7 years old. Sometimes, if you missed a scheduled jab for too long, you may need to repeat the earlier dose. If your child is not well and you are unsure if he/she can be vaccinated, phone your doctor for clarification.
Originally posted 2006-07-03 18:18:14.
