The disease is caused by bacteria that are known as Clostridium tetani that enter in the child’s body generally by way of contaminated wounds. Babies can also get this dangerous disease if the umbilical cord is cut with the instrument that is not sterile. The chances of getting tetanus are more if the mother has not received the tetanus toxoid vaccine during her pregnancy. The dose of tetanus is very essential for a pregnant woman to save herself and her baby.
The bacteria are not invasive, and multiply only locally at the place where they egress. The bacteria may not cause local problem, and the injury is often out of sight. However, bacteria produce something called tetanospasmin, which is powerful toxin for the body. The tetanospasmin then travels to the nervous system and then gets attached to the nerves. The symptoms of tetanus generally occur 2-14 days later, but it can be delayed for months together.
The toxin released by the microorganism causes intense stimulation of the entire nervous system in child’s body. This causes the vigorous movement, painful spasms of the muscles. The fist sign among all can be ‘lockjaw’ in children that is caused by the toxin. Lockjaw is a spasm of the masseter muscle. Apart from lockjaw, there are other symptoms like difficulties in swallowing, neck stiffnes, headache, restlessness and irritability without any reason.
Small babies may stop taking breastfeed and they become very rigid and tensed. In severe cases, the child’s body may be bent like a bow. The position is such that only the heels and back of the head touch to bed. Tetanus spasms are typically triggered by sound, light or touch and they become extremely painful. A sufferer is fully conscious, in agony and is very much timid for the next spasm. Once the toxins have reached the nerves, the binding becomes irreversible and turns to be more serious. This is the reason, why tetanus before the advent of modern intensive care was considered fatal.
The treatment part remains difficult in case of tetanus especially in children. The best way to get rid of this dangerous disease is to get your child or baby vaccinated. Vaccination is proven way to restrict the disease infecting a child. When tetanus strikes on a child, it becomes a pretty big sum to treat it effectively within the timeframe. Initial measures include tetanus immune globulin, removal of infected tissues and higher antibiotic to kill the Clostridium tetani, a responsible organism causing tetanus.
Muscle relaxants and paralytic agents with some artificial or mechanical respiration support are very essential and are to be kept nearer to the patient, as they may be useful in case of emergencies.
Ayurveda deals tetanus as ‘dhanurvaata’. Here, ‘dhanu’ means a bow and ‘Vata’ means bodily humor Vata Dosha. The Vata Dosha that spoils the bodily system and makes a person like bow is called as ‘dhanurvaata’ – tetanus. The treatment includes all those therapies and methods that decrease the Vata Dosha.
The sufferer is to be kept in dark room with silence around. A child should remain untouched as much as possible. All these factors trigger the tetanus attack into the child. The attack is very painful and generally brought down by some injection (sedatives and anticonvulsants). Prevention is always better than cures and therefore, the disease should be prevented by the tetanus toxoid. For children, it comes as DTP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis). It is recommended by WHO and is must to prevent further damage to the body.
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