Question
A newborn girl was delivered at home four days ago and has developed redness around the umbilicus, difficulty breathing, and tightness of the jaw. If it is tetanus, do you need to perform a skin test before administering tetanus shots? Can newborns undergo a skin test for tetanus?
Answer
Newborns do not need to undergo a skin test before receiving tetanus antitoxin injections. Since there are no antigens in their bodies, there is no possibility of an allergic reaction. Tetanus antitoxin is mainly used for prevention before newborns contract tetanus. Currently, since the baby is already sick, there is no need for a tetanus skin test. It is recommended to quickly take the baby to a regular three-level children’s hospital for anti-infection and smoking cessation treatment.