NORMAL SIDE EFFECTS OF VACCINES
- Your baby may experience fever in the first 48 hours after the vaccines. Acetaminophen (for example,Tylenol) may be given every 4 hours.
- Your baby may experience irritability in the first 48 hours after the vaccines. Acetaminophen may be given every 4 hours for discomfort.
- Your baby may be extra sleepy in the first 48 hours after the vaccines. This is normal as long as your baby is waking to feed.
- Your baby may experience redness at the site of the injection. This may last 3-4 days and is more likely with each successive round of vaccines. Warm compresses, bathing and acetaminophen may soothe any discomfort.
- Your baby may develop a lump under the skin where the injection occurred. This is due to bleeding under the skin. It may take several weeks for the body to reabsorb the blood. The lump may persist, but it is not permanent.
Call us during REGULAR office hours if:
- Fever lasts more than 48 hours after the vaccines are given.
- Redness at the injection site appears to be spreading.
Call us URGENTLY if:
- Your baby is not waking to feed.
- Your baby has been crying inconsolably for 2 hours or more and you’ve already tried giving acetaminophen and using warm compresses.
- Something else not mentioned above is alarming to you.
FEVER – Ages 2-6 months
Now that your baby is 2 months old, he/she has a much stronger immune system than he/she had as a newborn. It is OK to give acetaminophen (for example, Tylenol) at home if your baby has fever as long as he/she is still alert and waking for feeds.
Call Us During REGULAR Office Hours If:
- Your baby is persistently having fever over 100.5 for more than 24 hours. A rectal temperature is the most accurate measurement in babies this age.
- You are concerned that your baby is eating a lot less but is still wetting diapers at least every 6 hours.
- Your baby is very congested and having trouble eating/sleeping due to trouble breathing through the nose.
Call Us URGENTLY If:
- Your baby seems to be breathing very fast. It is however, normal to breathe somewhat faster when a baby’s temperature is elevated. The breathing rate should come down as the temperature comes down. If it doesn’t, call immediately. Babies from 2-6 months of age normally breathe up to 40 times a minute.
- Your baby is lethargic and does not want to drink even when the temperature comes down.
- Something about how your baby looks seems abnormal and alarms you
** It is a good sign if your baby is alert and will still give you a smile. Remember that fever is your body’s way of helping to fight infection. Fever will never cause brain damage in a normal child. There is no specific number where fever becomes dangerous, but it is uncomfortable. There is no need to wake a sleeping child to treat fever. If they are sleeping, they are comfortable and working to heal themselves.
FEVER – Age 6 months and Up
Fever results from your body producing chemicals to help it fight infection. It is a normal reaction to both bacterial and viral infections. It will never harm a healthy brain, but it is uncomfortable which is why we treat it. There is no specific fever number that is considered abnormal, but temperatures over 105 are infrequent in healthy children.
Click Here for Doses of Fever Medications
Call Us During REGULAR Office Hours If:
- Your child has had fever over 100.5 for 48 hours or more with no other symptoms such as runny nose, cough, diarrhea or vomiting.
- Your child has had fever for 72 hours or more in addition to runny nose, cough, diarrhea, or vomiting.
- Your child has congestion and/or cough with an initial fever that resolves but then returns several days later.
Call us URGENTLY if:
- Your child is having very fast or labored breathing. It is normal for the breathing rate to be somewhat elevated with fever but it should come down as the temperature comes down. If it does not, please call.
- You think that your child is dehydrated. The best way to monitor for dehydration is to look for wet diapers. If your child is having a wet diaper at least every 6-8 hours, this is a good sign that they are retaining enough fluid.
- Your child is lethargic even after you give them medicine for fever. Most children will “perk up” an hour or so after receiving anti-fever medicine. Sleeping more during an illness is normal, but not wanting to get off of the couch all day is not normal for a toddler.
Anti-Fever Medicines (Ibuprofen for > 6 mos only)
Weight (lb) | 12-17 | 18-21 | 22-24 |
Infant Acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol) | 0.8 ml | 1.2 ml | 1.6 ml |
Children’s Acetaminophen | — | — | 5 ml |
Infant Ibuprofen (e.g. Motrin or Advil) | 1.25 ml | 1.875 ml | 2.5 ml |
Children’s Ibuprofen | — | — | 5 ml |
We generally do not recommend that you alternate back and forth between Tylenol and Motrin/Advil. While we may occasionally suggest that you do this once or twice, we feel there is not sufficient data on its safety to recommend that you do it regularly.
