Fever after vaccinations - what to expect?

[randomkid]

I delayed some of DD's vaccines (wish I had done more of this sooner, but wasn't educated enough). At her 4 year well visit, they wanted to give her 4 shots with a total of about 8 vaccines. I delayed 2 of the shots for a year and she got them today at her 5 year well visit - DTaP and Polio. They had a vaccine that contained all 4, so only one shot. I was a little hesitant, but figured it's all the same whether she gets one or two shots, she's still getting all 4 at once, right? Anyway, her leg has been very sore and tonight she spiked a fever of 101.4. Came down nicely with Motrin, but spiked again to over 101 at 1:00am - gave another dose of Motrin.

DD has never had even a low grade fever after a vaccination, so this is all new to us. I consider us very fortunate that she has done so well with vaccines. I know a fever is a sign of the immune response, but I am not sure what to expect or when/if to be concerned. How long will she run these fevers? Is it normal to go up to over 101? Can you give me some insight, please?

Thank you - and adding the disclaimer that this thread is not up to debate over vaccination as I have obvioulsy chosen to vaccinate. Just looking for advice from those who have BTDT.

[tnrnchick74]

Fever of 101 is actually barely a fever. MDs don't get concerned until the fever is 102.5+. My son runs a fever of 103 for about 3-4 hours after a vax.

Tylenol/motrin for comfort, lots of fluids. The fever should go away in about 24 hrs. The leg will be sore, but she needs to move it to get the medicine distributed through the muscle.

Nothing out of the ordinary for a low grade temp after shots. - just a sign the immune response has been stimulated. IF it continues for 3-4 days, then contact your md.

[mytwosons]

Motrin. No tylenol since it depletes glutithione.

[JBaxter]

the DTaP is one of the more reactive vaccines. It is also often accompanied by a headache. Keep up the motrin.

Our ped also carries it with the polio but when Jack is ready to get his I am having him special order it with ONLY the DTaP.

[maestramommy]

Every kid reacts differently, yknow? Dora didn't have any fevers with her vaxes, even when she was a baby. Just sore legs. Arwyn didn't have sore legs, but she did have a slight fever. Laurel we're back to sore legs.

Dora had all her vaxes (yikes, didn't realize there would be so many!) at her 4yo wellcheck, and absolutely nothing happened. I'm not assuming that will be the case with the other two. In fact, I'm spreading out Laurel's 12 mo vaxes because there are SO MANY and I don't recall it being like that with the other two. And her legs get so sore and she gets rather irritable.

[Katigre]

Do not dose the fever unless it gets super high (over 103 degrees). Fever is an important part of the immune system response and medicating it lowers the vaccine ffectiveness. That data just came out in the past year or two so it's newer advice. Tylenol May Weaken Infant Vaccines:
Acetaminophen Linked to Poorer Immune Response to Infant Vaccines (http://children.webmd.com/vaccines/news/20091015/tylenol-may-weaken-infant-vaccines)

The DTaP vaccine is one whose reactions increase with each subsequent dose, so it's not surprising to see a reaction on the 3rd or 4th dose even when a child hasn't reacted to the previous ones. The tenderness at the site is most likely from the DTaP portion of the vaccine. It should go away within a few days, though some kids still have a small knot there for a month or two afterward.

I hope this helps. Again - please don't medicate a vaccine fever with tylenol or motrin. I no longer do that with my children even though I did with DS when he was a baby because it makes the vaccines less effective and that defeats the whole purpose of getting them.

[sariana]

My kids have reacted to some vaccines and not others. I have never noticed a pattern except for the time DS got pox after the chicken pox vaccine: it turned out he had several other, unrelated, infections. So I have to wonder if he reacted to the vaccine because his immune system was already fighting on several fronts. He didn't react at all to the booster a few years later.

So maybe this vaccine elicits a stronger response. Or maybe your DD was already fighting a cold or some other infection. There really isn't any way to know for sure.

In any case, it doesn't sound like a concern to me. Sorry if she's feeling rotten, though. It's never fun to have a fever, whatever the cause.