Vaccinations are a common medical procedure that is used to prevent diseases. Vaccination is also called immunization, and it’s administered by giving dosages of an antigenic substance that will stimulate immunity against a disease. The most common side-effects of vaccinations in children are fever, soreness at the vaccination site, and headache. Other side effects include diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and fatigue. In rare cases, more serious reactions can occur such as allergic reactions including difficulty with breathing, turning blue, and swelling around the mouth. Severe cases of allergic reactions may require emergency medical attention. It is not common for children to have serious reactions, but it can happen.
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Caring is Important
Vaccination is very important so make sure the child doesn’t misses his vaccination. The best treatment for most adverse vaccine reactions is to provide supportive care until the effects are resolved. Parents may also want to conduct independent research on the vaccination in question before agreeing to it. An example of vaccination is the polio vaccine that protects against polio, a viral infection that affects the nervous system. If your child has already contracted polio, an injection of vaccine in the arm will help prevent future contraction. Pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site are common side-effects of vaccinations. This article mentions some common types of vaccination side effects in children.
Mild Fever
Some vaccinations cause mild fever in children. This is because the body produces antibodies in response to foreign proteins that are injected into the system. The vaccine for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) can cause fever in some patients after vaccination. If you suspect your child is having a high-grade fever after receiving MMR vaccination, consult your doctor immediately.
Tiredness/Weakness
If your child has received MMR vaccine recently and then complains of feeling tired or weak after vaccination, this is because the vaccine contains weakened versions of live viruses that can cause symptoms similar to that of a disease-causing virus. This symptom should subside after 1-2 days. If it doesn’t, contact your doctor and inform them about your child’s vaccination history.
Rash and Itching
Rash and itching after MMR vaccination is a common reaction in children. Symptoms usually subside within 2-3 days of receiving the vaccine. Serious side effects such as difficulty breathing; nausea; high fever; or rashes that cause blistering should be reported to the doctor immediately.
Allergic reaction
Some individuals might be allergic to components of different vaccines such as gelatin or egg-based vaccine adjuvants. If you suspect your child is having an adverse reaction after vaccination, seek medical attention and mention this information to the doctor administering the vaccination. This is because some common vaccination side-effects can be avoided by taking appropriate precautions before administering the vaccine.
Pain and redness at the injection site
After MMR vaccination, some children might experience mild swelling, redness, pain, or difficulty in movement at the injection site. This is a common side-effect that usually subsides after 2-3 days of receiving the vaccination. If the pain and redness don’t subside, contact your doctor. It’s quite natural when a syringe is injected into the injected site it penetrates the layers of your skin and muscles. This can cause a little bit of pain, redness, and swell at the area where you have been injected.
Anaphylactic reaction
An anaphylactic reaction is an adverse reaction to vaccination that has the potential of causing life-threatening symptoms. Anaphylaxis can occur in all children receiving vaccinations, however, it’s more likely to occur after MMR vaccination. Symptoms of difficulty breathing include wheezing; swelling of eyelids; throat or hives;. If your child is experiencing these symptoms, contact emergency services and inform the doctor about your child’s vaccination history immediately.
Besides these common side-effects, vaccination can cause rare but serious reactions such as severe allergic reactions; seizures; or encephalopathy (a brain injury that has occurred after a fever). These adverse reactions usually manifest within several hours or days of receiving the vaccine. If you suspect your child is having an adverse reaction to vaccination, contact your doctor immediately and mention this information to them before administering any other vaccinations.
Vaccination has helped reduce infectious diseases significantly in children, so be sure to follow recommendations by your doctor for vaccinating your children based on their vaccination history and age. Although these common side-effects aren’t serious but shouldn’t be taken lightly. In case you or your child experience any of these side effects, consult a doctor immediately. Also, if the symptoms aggravate, seek medical attention as soon as possible to avoid further complications.
Summary
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading the article about common vaccination side effects in children. Vaccination is vital for children’s health and safety. Although vaccination can cause common side effects such as rashes, swelling, or fever that usually subside in a few days, it can also cause rare but serious reactions such as anaphylaxis. If you suspect your child is suffering from any of these side effects, seek medical attention immediately.
