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Drug Reactions in Babies

Vaccines and shots given to babies (24 months and under) are often a cause of worry among parents, especially if the little one is prone to reactions and allergies. It is important to realize reactions are rare. It is also important, however, to know and be able to recognize the symptoms of a reaction should they occur.

  1. The Drugs

    • Drugs in vaccinations and immunization shots are usually a mild or a dead version of the disease/illness they are meant to protect against. Vaccination drugs for babies under 6 months of age are usually for hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, pneumococcal disease, hib, polio and rotavirus.

    Function

    • The drugs in immunizations used on your little one work in a specific way to help the child avoid severe and potentially fatal diseases and illnesses throughout his/her childhood and life. When a child or even adult encounters an illness, the body builds up immunity to it to prevent further occurrences. Vaccines are given to trigger a reaction in the body that makes it seem like the real thing, helping your baby build immunity without going through the life-threatening process of persevering through it.

    Mild Reactions

    • The most common mild reactions occurring in babies are swelling/tenderness of the injection site and a mild fever. These reactions happen in 1 in 4 babies. Other mild reactions include fussiness, poor appetite, swollen leg or arm, tiredness and vomiting. Diarrhea is also known to occur with the rotavirus vaccine.

    Moderate/Severe Reactions

    • Moderate and severe reactions are extremely rare and should not be fretted over too much in the days before your child's shots. Severe reactions are often an allergic reaction to some specific material in the vaccine. Moderate to severe reactions should be seen by a doctor and treated accordingly. It is important to know which shot your child has gotten to help your doctor treat it. These reactions include seizure, coma, lowered consciousness, permanent brain damage, fever over 105 degrees F and crying non-stop for 3 hours or more. These reactions are so rare, however, that they cannot be conclusively linked to the vaccinations themselves.

    Time Frame

    • For most reactions to vaccinations in babies, symptoms should appear fairly quickly. The fussiness, loss of appetite, swelling and tenderness should happen within the first few hours after the shots and may last one to three days. The entire leg or arm could swell or a rash could appear from one to 10 days afterward. These reactions could last as many days as well. The other mild reactions usually only occur within a week after the vaccinations. Moderate and severe reactions, as well, will occur within a few minutes to a few hours after the shots are given, and need to be treated immediately.

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