Pediatrics

Fever in baby after vaccination

introduction

The permanent vaccination committee of the Robert Koch Institute recommends a total of six vaccinations for the first year of life of every baby.

The vaccinations consist of a six-fold vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, the causative agent of meningitis and hepatitis B as well as the vaccines against peumococci and rotaviruses.

In this way, immunity is achieved against pathogens that could particularly harm the child in the first few months of life. The frequency of vaccinations decreases with age. In general, the vaccines are very well tolerated and do not cause long-term damage.

Read more on the topic: Baby vaccinations, should I get my baby vaccinated?

Physical reactions can occur especially after multiple vaccinations or live vaccines. These include fever, redness and swelling as well as pain at the injection site.
The side effects usually subside after a few days. Fever is often seen in association with vaccination against pneumococci. Prophylactic administration of suppositories with the active ingredient paracetamol can prevent the fever.

Read more on the topic: Live vaccination

definition

After vaccination with the five- or six-fold vaccine and a simultaneous vaccination against pneumococci, an increased body temperature occurs in 20 to 30 percent of cases. The fever can reach a temperature of up to 39 ° C.

In some children, the temperature will last for a few days before returning to normal.

The fever is a physiological, i.e. a healthy physical, reaction of the body.

A vaccine is designed to provide immunity to a specific pathogen. For this purpose, a small, harmless amount of a so-called antigen is added to the body.

The body's natural response is to activate the immune system and its cells. Specific antibodies are formed that protect against infection with the pathogen. In some cases, this can provoke mild symptoms of the disease without an actual infection being present. A possible symptom is a fever.

When does the fever start after the vaccination?

Many children experience so-called vaccination reactions after vaccination. This also includes a slight fever, which usually sets in after 6-8 hours. It can take up to three days for the fever to subside. This reaction of the body is not a cause for concern, it simply shows that the immune system is activated and the body is "processing" the vaccination.

In the case of live vaccines, the reaction can also occur later, between the 7th and 14th day after the vaccination, and is natural incubation period of the pathogen. With the vaccines used today, high fever above 39 ° C only occurs in less than 2% of cases.

More information can be found here: Side effects from vaccinations in babies

Other accompanying symptoms

In addition to fever, there are often local reactions at the injection site. These can be in the form of Redness, swelling, and pain occur. Symptoms such as aching limbs, loss of appetite and general malaise can also accompany the fever. After live vaccinations you can also do it between the 7th and 14th day after the vaccination slight rashes occur.

There are more serious side effects with vaccinations anaphylactic reactions, i.e. allergies to components of the vaccine. In this case, the reaction usually occurs within a few minutes and almost always within 30-60 minutes. An allergy can manifest itself through strong local reactions or in the worst case through a circulatory collapse (anaphylactic shock). In this case, further vaccinations with the same vaccine should be avoided and a doctor should be consulted.

Is the fever contagious after a vaccination?

Fever in response to vaccination is not contagious. Skin rashes that indicate a vaccine disease, i.e. a weakened form of the actual disease, are not contagious, as the pathogens were only administered in a weakened form.

Nevertheless, for example, the Varicella (Chickenpox) - Pregnant women are advised to vaccinate, children with Vaccination chickenpox rash to avoid. However, this is primarily a precautionary measure to ensure that no transmission is possible.

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After which vaccinations is fever particularly common?

After a vaccination, the baby's body gets to know the pathogen and the immune system remembers the typical structures. This process can lead to a somewhat excessive immune system reaction, which is why some children develop a fever after vaccination.

With some vaccinations that were given earlier, such vaccination reactions were relatively common. Today's vaccines are all very tightly controlled. With all vaccines, the likelihood of a fever reaction is very low, which is why the risk of certain vaccines can hardly be stated.

In the case of dead vaccines, in which only certain proportions of the pathogen are administered, the baby may develop a high fever within the first three days.

In the case of live vaccines, the pathogen must first multiply in the body before a reaction with a possible fever occurs. This takes five to twelve days.

The smallpox vaccination and the tuberculosis vaccination can no longer be found in the recommendations today. These have led to vaccination reactions with fever significantly more often.

The likelihood of having a fever depends less on a particular drug than on the person. Some babies are more prone to feverish reactions. Immunocompromised babies should not be given live vaccines as they are more likely to develop a fever and other complications.

Fever in baby after MMR vaccination

The mumps, measles and rubella vaccination is a 3-fold live vaccination, which means that weakened, live viruses are vaccinated. It is recommended for ages 11-14 months. The vaccination is well tolerated, around 5% of those vaccinated have slight reactions such as swelling and redness at the injection site and a slight increase in temperature. Febrile seizures can rarely occur in infants, but this usually has no consequences.

More information can be found here: MMR vaccination

Fever in the baby after a 6-fold vaccination

The 6-fold vaccination is a combination vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B, whooping cough (Pertussis), Polio (poliomyelitis) and Heamophilus influenzae b. All six active ingredients are dead vaccines, which is why there are usually fewer side effects compared to live vaccines. Within three days of the vaccination, there may be slight vaccination reactions such as redness and swelling at the injection site and increased temperatures.

You might also be interested in the topic: Infantrix combination vaccine

Can I be vaccinated despite a fever?

If there is an acute illness that requires treatment or a fever, according to the STIKO guidelines (Standing Vaccination Commission) not be vaccinated as it is an absolute contraindication. In this case, the vaccination should be made up for two weeks after full recovery.

Does the child have a so-called banal infection, also with subfebrile temperatures (Temperatures below 38.5 ° C), there are no contraindications to vaccination, so the child can be vaccinated. This should be clarified by a doctor before any planned vaccination.

With a few vaccinations, the so-called Post exposure prophylaxis After contact with a pathogen in unvaccinated people, vaccination is possible despite a fever to prevent or reduce the disease.

What to do

The temperature of children under three years of age is measured using a clinical thermometer, which is inserted into the bottom. In this way, the body temperature can be determined as precisely as possible.

If a feverish reaction occurs after the vaccination, various measures can be taken to combat the symptoms. The ambient temperature should be slightly below the normal room temperature of 21 ° Celsius. Thin linen towels or a light romper suit are sufficient to cover it.

Adequate fluid intake is particularly important in the context of the increased body temperature. This can be given in the form of breast milk, broth, tea or water, depending on the age of the baby / child.

A tried and tested home remedy are leg wraps. Two towels soaked in lukewarm water are loosely wrapped around the child's calves and remain there for about 10 minutes. The body temperature drops because body heat is given off to the cooler towels. The process can be used several times.

A lukewarm bath for the child followed by air drying of the skin lowers the fever according to a similar principle. The cold resulting from evaporation causes the fever to subside.

One drug used to lower fever in babies and young children is paracetamol. It can be given in the form of suppositories or juice.

Read more on the topic Fever baby what to do

When do you start giving a suppository?

Fever can occur as the body's natural response to vaccination and should not be suppressed with medication too soon.

In an infant, one speaks of a fever when the body temperature rises to values above 38.3 ° Celsius. But the increase in temperature alone is not an indication for the administration of fever-lowering suppositories.
Much more important than the number given by the clinical thermometer is the infant's behavior.
In many cases, simple home remedies - see “What should you do?” - help treat the symptoms of the disease.
If, on the other hand, the baby is clearly unwell, has a loss of appetite and cannot sleep, the administration of paracetamol in the form of suppositories or juice can be considered.

The active ingredient paracetamol belongs to the group of non-opioid analgesics.
In addition to the fever-lowering effect, pain is relieved. Paracetamol is available in low, weight-adapted doses for infants and children.

After the pneumococcal vaccination, a fever reaction of up to 39 ° Celsius can be observed in about a third of the cases.
To prevent the vaccination reaction, the first suppository can be administered immediately after the vaccination. Each additional suppository is given every six hours as a preventive measure. More than three suppositories on the same day should not be given.

If the increase in body temperature due to vaccinations is already known, the child can receive a suppository immediately before the next vaccination.
This counteracts the occurrence of a fever.

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Fever suppositories for babies and children
When should I see a doctor with a fever?

Paracetamol for fever after vaccination

Paracetamol has a pain relieving and fever lowering effect. It is therefore a suitable remedy for fever after vaccinations, which should only be given at high temperatures and if the fever has occurred for a long time.

Paracetamol is one of the active ingredients that can be given to babies. From a weight of 3kg it can be administered regardless of age. Paracetamol comes in different forms of administration - tablets, suppositories and juice are available in different dosages. Suppositories are particularly suitable for babies.

As a prophylactic measure before vaccinations, however, paracetamol should not be administered, as it is suspected of weakening the immune response. The drug should only be given when a fever actually occurs.

More information can be found here: Paracetamol

Homeopathy for fever

A vaccination reaction usually goes away within a few days without outside intervention. Fever can also be lowered with old home remedies, such as leg compresses. Homeopaths recommend Acontium for babies with a fever and thirst for vaccination and Belladonna for babies with a fever who are thirsty.

It is recommended to wait and see whether a reaction occurs, as the homeopathic remedies are not supposed to be preventive. If symptoms occur, three globules can be given once and the effect should set in quickly.

If you are more interested in this topic, then read our next article below: Homeopathy for fever

How long does the fever last?

The fever as a vaccination reaction usually occurs with a latency period of six hours after vaccination and subsides after about three days. This is a natural reaction of the immune system to the vaccine.
If, on the other hand, the temperature continues to rise despite fever-lowering measures or if the infant shows abnormal behavior, a doctor should be consulted.

You can find more information on the topic here Fever after vaccinations

When should you go to the doctor?

A normal vaccination reaction of the child's body can consist of the local reaction at the puncture site and an increase in body temperature of up to 39 ° Celsius. If a further increase in temperature as well as cramps and / or vomiting occur, a doctor should be consulted urgently.

Other warning signals are noticeable changes in the toddler's behavior. Which includes:

constant whimpering and crying
apathy
physical weakness
reduced drinking behavior

The duration of the fever can be up to three days after vaccination. If the fever persists, a doctor's visit is advisable.

In general, body temperature changes in the course of early childhood development. Up to three months of age, a doctor should be consulted if the temperature rises above 37.8 ° Celsius.

A temperature of more than 38.2 ° Celsius can require a doctor's visit for a toddler between three and six months. In older children, a fever of 39.2 ° Celsius or more is the reason for a visit to the doctor.

An exceptionally rapid rise in body temperature is also alarming.

Can you go out with the baby who has a fever after the vaccination?

Fresh air is not harmful either with fever after vaccination or with other diseases in infancy. Babies with a fever should be dressed appropriately for the time of year and should not be wrapped too warm.

Allowing the baby to rest just means that there should be no overexertion. A walk is completely safe here. Cool air can even help lower the fever.

Does a baby have to develop a fever as a sign that the vaccination is working?

With the vaccines approved today, vaccine reactions have become significantly rarer. Only around one to ten percent of vaccinated children develop a fever after vaccination. This does not mean that the vaccination did not work, but that the body gets to know the pathogen without a strong reaction.

The myth of the necessary vaccination reaction comes from the smallpox vaccination, in which children previously had to develop a smallpox scar in order for the vaccination to work safely.