After the Shots

Hi! Let’s talk about taking care of your child after the shots. The first thing that I want you to do is review the paper that has the information for the vaccines that the nurses provide you at the time of the visit. It’s important that you review this so you if you have any questions you can ask us. Also, it’s important to know that most of the babies or children take can be a little bit more fussy and cranky than usual in the first 24-48 hours after the shots. They also can have a decreased oral intake, so that’s why it’s so important that you increase their fluid intake during this period of time.

Also, some babies can experience some pain and irritation in the site of injection, so it’s very important that you help them through this. You need to put some cloth with cold water in the area that is bothering them, and if you notice that the redness is worsening or it’s getting more swollen, or if you see any discharge, especially if all this happens after the first 24 hours from the shots, then you need to give us a call and let us know because this could be a sign of an infection.

Another common problem that presents after the shot is fever. Babies can have a low-grade fever after the shot, so it’s important to give them an appropriate dose of Motrin or Tylenol. You can access the right dose of these medications in our medication chart here on the website.

Also, if you notice that this fever lasts longer than 48 hours, you need to let us know. Or if it is a very high fever, like 104, it’s important that you always call us with any concerns after the shots, and we are here to help you.

If you have any additional concerns, contact our office.