DTaP Reaction?

[kamane18]

DS (little over 5 months old) had his second DTaP shot on Thursday. No other shots at that time. Soon after and since then we've noticed him "twitching" (for lack of a better word) his head - more like lobbing/swaying it back and forth. No other severe symptoms - fever never went above 100.7 rectally (and we did not give Tylenol or Motrin), mood is pretty good (little fussy but not horrible), no screaming, etc.

Should we be totally freaked out about the head thing? Is this a common reaction? Is it just coincidental and he's learning to do it? He doesn't seem distressed by it but it's disturbing us some. Anything we should do?

[kamane18]

It's definitely worse/more noticeable when he's sitting on our lap or in a recliner or in his jumperoo than when he's laying on back or tummy.

Also just remembered that DD used to do something similar starting maybe around 6 months or so. She used to tense her whole face and upper body also like she was "scrunching" herself up. We had asked her Ped at the time about it and said it was like a nervous tic and she'd likely outgrow it (which she did).

[mamakah]

What came up when I googled "DTaP twitching":
http://forums.wrongdiagnosis.com/showthread.php?t=63362
this lists twitching as a moderate to severe reaction although I think it means more like a seizure:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/b...-pertussis.htm
There are a lot more. I don't know anything about the above websites. I'm sure other mamas will have way better references, I just don't have time to go digging right now.
I wouldn't rule out a reaction. It could also be one of those weird little things that kids pick up and do for a few weeks. My son got into bobbing his head while walking for awhile. I'm sure if he was vaccinated I would have freaked. I'm not saying it's a "coincidence". The only thing you can do is watch it, if it seems to stay, then I would say yes...definately a reaction. Call your dr. and report it. They will say its has nothing to do with the shot. Log everything that has happened since the shot, including temperature, when the twitching started, what it looked like, the call to the doctor, what the doctor said, etc. etc. Try to get a batch number for the vaccine also. If it turns out to be nothing, great! But I would gather info until I know.

[kamane18]

Thanks - will do. That's a better description - more of a head bobbing than jerking or seizure like...

[kamane18]

As an update here, talked to his Ped today and was at least glad that he didn't totally dismiss the issue. He asked if I had ever noticed it before the shot and I said no and he said he did want to see him - we are bringing him in tomorrow morning. He is definitely doing it less yesterday and today (so that's good) and definitely seems to pick up a bit when he's overtired or very stimulated...

Any other thoughts very welcome/appreciated!