DS is reacting to the DTaP

[StrawberryFields]

Any advice? Ds did not have any vaccines until he was about 3.5 years. We decided, after MUCH deliberation, to do the DTaP. The first two doses went fine. Yesterday (he is 4 years old now) he received his 3rd dose. Last night he started getting warm and complaining of pain in his legs and walking stiffly. We gave him a dose of Tylenol to help with the pain. By the middle of the night his fever was up to 104.3, he was complaining of pain in his mouth/lips and was either hallucinating or in and out of troubled sleep with nightmares. We did another dose of Tylenol around 3 AM, put him into a pair of light pajamas and wiped his brow with a cool cloth until he started shrieking at us to stop. With the Tylenol and clothes change his fever started coming down and after an hour he finally stopped the tossing and turning and fell asleep.

This morning his fever is around 102-103 and he won't eat, sounds weak and won't let anyone touch his legs at all. He says his knees and thighs hurt. He was also complaining of pain in his hands.

I have been searching for info all night and all morning and not finding much. Wondering if anyone else has been through a similar reaction and what we can do to make him more comfortable. All the info I am getting online mostly about bruising, swelling at the injection site, etc. His legs LOOK totally normal, he's just complaining of pain in them. I wish I could better understand what is happening. I will be calling the doctor's office when they open.

[chinupchamp]

I don't have any advise or anything, but I just wanted to let you know that I feel for both of you and sincerely wish I could help. Good luck Mama!

[Marnica]

I"m really sorry this is happening to you guys

I wouldn't count on your doc to be all that helpful. My guess is that they will tell you this is "normal". What you are describing IMO is NOT normal.

I would also encourage you to use other ways of bringing his fever down as well. IMHO Tylenol can cause more problems than it helps.

[StrawberryFields]

Originally Posted by Marnica

I"m really sorry this is happening to you guys

I wouldn't count on your doc to be all that helpful. My guess is that they will tell you this is "normal". What you are describing IMO is NOT normal.

I would also encourage you to use other ways of bringing his fever down as well. IMHO Tylenol can cause more problems than it helps.

Thanks Marnica. I actually think my doctor will be pretty helpful, she is really supportive when it comes to vaccines, homebirth, everything. Definitely not even close to the typical doctor stories I read here.

I am no longer giving anything for his fever since it is lower now and he is somewhat comfortable. It was just in the middle of the night when it was so high and he was suffering so much and not sleeping. If the pain in his legs picks up again I thought I might send dh out for ibuprofen if nothing else works. (Heating pad? he won't let me touch his legs at all... idk what else to try...)

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by StrawberryFields

Thanks Marnica. I actually think my doctor will be pretty helpful, she is really supportive when it comes to vaccines, homebirth, everything. Definitely not even close to the typical doctor stories I read here.

I am no longer giving anything for his fever since it is lower now and he is somewhat comfortable. It was just in the middle of the night when it was so high and he was suffering so much and not sleeping. If the pain in his legs picks up again I thought I might send dh out for ibuprofen if nothing else works. (Heating pad? he won't let me touch his legs at all... idk what else to try...)

My guess is that the reaction is to the Tetanus component. I know that people have treated injection site hard lumps with heat, so it may be worth trying.

I believe that the objection to Tylonel is that it interferes with the body's ability to filter toxins through the liver.

Also, I would get anything you think your ds might need now, and not wait until "needed," or someone may be going out in their pajamas...

[PlayaMama]

could it be the joint pain that happens with a fever?

[pacificbliss]

Any swelling with the leg pain? I googled this and did see a few scattered studies and postings where there was pain in the legs and high fever. Sometimes there was swelling in the legs. It seemed to be considered a moderate to severe reaction and was reported as such. All kids I came across recovered fine. Poor baby...and poor mama. What did the Dr say?

[PGTlatte]

I hope he is doing better today......I saw this yesterday and have been wondering how he is....

[StrawberryFields]

Originally Posted by laundrycrisis

I hope he is doing better today......I saw this yesterday and have been wondering how he is....

NAK

He is back to normal today. Thank goodness! His fever broke last night. He got a good night's sleep and today he is 100% himself. Hasn't mentioned any pain or discomfort.

The doctor called last night after he started improving. I cut it short because I had my hands full. So she basically just expressed her sympathy and we talked for a brief minute about Tylenol and vaccines, his high fever and how his leg was doing.

[PGTlatte]

I'm so glad to hear he is doing better.

[sahmmie]

Glad to hear he's doing better. I had a tetanus shot a few years ago and my arm hurt badly for several days.

[kriket]

Did the doc say what could have caused this? I am really curious why this happened!

So scary for you! I am glad he got better!

[Pookietooth]

Funny, I was just thinking of finally getting ds a tetanus shot (because he hates cleaning wounds).

[StrawberryFields]

Originally Posted by kriket

Did the doc say what could have caused this? I am really curious why this happened!

So scary for you! I am glad he got better!

Thanks! I am glad he is better too, it was really scary.

I didn't really talk to the doctor about it. He was improving and she called at bedtime so I kept it really brief, more like a "Thanks for calling, yeah his fever is going down, no swelling in his leg, I'll definitely call if something changes!" I figured we will talk about it more in depth when we have an appointment somewhere down the road.

[nicolebeth]

I hope he's feeling better now!

This sounds like the reaction DS had to the DT when he was three. His was in the arm; I thought once kids walked they did them in the arms? Anyway, he was fine, then had fever, hallucinations, was loopy, hot, didn't want to nurse (and he still nursed a lot back then). We suspected it may have been an aluminum reaction? Or, to the tetanus. He had reacted to the first Dtap. We did do two more, but that was with a different ped. What we realized was that the DT was no better, and possibly worse (higher aluminum content, and probably higher tetanus component?)

The nurse (no longer with our pediatrician) was astounded such a reaction happened, said that NEVER happens with DT, and that if we were so concerned, we should have called at 3am or gone to the ER. (We were 100% sure DS would be "fine", but scary all the same, and not something we care to repeat. Ever.)

[StrawberryFields]

Originally Posted by nicolebeth

I hope he's feeling better now!

This sounds like the reaction DS had to the DT when he was three. His was in the arm; I thought once kids walked they did them in the arms? Anyway, he was fine, then had fever, hallucinations, was loopy, hot, didn't want to nurse (and he still nursed a lot back then). We suspected it may have been an aluminum reaction? Or, to the tetanus. He had reacted to the first Dtap. We did do two more, but that was with a different ped. What we realized was that the DT was no better, and possibly worse (higher aluminum content, and probably higher tetanus component?)

The nurse (no longer with our pediatrician) was astounded such a reaction happened, said that NEVER happens with DT, and that if we were so concerned, we should have called at 3am or gone to the ER. (We were 100% sure DS would be "fine", but scary all the same, and not something we care to repeat. Ever.)

They gave him a choice between his arm or leg and he chose leg. The nurse usually calls back and handles patient questions/problems, but when she heard the details of his reaction she went straight to the doctor instead. We happened to be at the office today for my dd's checkup and the doctor brought it up briefly. She basically said yep, he's done! We can talk about options if he gets a dirty puncture wound, or if we want a booster when he is 10, 11, 12 +. But no one recommends we forge ahead with the 4th dose.