Fever 7 days after VAX - side effect or sickness?

[REV]

Hi everyone - Matthew, my 9 month old baby, got his second round of Prevnar and DTaP last Monday(7 days ago). He is on a delayed/selective vaccination schedule, and hasn't had any problems with the other shots he's had(2 HIB shots and the first round of Prevnar/DTaP).

Today he has a fever. 101.9 rectally. He has been just fine between last Monday and now. My 2 yr old has the remnants of a cold(just a cough now), but no one else in our family is showing any signs of sickness. Matthew doesn't seem sick either - just the fever. He did have an unusually long nap this morning(3 hrs when he usually sleeps only 1.5), and has been very very crabby, which I assumed was from the fever and an oncoming sickness.

Can fever from vaccinations take 7 days to show up? I haven't given him any tylenol yet b/c if he is getting sick I want the fever to fight off any infection, but if it is from the vaccinations, I would give him some medicine.

Should I report it to his doctor?

thanks,
Rachel

[Gitti]

Yes, it can be a vaccine reaction even though it's 7 days later. Or the vaccine could have gotten his resistance down and he caught the cold from his 2 yr old brother.

The fever is not all that high. I would not give him meds no matter what it is. Same principal, whether he is sick due to the vaccine or a cold, the fever is fighting it off.

Continue to monitor him. If he only has a fever I would just support him as much as you can with TLC.

jmo

[alegna]

Could be the vaccination... or not. Really you'll never know.

I would NOT give a fever reducer either way.

-Angela

[2boyzmama]

Poor Babe!

No way to know, unfortunately. Just watch him. I'd be concerned with the longer nap, be sure to check on him very often as long as he has this fever.

If the fever gets higher or seems to make him feel miserable, try a nice warm bath to lower the fever and distract him for a while. That way you can avoid a fever reducer.

As far as reporting it, you should certainly call the dr and have it put in his chart. Just in case.

[BugMacGee]

7 days after a vax, with other family members history of illness? Cold symptom.

[REV]

Thanks everyone for your replies. His fever was down this morning, and I thought we were in the clear, but this afternoon it is up to 102.5. He is just miserable today and unable to sleep, so I just gave him some tylenol and called his doctor. He is a little congested, but still not coughing, sneezing, or nose running so I don't have any clue what is going on, but I doubt it is related to his vaccines.

Thanks for your help. I know the fever itself isn't dangerous, but I am hoping the medicine will help him feel better.

Rachel

[mom2mializ]

I know I'm coming in REALLY late on this one, but thought I'd pass this along in case anyone else comes across it looking for answers - a friend of mine was telling me just the other day that with each of the 5 (out of 8) children she had vaxed, she could very consistently count on a fever and lethargy 7-8 days from the shot, and came to expect it.