Possible side effects after the administration of the pentavalent vaccine

Your child has received a combined pentavalent vaccine given to protect him from: diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio and a disease caused by the bacterium Hemophilus influenzae type b.

In some cases, the vaccine, like any other drug, can cause side effects that are usually mild, short-lived and pass spontaneously.

Side effects that may occur in some children are:

  • loss of appetite
  • anxiety
  • unusual crying
  • elevated temperature 38 C and above
  • redness, swelling and pain at the injection site
  • drowsiness
  • diarrhea and vomiting
  • painful hardening at the site of vaccine administration
  • insomnia

These reactions resolve spontaneously within 2 to 3 days.

Tip

Local problems will be alleviated by dressings made of tap water, and you can use paracetamol syrup in a dose recommended by a pediatrician (10-15 mg per kg of body weight in one dose) to relieve pain and lower the fever. It is not recommended to use paracetamol before vaccination.

Occasionally, some children may experience more intense reactions within 48 hours of vaccination, such as: high temperature 40 C, inconsolable crying lasting more than 3 hours, collapse or shock-like condition, cramps with or without fever (within 3 days from vaccination) or local swelling and redness spread to adjacent joints. These reactions also resolve spontaneously.

Tip

If any of these reactions occur in your child, you should take him or her to a pediatrician to see if there is any other health problem. Also, if your child has had a reaction that is not listed, you need to inform the pediatrician

Serious allergic reactions occur extremely rarely after vaccination (Less than  1:10 000 and more given doses), even while the child is in the pediatric clinic.

They are manifested in the form of: swelling of the face and neck, disturbed and noisy breathing, severe sudden weakness with dizziness and loss of consciousness, stomach problems (anaphylactic reaction, shock).

 

Tip

If, after leaving the health institution, your child has any of the above problems, contact a pediatrician or emergency department immediately.

It is advisable to stay in the waiting room for another ten minutes after the vaccination in order to monitor the child's condition.