Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Vaccination Reactions

I'm tired and I cannot wait for Fabien to come home.

Sophie had a reaction to her vaccinations on Monday. Since we got home she's been a bit fretful and persistently running a low-grade fever even after being maximally dosed with infant Tylenol. I got a bit worried when it spiked at 39.8 degrees on Tuesday. She had recieved shots for Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae (DTaP/IPV/Hib) and meningitis C and the injection sites were swollen and hard.

She seems better today though, and is calling "Papa" whilst jabbing her finger at all the wedding photos that I've started unloadeding from our shipment. Just to test her, I picked a photo with me and my brother, but without Fabien and waved it in front of her. Without missing a beat she points and says "Mama" and then points at my brother and makes the ASL sign for "giraffe"!! Oh well my brother is taller than me ...

Anyway, like I mentioned, vaccinations are a controversial parenting area. I read a Pediatrics Online study checking How Do Physicians Immunize Their Own Children which said that :

Ninety-two percent of pediatricians followed the official immunization recommendations for their own children... In addition to vaccines currently recommended in Switzerland, both groups of physicians added hepatitis A, influenza, and varicella vaccines to the vaccination schedule of their own children. Pediatricians were more likely to give pneumococcal and meningococcal C vaccines to their own children

Which seems to ease any lingering conspiracy theory doubts I might have about vaccinations being simply a huge money-spinner for Big Pharama.

In other news - it seems I have to feed my incredibly active toddler more often (she burns it all up!) She's underweight for her height. I say height quite deliberately because she's standing un-aided more regularly, and I couldn't be more proud. Seems like I ought to buy a height chart for her soon.

4 comments:

Ex Night Queen said...

Gasp...so many jabs in one day? Anyways...I remember my little sisters running a fever after their jabs when they were kids too...but I guess it's no fun looking after a sick kid :-( Hope Sophie gets well fast.

mini said...

sophie's giraffe comment is hilarious :)

rene said...

it seems a low grade fever and a lil swelling at the point of administration of the vaccines are common, as long as fever does not go too high and she gets better gradually. Hugs for Sophie!!

Gia-Gina said...

Veronica got 4 jabs this week, 2 in each thigh. In Italy they combined the shots into one and I liked that a lot. I hope the little one feels better soon. BTW, I do not have my birthday calendar with me, when is the little peanit going to be one? V still has no teeth.