You may decide to give your child some, or all, of the available vaccines.
Some side effects, such as fever, are common.
The NHS and UK Government offer advice on what to expect during and after vaccination.
It is very important that you seek medical help urgently if your child is having a severe reaction to a medication.
Below are some additional resources you might want to review, so that you feel more confident caring for your child through vaccination.
Remember: the NHS vaccine schedule is for guidance only
The NHS recommends a particular vaccine schedule – but you don’t have to follow this. It is up to you as a parent to decide which vaccines your child has.
You can delay or space out the vaccines, pay to have them administered individually rather than all in one injection, and choose to have some vaccines but not others. You can also decide not to give your child any vaccines. Different countries have different schedules, for example Denmark starts later and gives fewer vaccines more widely spaced out.
The NHS vaccine schedule is advisory and based on UK Health Security Agency guidance.
‘Vaccines are not mandatory in the UK and they cannot be given without your consent.’
Source: NHS https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/booking-your-childs-vaccination-appointment/
The UK Health Security Agency notes: ‘If your baby is ill with a fever you should put-off the vaccination until they have recovered... If you're worried about other conditions your child may have please speak to your doctor, practice nurse or health visitor before your child has any immunisations.’
What if your child gets a fever after vaccination?
It is now recognised that a fever is the body’s natural and healthy response to fighting infections such as coughs and colds.
Your child may have a fever in the first few hours and days after having a vaccine. Fever after vaccination is another example of your body fighting toxins – in this case from the vaccine and its adjuvants.
One of Informing Consent’s medical advisers, a retired paediatrician, says: ‘Do not worry about fever so long as your child is alert and drinking well. Make sure they have plenty to drink, open the windows so there is fresh air and keep them in light clothing. If your child has a prolonged fever or is drowsy or refusing fluids or a poor colour, then always seek urgent medical advice.’
Paracetamol and ibuprofen
The NHS offers advice on how to treat fever in children. Paracetamol (e.g. Calpol) or ibuprofen (e.g. Nurofen) is recommended if they are distressed or uncomfortable.
It also notes that ibuprofen is not suitable for all children, and generally should not be given to babies under three months of age or to those with some medical conditions. For example, the NHS is clear that ibuprofen should not be given to children with chickenpox:
Risks and benefits
Some medical opinion states that paracetamol can lower glutathione, which is the liver’s master antioxidant in assisting in the removal of toxins. Dosage appears to be critical, however.
Some other studies appear to show that paracetamol can reduce the antibody response to vaccine antigens, and that if the fever is prevented then the vaccination may not ‘take’.
In chapter 8 of the ‘Green book’ (Vaccine safety and the management of adverse events following immunisation), the Department of Health provides advice that neither paracetamol nor ibuprofen should be used routinely to prevent fever following vaccination. (The exception is the MenB vaccine: ‘it's recommended you give your baby liquid paracetamol after the MenB vaccine at 8 weeks and 12 weeks old.’)
The Green Book also notes that ‘Aspirin, or medicines that contain aspirin should never be given to children under 16 years old because of the risk of developing Reye’s syndrome.’
Parents and carers may want to look into this issue in detail, and weigh up the risks and benefits of using paracetamol and ibuprofen after vaccination. You may want to include the topic in vaccination discussions with your doctor.
Research in this field is limited. However, there have been studies conducted on prenatal exposure which provide additional information, such as the following:
Prenatal Exposure to Acetaminophen and Risk of ADHD
Children’s Health Defense have recently published this book: Tylenol and Autism: Evidence, Scientific Blunders, and Medicine Gone Wrong
What else can we do?
Workshops for parents and carers
Workshops for parents and carers
Workshops for parents and carers
Dr Jayne Donegan runs regular lectures and workshops to help parents and carers increase their knowledge.
Topics include ‘Fever is your friend’ and ‘Nursing children supportively’.
Vitamin C and vaccines
Workshops for parents and carers
Workshops for parents and carers
Vitamin C may help to reduce vaccine side effects.
This article gives advice about giving vitamin C alongside vaccines, from Helen Saul Case.
(From the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, http://orthomolecular.org/subscribe.html
OMNS archive http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/index.shtml)
Exploring homeopathy
Workshops for parents and carers
Exploring homeopathy
Some people consult a homeopath for remedies to bring down a fever. You can search for a homeopath here.
New to homeopathy? Try watching this film first. www.Introducinghomeopathy.com
Caring for your family's health
Whether or not you choose to vaccinate, your child will get poorly from time to time.
Here are some resources that you can explore, to help your family stay healthy.
Knowledge is power - and the more we know, the better we can handle whatever life throws our way.