immunisation

DD had her 4 month shots the other day, i lost the piece of paper about side effects. she has developed a runny/ stuffy nose a sneeze and a cough, is cold like sympoms a side effect or could she just have a cold? she is breast fed and i thought they don't get sick with the anti-bodies in the milk, plus she hasn't been around others who are sick. the day after her shots she had a38.2 degree temp which has eased now but thye cold like symptoms began. is there anything that can be done for a 4 month old with these symptoms medicine wise? we are driving to the country for christmas and am not sure whether to take her to doctor or not? it would be pointless if they can't do anything medicine wise? sorry this is a bit disjointed and rambling, got a whingy baby at the moment, poor darlin.

It is possibly just a co-incidence that she has come down with a cold at the same time, but the cold-like symptoms can be side effects of the injections. Being BF does protect against illness, but it isn't a gurantee that they won't get sick at all, just that the risk is lessened kwim? If she does just have a cold, there isn't anything you can give her to get rid of it, just panadol if she has a temp and some baby balsam to help her congestion. Fess for little noses helps clear the nose too. If you are worried, by all means take her to your GP and get her checked out.

Hollo, I agree with Sherie but here are the Common Adverse events from the Parent Advice Sheet put out by Queensland Health....

DTP: - Usually mild & transient, within 24 hours, localised pain, swelling and redness at injection site, low grade temperature, being grizzly, unsettled and unhappy - may persist for 24 to 48 hours, drowsiness.

HIB: - Usually mild and transient, localised pain, swellin gand redness at injection site, low grade temperature.

Hepatitis B: - very occasionally soreness and redness at injection site, low grade temperature.

OPV: - very rare any adverse event, occasionally diarrhoea.

MMR: - Usually mild and transient, Localised pain, swelling and redness at injection site. The following may occur 5 to 12 dyas after vaccine: low grade temperature, faint rash (not infectious), head cold/runny nose, cough/puffy eyes, swelling of salivary glands.

Pneumoccocal: - localised pain, swelling and redness at injection site, low grade temperature.

Meningococcal: - pain, redness and swelling at the injection site occurs in about 10 percent of cases, mild fever, irritability, headaches and loss of appetite occurs in about 2 percent of cases; significant general adverse events are rare.

The only immunisation listed that suggests cold like symptoms is the MMR injection; and unless the other states are different to QLD, your DD would not have received this immunisation as of yet. (First one is given at 12 months). Generally all of the immunisations have the suggestions of giving extra fluids to drink, not overdressing baby and giving paracetemol to lower fever if needed.

Hope your little girl is feeling better soon! :)