My four year old had two shots at his 4 year checkup. I believe it was MMR and chicken pox. He never complained about them hurting but when I went to give him a bath the next day his arm was extremely swollen. He had dressed himself so I never noticed and he wasn't complaining. His arm is twice the size of his other and warm to the touch. I called the doctor right away and she said it was common when they change a vaccine's formula. She said to give him Motrin and use a warm compress and try to massage the muscle. Just wonder if anyone has dealt with this before. It just looks awful. The doctor said she had a shot recently and her arm was swollen for a week. I hope it doesn't last that long.
we had the same thing happen this way, i gave daughter some benadryl because she was trying to itch it. It was gone by the next day (well you could see it but not all red and crazy looking). Good luck!
I don't have any experience with swelling from a vaccination and I don't want to freak you out or make you worry but you need to watch for infection. If you see any redness from the shot sight that travels up or down the arm you need to take him in right away. I'm sure that it is just a reaction to the vaccine but I didn't know that any shot, bite, sting, etc. could lead to infection and I found out the hard way. When in doubt ask for him to be looked at for your own peace of mind.
My son just had a shot that scared me. At first he was fine. The he started screaming. The told me the shot burned. I watched his arm swell. I asked him if he had a headache or felt sick in any way. He did. The nurse was scared because no one else has reacted like this before. We are very sensitive to many things so thing surprises me any more.
You did the right thing. Calling the doctor right away. Using what they said. Since it did not hurt your son probably did not notice. If you are really worried about the swelling call a massage therapist. They should know how to help his arm drain the medicine out. Or help the reaction to the drug.
It is scarey. Make sure you record it into your child's records at home. This could save his life in the future. You know your child better than your doctor does.
It's common to see it, I have seen it many times. I'm surprised that the nurse didn't give it separately in each arm/leg; both MMR and varicella vaccine are KNOWN to cause swelling and pain. Giving it in the same arm...no wonder! Best of luck and he'll be ok. As long as he doesn't show signs of breathing problems, swelling of the mouth/tongue. That would mean it is more of a systemic reaction than a local reaction.
My Dr. gives the shots in the legs/thighs. Maybe ask for that mext time, they are meatier places.
Hi E.,
My daughter had that happen with her tetanus shot at age 5. They told me to do the same thing and after a few days it went down. I think as long as your son doesn't get a fever or something scary, then he'll probably be okay.
It is awful to look at, isn't it?
Best of luck!
M.
You need to make sure you are educated on vaccines. There can be some dangerous reactions. One reaction now could have worst ones later. I know we trust our doctors but we the parents have to be as educated as possible when it comes to our kids. Check out these websites to start. www.icpa4kids.org & www.mercola.com
Hi E. ,
Im glad someone is asking this question , my 4yr just recieved his MMR on Wed and I was a little freaked yesterday when I saw his arm , it was hot to touch and double the size ( 1st time for any reaction regarding shots) I call the ped and she stated it was normal for the shot and to do the same give him motrin and a warm bath , and if in a few days the swelling doesnt go away call her back . Day 2 and the redness and swelling has gone down a lttle but I sure freaked . Im glad to see another mom with the same concerns. Oh by the way he had no other reactions .
Good luck and keep giving the motrin
K. SAHM 2 crazy toddler & expecting 3 (girl) in early Dec.
If you have any doubt, take him to the doctor regardless of what they say over the phone. Last year I spoke with the nurse in our 2 year old's peds office concerning a fever of 103 degrees that came on suddenly after he awoke from his nap at daycare. The nurse minimized my concerns and said it's likely just a cold - I took him in anyway and the doctor immediately diagnosed him with pneumonia. The symptoms your son is experiencing MAY be within the realm of possible reactions to this shot, but you make the call regardless of what they say. Good luck; I hope it's nothing.
C.
That happened to a friend's child and after a few days it was OK, but it was scary at the time (her child was also limping.)
Did you see the Oprah show with Jenny Mc Carthy? The shot concerns me a little bit after watching the show. I plan to do more research but this is what I found so far.....Has anyone just said no to having there child take the MMR? This is what I found online.....
Autism
Main article: MMR vaccine controversy
In the UK, the MMR vaccine was the subject of controversy after publication of a 1998 paper by Andrew Wakefield et al. reporting a study of twelve children who had autism spectrum disorders and bowel symptoms, in many cases with onset soon after administration of MMR vaccine.[21] During a 1998 press conference, Wakefield suggested that giving children the vaccines in three separate doses would be safer than a single jab. This suggestion was not supported by the paper, and several subsequent peer-reviewed studies have failed to show any association between the vaccine and autism.[22] Administering the vaccines in three separate doses does not reduce the chance of adverse effects, and it increases the opportunity for infection by the two diseases not immunized against first.[22][23] Wakefield has been heavily criticized on scientific grounds and for triggering a decline in vaccination rates,[24] as well as on ethical grounds for the way the research was conducted.[25]
In 2004, after an investigation by The Sunday Times,[26] the interpretation section of the study, which identified a general association in time between the vaccine and autism, was formally retracted by ten of Wakefield's twelve coauthors.[27] The Centers for Disease Control,[28] the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences,[29] the UK National Health Service[30] and the Cochrane Library review[7] have all concluded that there is no evidence of a link between the MMR vaccine and autism.
