A vaccine reaction is any injury or condition that has occurred as a result of vaccination by a select number of childhood vaccines.

Alternative Names

Vaccine injury

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Vaccines considered capable of producing injury or abnormal conditions such as seizures include DPT (D -- diphtheria , P -- pertussis or whooping cough , T -- tetanus ), MMR (M -- measles, M -- mumps, R -- rubella), and the ORAL Polio vaccine (not the inactivated Polio vaccine given as an injection). The Department of Health and Human Service has found that whole cell (DPT) pertussis containing vaccines have a causal relationship with the following conditions:

Anaphylaxis

(life-threatening breathing difficulties)

Acute

encephalopathy (

encephalitis )

Shock

Unusual shock-like states

The Department of Health and Human Services also has determined that vaccines containing pertussis do NOT have a causal relationship with:

Sudden Infant Death (

SIDS )

Afebrile seizures

Infantile

spasms

Hypsarrhythmia (a characteristic EEG pattern)

Autism

Attention deficit disorders

Learning disabilities

Reye's syndrome

Epilepsy

Guillain-Barre

Juvenile

diabetes The acellular Pertussis vaccine (DTaP) is now being used to replace the whole-cell Pertussis vaccine used in DTP. DTaP has been shown to decrease the occurrence of serious adverse events. As the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act presently stands, the criteria for vaccine-related injuries are: DPT

Anaphylactic shock

occurring within 24 hours

Encephalitis occurring by the end of the 3rd day

Residual

seizure disorder with the first seizure occurring by the end of the 3rd day

Shock-like state,

hypotonia (decreased tone), decreased responsiveness by the end of the 3rd day MMR

Anaphylactic shock

-- children with anaphylactic reaction to egg ingestion should have an allergy consult before considering vaccination with MMR

Encephalitis occurring within 15 days of immunization

Polio vaccine (live)

Paralytic polio (nonimmunodeficient individual) within 30 days

Paralytic polio (immunocompromised individual) within 6 months

Polio vaccine (inactivated)

Anaphylactic shock occurring within 7 days

Signs and tests

Testing is usually unnecessary.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the type of symptom observed following immunization. Fever is normally treated with acetaminophen and cool sponge baths. Children with seizures must be seen by a health care provider promptly. Children who develop encephalitis will be hospitalized.

Expectations (prognosis)

Very few children who receive standard childhood vaccines develop significant problems following immunizations. For children who develop problems, standard fever care and a call to the health care provider for reassurance often suffice.

Complications

Sterile

abscess (pus) at site of immunization

Other complications are the same as listed under "Symptoms"

Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if you feel that your child is having an adverse reaction to DPT, MMR, or polio immunizations.

Prevention

The incidence of vaccine-related injury is extremely low. Vaccines are available that have decreased reactions including less fever , less swelling at the site of injection, and less vaccine related conditions (as determined by the Department of Health and Human Services). The DtaP (acellular Pertussus) and the Salk (IPV) vaccines are now being used to reduce side effects. Considering the severity of the diseases that childhood immunizations prevent, the risk of the disease FAR exceeds the risk of injury from the vaccine. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act were established to track and record reactions to vaccines and help clarify whether reports are anecdotal or there is a consistent pattern of injury associated with a given vaccine. Physicians are required to record complete information about the vaccines they are using and supply this information with reports of injury.