Sick Days; What to do about vaccines

It is the day of your child’s vaccine visit, and your little one wakes up sick! What do you do? Here are some helpful tips.

Go to your vaccine visit! There is no reason to wait to vaccinate your child if they have a mild illness.

A mild illness is usually not a reason to reschedule vaccinations. Mild illnesses include:
- Low-grade fever (less than 101 degrees Fahrenheit).
- A cold, runny nose or cough.
- Ear infection (otitis media).
- Mild diarrhea.
Vaccines do not make a mild illness worse - though they may cause mild side effects. These may include:
- Low-grade fever.
- Soreness or swelling where the shot was given.
To relieve symptoms of these mild side effects, try this:
- Put a cool, wet washcloth on the sore area.
- Ask your child’s doctor about using pain- or fever-reducing medicine.
Children taking antibiotics can get vaccines. Antibiotics will not affect how your child’s body responds to vaccines.
Your doctor can help you decide which vaccines your child can still receive safely.

Conditions that may affect the vaccines your child gets are:

A chronic health condition*
A weakened immune system (like if undergoing chemotherapy or taking certain medications after a transplant).
Having a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of a vaccine or an ingredient in a vaccine.

Tip

If your child has a serious illness or medical condition, talk to their doctor or nurse. They can determine which vaccines your child can and cannot get at each visit and how to best protect their health.