8 week immunisation - long-term effects

[zenB]

I'm pretty sure I'm just being a paranoid first time mother, but my baby has been doing the most heart-wrenching, high pitched screaming since a few hours after his first vaccinations at 1030 yesterday morning. To begin with he was inconsolable for around an hour. Since then he has cried and slept on and off and refused feeding/feeding on and off. The higher pitched screaming comes on suddenly with no build up to it like his usual screaming. He can be sleeping then just scream like nothing we've heard before.

Anyway, whilst trying to figure out how long this should go on for, I have read some horror stories about autism etc (I knew about all of this before but was sceptical and also thought the benefits outweighed the risks). I have since come across articles about parents who are confined the vaccinations are to blame for their children's difficulties and many of them believe that the high pitched screaming is a sign and that you should not continue to vaccinate your children if they do this.

So what I'm really trying to ask, is for those who have older children, did your babies have this reaction and not go on to have suspected long term side effects?

There is no evidence that vaccines cause autism. Absolutely none at all. There are of course risks with any kinds of medicine, but long term complications arising from vaccines are extremely rare.

After vaccinations there is an immune response - there can be high temperature and some local muscle pain (the same symptoms that I get as an adult when I have vaccinations). This is normal and it's a bit uncomfortable for them, but usually lasts only a few days.

It's been less than a day since he's had them, so try not to panic. Have you taken his temperature?

The best effects of vaccinations are not dying of an assortment of horrible illnesses.

Vaccinations do not cause autism.

It's unlikely anyone will come and say yes - because one it's rare that long term problems happen, and because two - anyone who says they have concerns is usually or often angrily dismissed on mumsnet. You only have to read previous vaccine threads to see how things can go.

I'm sorry your worrying and hope things are better soon, take the baby to a dr if the crying is unusual - trust your instincts. Forget making any future decisions until your baby has recovered. It's stressful enough having a sick or unhappy baby without a MN vax debate

Have you given him some calpol? Does he feel hot?

Is he feeding?

unusual high pitched screaming is a known side effect to the pertussis vaccine and occurs in about 1% of the population. discuss this with the staff where your little one got the vaccine.

my oldest had this reaction and he is fine.

Yes is a recognised side effect and needs to be reported via the yellow card scheme. If you are worried consult a doctor. In the meantime skin to skin will help to reduce stress in both you and your baby boy. I hope he feels better soon.

Ps you are not being a paranoid mum. It's your job to care about, advocate and worry about your baby. You know him best.

The screaming is a known side effect I believe, I would mention it to your dr or nurse who gave the vaccination.
Have you tired cool dark room, skin to skin, pain relief? Has baby fed? Sorry if you've tried them all just thinking out loud :)
Fwiw my ds1 had a horrible reaction to his first vaccinations, swollen skin, high fever, screaming, and he's fine. It's crap but better than the diseases themselves.
Trust your instincts, no one will tell you you're fussing or being pfb when you're looking out for your baby.

Previously I was told to give calpol if the baby was uncomfortable.
He may have some pain or have some fever. Which can happen after vaccination.

Of course you could imagine how he'd feel if he got the actual diseases.

Baby is allowed one or two half doses of calpol, I believe.

Thank you for all the kind responses. I'm new to posting on mumsnet but have read posts on the site for years and know exactly you mean about how quickly conversations like this can escalate and how angrily people can respond! He had a slight temperature all night which finally came down around 730 this morning. And he is clearly less distressed though still not himself. His cry still sounds different to usual but is not sudden and piercing anymore. And he is eating but smaller amounts than usual.

I'm sorry I'm not responding to your individual posts - I can't see them when posting on my phone - but I really appreciate the sensible, helpful and non judgemental answers to my questions.

Have a nice day all!

That's good news. Keep offering him milk little and often. And I'd probably give him some calpol (I oractically never say that!) just in case he's in any pain.

I'm a practice nurse who gives baby vaccines and in my experience some babies do seem more susceptible to pain and discomfort after any of their vaccines, and will cry in a very distressing way with a high pitched scream and be off colour for 24-48 hours. As adults we know you can feel rubbish after jabs so he probably just feels sore and crappy and wants his mum.

If he is feeding (even if less than usual or for shorted periods) and weeing and pooing then don't worry (easier said than done, I know!). He may feel warm to touch/have a temperature and if so reduce his clothing by one layer and just have lots of cuddles and skin to skin time.

It's not a reason not to vaccinate again but of course discuss your experience with the nurse next time you go and do see someone if he is unwell for any length of time or is needing Calpol for more than 2 days.

Thanks Bertrandrussel :) and sidge. This is all very reassuring. I've never been anti-vaccine and still am not. I think there is just that time of night/exhaustion when your thoughts start to get the better of you. I'm feeling a lot more rational now haha. Thanks for the sound advice.

A really high-pitched unusual scream is known as cri du chat, and is a danger signal which shouldn't be ignored. I know this because of a friend's sad experience, not because I want to alarm you.

Cri du Chat is a congenital genetic syndrome associated with other features, Footle. The high pitched mewing cry is one characteristic of that syndrome.

I doubt this is the case for the OPs baby.

www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/m/mmr_ii/mmr_ii_pi.pdf

Did he have men b as part of the vaccs? It is well known to cause fever and pain. My little one had his 2 and 4 month vaccs as per normal but had the men b separately each time as I had to pay for it ( he was too old for NHS) and he definitely reacted more to the men b than the other ones. A few days of crying, fever and being out of sorts. The injection site really seemed to hurt him too.

Did he have men b as part of the vaccs? It is well known to cause fever and pain. My little one had his 2 and 4 month vaccs as per normal but had the men b separately each time as I had to pay for it ( he was too old for NHS) and he definitely reacted more to the men b than the other ones. A few days of crying, fever and being out of sorts. The injection site really seemed to hurt him too.

No worries zenB - it's incredibly difficult to always be rational when it comes to your children.

My 4 year old has autism after the MMR. Our 2nd son had His 8 week s and I had fku shot whilst pregnant, we didn't continue vaccinations however, he is one now and has been high pitch screaming for months

User, I am sorry to hear your children have problems, but the best medical knowledge states quite clearly that they were not caused by vaccines.

"best medical knowledge" is another woman's propaganda payrolled by big pharma and their political whores.

My son has autism after vaccines. We are not scare mongering it happens a lot x