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Is this due to teething, vaccination or something else?

11 replies

GeorginaA · 02/07/2003 11:49

ds (2 years old) had his Hib booster on Monday. We didn't really think anything of it as he didn't really react much with any of his other vaccinations that I remember.

Anyway, he's been fine until yesterday when he had a couple of bouts of high temperature ... both brought down easily with Calpol/Nurofen. Roughly 24 hours after vaccination so that's about right.

However, we had a very rough night last night. He had disturbed sleep (unconnected I think - I suspect a nightmare of some kind) so I brought him into my room for the rest of the night. In the early hours of the morning I noticed that he had started wheezing and sounding quite short of breath (combined with a very occasional, phlegmy sounding cough). He also had another really high temperature. I gave him some calpol and baby piriton (figuring that piriton helps take hayfever symptoms away that it would help if he was having some sort of reaction - did I do the right thing?!) and eventually he got back to sleep again although I lay awake for ages anxiously listening to him breathe.

This morning, no sign of wheezing and has been fine except he's been chewing on his fingers a lot. And just now (11.30) I've noticed he's getting a bit hot again so when he goes down for his nap he's going to get yet more nurofen just in case!

It just seems that this is dragging on for so long after the vaccination. Does this sound like vaccination after effects? Is it to do with teething? Or is it something else entirely?! Bit concerned about the wheezing part in particular although he hasn't repeated since so a bit reluctant to go to the doctor if it's cleared itself up. If it happens again, is piriton the right thing to give?

OP posts:
GeorginaA · 02/07/2003 11:50

PS ... he's actually quite happy in himself most of the time, except he's wanting a few more cuddles. At the moment, quite happily playing though.

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TerriB · 02/07/2003 11:57

GeorginaA - Can't write much as am dashing out to pick dd up from nursery, but if I were you I would give NHS Direct a ring, I am sure they will be able to reassure you, think the number is 0845 4647. HTH

GeorginaA · 02/07/2003 20:29

Well we ended up going to the doctor as he got worse this afternoon. Doctor said couldn't say for sure that it wasn't the vaccination but was more likely a virus that coincidentally started around the same time.

He's been prescribed an inhaler for the wheezing although it was so hard getting him to accept the spacer thing... anyone got any tips? Think he only managed to get a second or two of medicine if that (didn't get a very good seal before he wriggled out).

Am dreading tonight as the wheezing seems worse than yesterday and it was a rough night last night

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lou33 · 02/07/2003 21:11

Georgine, what about stickers on the outside and something like a ping pong ball inside, so he has to try and move it?

Jimjams · 02/07/2003 21:22

cor blimey Georgina- sounds a nightmare. Hope you get the medicine into him. Only thing I can think of is to check the what doctors don't tell you website to see if anyone has recorded a similar reaction to hib. May well be a coincidental illness but if it is a reaction they may have tips on treatment.
This site: www.vaccine-info.com/ also records vaccine reactions although there aren't many on there yet.

Hope you have a better night tonight.

Furball · 02/07/2003 21:24

We also had to administer the inhaler for DS who was about 18 months at the time. He'd scream the house down having the spacer put over his face. We let him play with it, hold it, we even tried telling him it was like an elephants trunk, but he wasn't having any of it. DH and I used to pin him down and 'time' the puff with an inhale before the next scream. Very traumatic all round, but unfortunately essential.

GeorginaA · 02/07/2003 21:52

Jimjams - couldn't find the what doctors don't tell you site only one advertising the magazine (searching just gave me a page where I could buy back issues!) - have you got a URL please.

Also, does anyone think I'd be alright giving him a puff now while he's asleep (and hopefully not noticing anything over his mouth) or is that a bad idea (tried to give him some at 7pm but I don't think much went in - is now almost 10pm)?

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Jimjams · 03/07/2003 11:12

I can't find it either! Maybe they're just collecting the info for a database and I've misunderstood. I do find their site almost impossible to navigate though. Sorry about that. I do know the other site lists reactions as I had a browse once. Hope your ds is better soon.

GeorginaA · 03/07/2003 13:13

Well another very rough night - thought I'd be taking him to the hospital at one point, but typical sick infant every time the doctor phoned back he'd got a lot better and was happily playing with his cars on my bed...

This morning though the occasional cough has a barky quality to it, so I'm assuming a variation on croup? Although I thought croup was constant coughing rather than wheezing with the occasional cough.

Either way, we're all a bit knackered now.

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GeorginaA · 03/07/2003 17:32

Well, contacted the doctor again after a really bad lunchtime nap (he sounded really rough afterwards and was very distressed, poor mite). Apparently he doesn't think it's asthma related at all now from my description - ds has a classic case of croup.

I'm actually rather relieved. Okay, so I've probably got another couple of days of hell, but at least he's now been undiagnosed (is undiagnosed a word?!) of asthma so baby nurofen is back in the arsenal of fever fighting and the wrestling with inhaler will be short-lived

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Jimjams · 03/07/2003 20:23

when ds2 had croup we used the old steam trick and also homeopathic aconite to great effect. Knwoing which remedy to shoce can be hard but may be worth asking a homeopath if you know one. if not the steamy room really wporked well for us. If you only have one child in a cot a bowl of hot steamy water in his bedroom would help as well.

Hope he's better soon

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