Baby's immunisations and Calpol

[sarah00001]

Hi, My baby has just had her second set of immunisations at 12 weeks. The nurse gave her Calpol right before the injections and I've just read that this can make them less effective. I just wondered if this was common practice for babies to be given calpol before the jabs or if they are normally given after?

Thanks, Sarah

Hi op,
My ds 1 and 2 have never normally been give calpol for injections as it's never been needed but when ds2 had his meningitis b today the nurse gave him calpol before as could cause a fever.

I haven't heard about it making them less effective but I'm sure nurses wouldn't give it if that's the case?!? Surely?

I've heard that too. I only gave mine Calpol afterwards if they had a fever

Did she have the Men B jab? They give Calpol before that one.

You are right that it can make them less effective and advice always was that you should never give it 'in case' but only in reaction to an actual post-vaccination response.

However, the advice to give Calpol before the new Men B jab has replaced old advice. I think they must have weighed up the two scenarios and decided the fever risk following the Men B jab was much more marked than any small risk of effectiveness being reduced in other jabs.

Although men B isn't routinely given at the 12week injection - it's given at 4 and 16 weeks....

Sorry I meant 8 and 16!

Thank you for your replies. At both the 8 and 12 wk jabs, the first thing the nurse did was give her a dose of Calpol. I didn't question it as I thought she must know what she was doing. She explained that she was doing it because the Meningitis jabs can cause a fever. I didn't think anything of it however today I read that paracetamol can reduce the effectiveness of vaccinations. I'm worried now that my baby won't have a strong enough immunity.

sarah, that's part of the reason we have boosters.

The risk of fever is quite high with the Men B jab and fever can be serious in very small babies. I think it's just a balance of risk and all you can do is keep your child up to date with their boosters.

Did she not ask your permission before giving the Calpol though? That would surprise me.

If you raise any concerns you have at the 16 week appointment, the nurse should be able to reassure you.

They do give it with men B but am surprised she gave it too at the 12 week ones as no Men B then. It won't hurt though and don't worry your little one will be fully immunised!

My baby got men b vaccine at 12 weeks. Perhaps it varies from place to place.

It shouldn't do unless you missed the 8 weeks ones due to start date in Sep