April 2007
Live, oral rotavirus vaccine
When should my child not get rotavirus vaccine? Your child should not get rotavirus vaccine if he has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to:
When should my child wait to get rotavirus vaccine? If your child is moderately or severely ill (such as diarrhea or vomiting) at the time the shot is scheduled, he should usually
wait until he is well before getting rotavirus vaccine. Check with your child's doctor to see whether he should wait.
Tell your child's doctor if the child has any of the following conditions. The doctor may recommend that the child wait or not receive rotavirus vaccine. Ask your doctor for more information if your child:
What are the side effects from rotavirus vaccine and what should I do if they occur? A vaccine, like any medication, may cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. The risk of rotavirus vaccine
causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small. Rotavirus vaccine can cause other side effects. Call your child's doctor
if he has any unusual problems after receiving this vaccine.
- A previous dose of rotavirus vaccine
Tell your child's doctor if the child has any of the following conditions. The doctor may recommend that the child wait or not receive rotavirus vaccine. Ask your doctor for more information if your child:
- Has any digestive problems, such as previous abdominal surgery, chronic diarrhea, or failure to thrive (difficulty gaining
weight and/or growing according to average expected growth rate for child's age), or a bowel obstruction (intussusception)
- Has HIV/AIDS or another disease that affects the immune system
- Is being treated with medications that affect the immune system, such as steroids, for two weeks or longer
- Has any type of cancer
- Is receiving cancer treatment with X-rays or medications
- Recently had a blood transfusion, received immune globulin, or any other blood product
- Has had a reaction to any vaccine
| Side effects (Mild) | What should I do? |
|---|---|
| Mild diarrhea or vomiting (within 7 days of getting the shot) | Call your child’s doctor if these symptoms get worse or do not go away |
| Side effects (Moderate or severe) | What should I do? |
| Unusual changes in behavior | Call your child’s doctor |
| Serious allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; hoarseness or wheezing; hives; swelling of the face, throat, lips, eyes, hands, or feet; paleness; weakness; a fast heart beat; or dizziness within a few minutes to a few hours after the shot) | Get emergency medical care for your child right away |
| High fever | Call your child’s doctor right away |
