April 2007
Meningococcal vaccine
When should my child not get meningococcal vaccine? Your child should not get meningococcal vaccine if he has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to:
When should my child wait to get meningococcal vaccine? If your child is moderately or severely ill at the time the shot is scheduled, he should usually wait until he is well before
getting meningococcal 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 meningococcal vaccine. Ask your doctor for more information if your child:
What are the side effects from meningococcal 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 meningococcal
vaccine causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small. Meningococcal 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 meningococcal vaccine
- Latex (dry, natural rubber)
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 meningococcal vaccine. Ask your doctor for more information if your child:
- 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
- Has had Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS, a condition of paralysis and loss of reflexes)
- Has had a reaction to any vaccine
| Side Effects (Mild) | What should I do? |
|---|---|
| Fever, chills | Give acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) as directed by your child’s doctor |
| Redness, pain, swelling, or firmness where the shot was given, usually lasting 1-2 days | Apply a clean, cool, wet washcloth over the sore area. Give acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) for pain, as directed by your child’s doctor. Call the doctor if the symptoms get worse or do not go away |
| Headache | Give acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) as directed by your child’s doctor |
| Tiredness | Call your child’s doctor if this symptom gets worse or does 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, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, or feet; paleness; weakness; fast heartbeat; 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 |
