Care for your child after vaccinations

Call 911 if you think your child might be having a severe allergic reaction after leaving the vaccination site.

Give your child extra care and attention

  • Pay extra attention to your child for a few days. If you see something that concerns you, call your child’s doctor.
  • Read the Vaccine Information Sheet(s) your child’s doctor gave you to learn about side effects your child may experience.

Treat mild reactions

Sometimes children have mild reactions from vaccines, such as pain at the injection site or a rash. These reactions, also called side effects, are normal and will soon go away.

  • Use a cool, damp cloth to help reduce redness, soreness, and/or swelling at the injection site.
  • Reduce fever with a cool sponge bath.
  • Ask your child’s doctor if you can give your child a non-aspirin pain reliever.