Vaccination reactions minor, parents told

By AINSLEY THOMSON

Health officials are telling parents to relax if their child has a mild reaction to the meningococcal B vaccination and not be put off having the second and third injections.

The vaccine, given in a series of three injections, will cause pain, swelling and redness at the injection site in most children.

In other cases children may get a slight fever, headache, nausea, muscle and joint pain and feel drowsy or irritable.

There has been concern that these side-effects may worry parents and stop them and their children from having the second and third injections.

The vaccination campaign against meningococcal disease begins in south and east Auckland on Monday, and health officials are telling parents that the mild reactions are a far better alternative than risking their child contracting the disease, which has reached epidemic proportions in New Zealand.

Since 1991, the illness - which leads to infection of the bloodstream or swelling of the brain and spinal cord - has killed 220 New Zealanders, 80 per cent of them children, and maimed hundreds more.

Kidz First public health nurse co-ordinator Lizzie Farrell said a lot of planning had gone into making sure children had all the injections and were not put off.

She said the fact that the vaccine was being administered to school-age children at school was an advantage.

"There are some children who will remember, 'Gosh, my arm got sore, I'm not going to have that again'. But we believe they will be courageous together."

All schools involved in stage one of the campaign had been given teachers' kits with information about how to manage the vaccination.

The consent form that would be sent to all parents included information about likely reactions.

"These reactions will last only for a few days," it says. "In the trials, some children had a day off school after the first vaccination, with fewer having a day off after the second or third dose. There were no children with long-term effects."

Parents would also be sent a post-vaccination information sheet explaining the types of reaction and how to treat them.

Dr Nikki Turner, director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre, said children could have a tender arm (or leg for a small child) for a day or two. The vaccine will not leave a scar.

Dr Turner said international trials of a similar vaccine in Norway and Cuba had found it did not have any long-term side-effects.

Lizzie Farrell said the best thing parents could do to reduce the pain in a child's sore arm was to put an ice pack on it.

"I would advise teachers and parents to be caring but not to get concerned because a sore arm is a predictable aspect of immunisation and it's not going to last and they should not be put off getting their second and third injections."

Possible reactions

Reaction: Temporary redness, pain or swelling where the injection was given.

What to do: Place a cool wet cloth or ice pack (wrapped in a towel) on the place where the injection was given. Avoid rubbing the injection site.

Reaction: A headache, nausea, feeling unwell, muscle and joint pain.

What to do: Take paracetamol for the pain.

Reaction: A slight fever, ie, 37.5C to 39C. Babies and toddlers may be drowsy or irritable. Older children may feel tired and not want to play.

What to do: Take paracetamol to lower the fever. Drink plenty of fluids.

Reaction: A high fever, ie, over 39C (rare reaction).

What to do: Contact your doctor. Give extra fluids to drink and use paracetamol to lower the fever.