Did your Ped. tell you no Tylenol during vaccine shots?

Hi everyone! My b/g twins had their 2 mo. shots last week. I was surprised when my Peds. nurse told me NOT to give them Tylenol. We also have an 11 y/o and I clearly remember giving her a dose 1 hr before appointment to help with pain and fever. We were told that studies have shown that Tylenol interferes with the vaccine and makes it less effective. I love my Peds! She is one in a million, so good with them (and us, lol) and she even gave us here personal cell number if we ever had a problem/question. However, after listening to my babies scream (several hours after their shots) for a half hour (in pain it seemed to us) DH gave them each a dose of Tylenol! Was wondering if anyone else had their peds. tell them this and what did you do?

 

Mine said the same thing. So I did not give them Tylenol. The boys were fine. Cried only a little when the shots were administered. But she also said if the boys were in pain, or very uncomfortable I can give them Tylenol.

 

They say that giving the Tylenol BEFORE the vaccine, can make the shots less effective. I believe it came out at some point last year. Here's one article :Tylenol. I hope that helps!

 

IF mine did, I wouldn't have listened. That's just not cool. Babies deserve pain relief too. I always gave mine Tylenol and then motrin when they were older Shots HURT!

 

It sounds like they aren't really sure if it's enough of a difference to not give the medication. I will probably still give it to my kids, but not sure yet. I always did with DS1.

 

My Pedi said to give them Tylenol or Motrin if they really seemed to need it, but he also said what your Pedi said - that studies have shown the Tylenol might make the vaccine less effective. FWIW, for all three of the little ones, I've only given any of them Tylenol maybe once for all the vaccines they've gotten.

 

We gave ours tylenol before their shots. The first time the pedi gave it to us.

 

I STILL do Tylenol before every vaccine and for about 24 hours after. I agree that they deserve some pain relief. And my Ped never said not to give it.

 

My Pedi said the same thing. No tylenol before the shots. I also read an article in a parenting magazine that says its not a good idea to give them any after the shots either. Poor babies. These babies now suffer with a million vaccinations and no pain relievers. Twin A cried for 2 days after his last shots. He would not sleep either. Also got a 103 fever. They have an appt today for shots too. I'm so nervous about all these shots at one time. Its just too much. :cry:

 

Interesting. But I would wonder that since babies are getting a series of vaccines that even if it becomes slightly less effective, then I would think that the "booster" vaccines would more than make up for that. ardon:

 

My girls are getting their third set of shots at their six month appointment on Thursday and my pedi never mentioned anything about not giving them Tylenol. She even gave us a sample bottle after they got their first shots! However, that was after they had their shots. When they had their second set of shots I didn't end up giving them Tylenol because they didn't seem particularly fussy or in pain. We will see how this week's shots go - I find it's the worse right after they get the shots and at that point I always give them their bottles right afterward which seems to calm them down.

 

I always give Tylenol to my girls 1 hour before their shots. As a matter of fact, the nurse always asks me "You gave 'em some Tylenol, right?". And then I will give them a dose if they run a fever within 24 hrs of the vaccination. I think this subject, like many others, pediatricians all have their differences of opinion.

 

I have never given it to them before shots, not bc the Pedi told me not to, but its a needle...its gonna hurt like hell....but I want to see if they have any reactions before treating them. IMO Tylenol is not going to help take away the pain of the needle, it doesn't numb their little limbs. To this day I've never had to give them Tylenol/Motrin following shots bc they have never had a reaction and recovered quickly from the pain.

 

I didn't give Tylenol to my DD at the 2 mo shot--the nurse didn't even recommend it for later in the day -- she did yell at the diaper change when I rubbed the sore spot (oops, my bad) but other than that she was fine. She also slept A LOT the first 24 h.

 

I have always given my children tylenol or advil before and for 24 hours after their shots. It might not dull the initial pain of the needle but it does help with the pain in the muscle afterwards. Have you guys ever had an intermuscular injection? Some of those drugs burn like hell afterwards and your muscles can ache for days. I don't think its fair to let kids just tough it out especially when they often have several injections into different limbs at once. I have never heard of any recommendations not to give tylenol before hand which doesn't mean it is not right but obviously it is not standard practice everywhere.

 

Thanks Meaghan!! That was a helpful article and actually makes me feel a little better about going against the peds. orders. :thanks:

 

My boys looked great when I took them yesterday. I decided to split the shots up. I'm going to see if in these next few days they have any reactions. If they do than hopefully they will be mild. I brought them home last night and gave each of them baths in the jacuzzi tub. I peeled off those damn sticky band-aids and massaged their poor little legs.

Whats nice about my peds office is that they have a shot clinic. For those of us like me who don't want to do them all at once. They have a few days a week where you can just walk in and get the shots without an appt. Plus you don't get charged for the office visit only the shots. So I will take them in next month for 2 more. They slept good last night which is a good sign. We will see how twin A reacts this time. I love my pedi. She has triplets and an older child. 4 kids that are under 3 years old. Plus shes 5 mths pregnant with # 5! God love her. Shes got her hands full!