Should my unwell child be vaccinated?


Usually doctors will help you decide on this. In cases of mild illnesses such as a cold, ear or skin infection, etc children can still be given routine vaccines as they have a good response to vaccines. Studies also show that there is no increased risk of vaccine-linked side effects in such instances. But doctors do hold off on giving varicella, MMR and nasal flu shot as viral infections may reduce the immune response to a live virus vaccine.

Further to this, a child with a fever over 101 degrees and even in instances when the fever is mild, usually doctors will postpone the shot. If there are signs of severe illnesses then immunization will be surely deferred until such a time when the child is well and without symptoms. This is because there is a chance of misinterpretation of some of the symptoms as being a response to the vaccine. When such delays are made, doctors will reschedule the vaccination date.