What Causes Low Appetite And Sleeplessness After Vaccination?

Posted on Sat, 9 Aug 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 9 Aug 2014 Answered on

Tue, 2 Sep 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : My 18 month old had his hep A and chicken pox vaccines 2 days ago and he has been screaming in pain for two days, fever finally went down today but was at 103.8 both days. I've been giving him Tylenol but seems to only last for a short time. Isn't eating and isn't napping during the day tries to nap but wakes up screaming after only 10 mins. Could this be a severe allergic reaction?

Answered by Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (39 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Does not look like allergy

Detailed Answer:
Hi...thanks for consulting on health care magic.

This doesn't seem like an allergic reaction to me. It is usual for fever to come for any vaccine in fact. With 2 vaccines he might have got a prolonged episode.

You need not worry if he's active. But I recommend you get him checked by a pediatrician as you say he's having a disturbed sleep and not feeding well.

Other possibility is that he might have been too scared of the event of 2 vaccines at a time. In the past did he receive multiple vaccines on same day and if so how was his behavior then? But he might have been younger then & the fear component would not have been fully developed.

Further queries in this regard are welcome.
Regards - Dr. Sumanth

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (38 hours later)

Now he's developed a rash all over his neck and torso (not his legs or arms) it's not scabs like chickenpox but small flat reddish dots. He's active and picks at food, but did throw up this morning... To add to the matter I'm 4 1/2 months pregnant, I had chickenpox when I was young but fear if it's contagious. We haven't left the house so it's not something else like his Dr suggested. Is it contagious?

Answered by Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (58 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Need to see the images- please upload

Detailed Answer:
Hi...Thanks for your trust in me.

I request you to upload the images of your son where the rash is. The description you say fits into an urticaria or skin rash which could be of allergic origin. But without seeing it I am not in a position to say affirmatively what it is.

Coming to your queries -
1. You having chickenpox when young doesn't relate to anything now. It is not contagious now.
2. I understand that your worry is about your chickenpox affecting your foetus now...no definitely not...the foetus will get affected only if you have active chickenpox now.

I have a few questions -
1. What do you mean by - We haven't left the house ?
2. What did his doctor suggest - I would like to know...kindly rephrase your question.

Regards - Dr. Sumanth

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar