Patient HANDOUTS
Medication Dosages
| Tylenol/Motrin/Benadryl weight based dosage chart |
In general, we do NOT recommend over-the-counter Children's Cough and Cold medications for children <6 years.
Benadryl (generic name: diphenhydramine) is a commonly used allergy medicine. It can also be used as an occasional night-time sleep aid (warning: 10% of children will become more alert and active instead of sleepy!).
Benadryl (generic name: diphenhydramine) is a commonly used allergy medicine. It can also be used as an occasional night-time sleep aid (warning: 10% of children will become more alert and active instead of sleepy!).
introducing solids
| Introducing Solids |
Iron and calcium recommendations
| iron_handout.pdf |
| calcium_handout.pdf |
Common Vaccine reactions
| Vaccine Reactions |
Giving vaccines is an important part of protecting children against serious diseases. Many kids will have no reaction at all to vaccines. For those that do, here are the most common reactions after getting vaccines:
- Fever for 1-3 days. The height of the fever is not an indication of severity of reaction. Some kids have low fevers and some kids have higher fevers. You can give Tylenol or Motrin* (if over 6 months old) for comfort
- Fussiness or increased tiredness for 1-3 days
- MMR and Varicella (aka chickenpox) vaccine can cause fevers and fussiness 7-14 days AFTER the vaccine was given. Your child might also develop a rash, either a few blisters around the injection site or a faint red rash on the trunk. These rashes are benign and will self-resolve.
- Redness, soreness, or swelling a the injection site for 1-3 days
- Occasionally a hard bump will form at the injection site. It’s usually not painful but can take a few weeks to go away
- Sometimes the 4th or 5th dose of DTaP vaccine (usually given around 15-18 months and 4 years) is followed by swelling of the entire arm or leg in which the shot was given, lasting 1-7 days (up to about 1 child in 30). To decrease the swelling you can apply cold compresses or give Motrin* (over 6 months old).
GENERAL VACCINE INFORMATION
For more information about vaccines, including information about individual vaccines and the disease they protect against, vaccine ingredients, vaccine safety, etc., please visit Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s vaccine education website:
https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-details
As always, please feel free to call your doctor if you have any further questions or concerns.
Dr Wasson on a medical mission trip to Guatemala