Vaccinating a child soon after birth is very important as these vaccines protect them from serious diseases like measles and chickenpox. While babies receive protection from some diseases from their mothers, it only lasts until they are 6 months old. Therefore, getting your child vaccinated timely is crucial for his health. These vaccines can be as painful as they are beneficial.
After receiving them, the child may experience fever and pain for 2 to 3 days. It can also make it challenging for the child to sleep or wake up. Consequently, parents often begin worrying about their child’s potential discomfort even before vaccination occurs. Fortunately, there are simple measures to alleviate these symptoms and reduce the child’s discomfort.
According to the Mayo Clinic, childhood vaccines protect children from a lot of serious or potentially fatal diseases. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises getting vaccinated against diseases like diphtheria, Hib, hepatitis A and B, HPV, measles, polio, rotavirus, chickenpox and whooping cough before age 18. Here are six effective remedies to help ease your child’s post-vaccination woes:
Breastfeed Your Child: It is recommended to feed your baby as much as possible. If you can breastfeed your baby at the doctor’s clinic, then this can be an effective way to reduce the pain and calm down your baby. Giving a pacifier or a bottle to suck on can also ease your child’s pain. Also, if you have an older child then stay close to him/her.
Massage the Injected Area: Before and after vaccination, massage the injected area gently for about 10 to 20 seconds. This will help in reducing the child’s pain. However, keep in mind not to rub the area for too long or touch it repeatedly.
Take Doctor’s Advice: Pain and fever are very common symptoms a child may experience after getting vaccinated. To alleviate these symptoms, your doctor may recommend medication to reduce the pain. These medicines will dry out the affected area, which can quickly reduce pain and fever.
Apply a Cold Press: This is one of the simplest things you can do to alleviate your child’s pain. Just take some ice cubes and apply them to the injected area to reduce pain. Do not apply the ice directly to the skin. Take a cotton cloth, wrap the ice cubes, and apply it gently on the affected area.
Give Your Baby Sugar Water: Sugar helps alleviate the discomfort caused by vaccination for children. You can give your child a small amount of sugar water before vaccination to make him feel comfortable. Just dip the pacifier in the sugary solution and give it to him.
Give a Liquid Diet: Avoid giving heavy meals to your child after vaccination as it may affect their digestion. For older children, consider giving light foods like khichdi, porridge, or soup. For younger infants, continue breastfeeding as usual.
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