Quick question re: Tylenol before shots

melissa0726

DD's 1 year checkup is later today.  I seem to vaguely remember that her pedi suggested giving her tylenol an hour before we bring her in for shots.  But that was back at the six month appointment and ...well...I can't remember six hours ago, let alone six months ago!  Does anyone else give Tylenol or Motrin before check-ups that include vaccines?

Fweetie

I would call them and ask.  Our pedi always gives LO tylenol for us before he gets his shots...the nurse just does it right there in the office.   

StefandTodd

No no no no no.

I'm so surprised anyone still does this or any pedi still recommends it.

https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33331643/ns/health-childrens_health/t/giving-babies-tylenol-may-blunt-vaccine-effects/

ladybugpjb

There have been studies that say that giving Tylenol before shots reduces the effectiveness of the shots. Google it if you're concerned.

I was told to only give Tylenol if DS developed a fever over 101.

FWIW, DS screamed for a second, cried for a second longer, and then we were able to distract him. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

mrsemily08

we've never done this.

StefandTodd

LindsRockies:

StefandTodd:

No no no no no.

I'm so surprised anyone still does this or any pedi still recommends it.

https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33331643/ns/health-childrens_health/t/giving-babies-tylenol-may-blunt-vaccine-effects/

You're really surprised it's still widely reccommended?  This article states the study is the first major study to make those conclusions, and it's also a very recent study (date on article) as well. 

 Yes, I am.  Aside from this study (which I had thought - hence my surprise - was pretty widely acknowledged), I don't see a benefit in preemptively medicating a child when you don't know what reaction they might have to a vaccine.  I'd rather see the reaction, and treat it than mask it or give unecessary medication.

melissa0726

I did try to call the pediatrician before the appointment, but couldn't get through to anyone; they close from 12:30 to 1:30 for lunch, and our appointment was at 2:00.

Anyway, my husband got home right after I tried calling and I mentioned it to him and he says, "Oh yeah, I remember that she said that, I was going to try to remember to remind you to give DD some Tylenol before we left today."  So he had independently remembered the doctor telling us to do this, before I even mentioned it to him.  So we gave her the Tylenol.  

Here's what's weird....we get to the appointment and the doctor is going over the vaccines schedule and to be on the lookout for fever or swelling at the site of the shot, and we tell her that we already gave DD Tylenol - at the her suggestion.  And she was super quick to respond with "I never ever would have told you to do that."  And DH and I shoot each other this weird look, because we both remember being told this.  And I said, we definitely didn't get this advice from someone else, we were told at the six month appointment that this was what we should do.  And she denied saying it again.  So I dropped it because it didn't matter at that point.  So I say, Ok, if it is a problem, should we come back another time for the shots, do we need to worry about effectiveness, blah blah.  She was just as quick to assure us that there was absolutely no need to do it another time, doing it today was fine, giving her the Tylenol was not going to in any way interfere with the vaccines.  So we had everything done today except one that was optional to put off until the 15 month visit. 

It's nagging at me, though, that she acted so weird about the whole thing.  I'm not sure what to make of it.  But at least the whole thing is over and done with.  DD cried pretty hard during the shots, but was fine by the time we got out to the car to head home. 

melissa0726

StefandTodd:

LindsRockies:

StefandTodd:

No no no no no.

I'm so surprised anyone still does this or any pedi still recommends it.

https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33331643/ns/health-childrens_health/t/giving-babies-tylenol-may-blunt-vaccine-effects/

You're really surprised it's still widely reccommended?  This article states the study is the first major study to make those conclusions, and it's also a very recent study (date on article) as well. 

 Yes, I am.  Aside from this study (which I had thought - hence my surprise - was pretty widely acknowledged), I don't see a benefit in preemptively medicating a child when you don't know what reaction they might have to a vaccine.  I'd rather see the reaction, and treat it than mask it or give unecessary medication.

Honestly, this is what I was thinking when I asked the question in the first place, before my husband came home.  I am not big on medicating, I very rarely give her anything unless I really feel like she is having teething pain.  FWIW, I wouldn't have given it to her if DH wasn't absolutely sure the doctor had told us to do it.  I didn't specify in the original post, but the vagueness of my recollection was not about being told to do it, but that I couldn't remember if it was the doctor herself or one of the nurses who recommended the Tylenol ahead of time. 

MrsCase1

My doctor's office administers it for free when you get there. You can choose between acetiminophen or ibuprofen. so, therefore i would say to give some!

NotSharknado

I've never heard of giving Tylenol before hand. Like pp, I would only give before bed for a just in case type of thing. What a weird experience at the pedi though.

mrsannie

StefandTodd:

LindsRockies:

StefandTodd:

No no no no no.

I'm so surprised anyone still does this or any pedi still recommends it.

https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33331643/ns/health-childrens_health/t/giving-babies-tylenol-may-blunt-vaccine-effects/

You're really surprised it's still widely reccommended?  This article states the study is the first major study to make those conclusions, and it's also a very recent study (date on article) as well. 

 Yes, I am.  Aside from this study (which I had thought - hence my surprise - was pretty widely acknowledged), I don't see a benefit in preemptively medicating a child when you don't know what reaction they might have to a vaccine.  I'd rather see the reaction, and treat it than mask it or give unecessary medication.

This. I think we highly over-medicate in our society and don't allow our bodies to do what they are naturally designed to do. Why put medicine in their systems if you aren't even sure they'll need it? My LO has never had a reaction to his shots.

Leinistar

I always give a dose of Ibuprofen a good hour or so before the shots and so far I'm thinking it helps because DS only cries for a few seconds before I can calm him down and then he's good to go. We usually dont give any follow up medication for fevers though since they usually are pretty low grade.

MrsNole

Our pedi gives her Tylenol when we are there.