What should you know about polio vaccine after effects?

A local reaction reflects irritation where an injection entered the skin or muscle. Feeling tired or warm can happen as the immune system responds. Some people have no noticeable reaction. These effects are different from polio and do not mean the vaccine caused the infection. A clinician can distinguish an expected response from an unrelated illness by considering timing, severity and other symptoms.

Offer fluids and allow rest. A cool, clean cloth may ease tenderness at the injection site. Keep the area clean and avoid pressing or rubbing it repeatedly. Ask a pharmacist or clinician before giving medicine for fever or pain, especially to a young child or someone with another medical condition. Do not give extra vaccine doses because a reaction was mild or absent.

Seek emergency help for breathing difficulty, throat or facial swelling, fainting, or rapidly spreading hives. Arrange prompt medical review for a seizure, marked weakness, unusual difficulty waking, or a reaction that is severe or continues to worsen. A temperature with signs of serious illness should also be assessed, particularly in a very young infant.

Ask which reactions are expected for the vaccine used, how long soreness may last, and what dose of fever medicine is appropriate if one is needed. Tell the clinician exactly when symptoms began and whether they are changing.