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| Quick reference medical handouts used
by Pediatric offices |

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MMR Vaccine What Parents Need to Know
Please title this page. (Page 8)
Why get vaccinated?
Measles, mumps, and rubella are serious diseases.
Measles
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Measles virus causes rash, cough, runny nose, eye irritation, and
fever.
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It can lead to ear infection, pneumonia, seizures (jerking and staring),
brain damage, and death.
Mumps
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Mumps virus causes fever, headache, and swollen glands.
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It can lead to deafness, meningitis (infection of the brain and spinal
cord covering), painful swelling of the testicles or ovaries, and, rarely,
death.
Rubella (German Measles)
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Rubella virus causes rash, mild fever, (mostly in women).
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If a woman gets rubella while she is could have a miscarriage or her
baby born with serious birth defects.and arthritis pregnant, she could
be
You or your child could catch these diseases by being around someone
who has them. They spread from person to person through the air.
Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine can prevent these diseases.
Most children who get their MMR shots will not get these diseases. Many more
children would get them if we stopped vaccinating.
Who should get MMR vaccine and when?
Children should get 2 doses of MMR vaccine: The first at 12-15 months
of age and the second at 4-6 years of age. These are the recommended ages.
But children can get the second dose at any age, as long as it is at least
28 days after the first dose.
Some adults should also get MMR vaccine: Generally, anyone 18 years
of age or older, who was born after 1956, should get at least one dose of
MMR vaccine, unless they can show that they have had either the vaccines
or the diseases. Ask your doctor or nurse for more information.
MMR vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines.
Some people should not get MMR vaccine or should
wait
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People should not get MMR vaccine who have ever had a life-threatening
allergic reaction to gelatin, the antibiotic neomycin, or a previous dose
of MMR vaccine.
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People who are moderately or severely ill at the time the shot is
scheduled should usually wait until they recover before getting MMR
vaccine.
-
Pregnant women should wait to get MMR vaccine until after they have
given birth. Women should not get pregnant for 3 months after getting MMR
vaccine.Some people should check with their doctor about whether they should
get MMR vaccine, including anyone who:
Some people should check with their doctor about whether they should
get MMR vaccine, including anyone who
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Has HIV/AIDS, or another disease that affects the immune system
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Is being treated with drugs that affect the immune system, such as
steroids, for 2 weeks or longer.
-
Has any kind of cancer
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Is taking cancer treatment with x-rays or drugs
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Has ever had a low platelet count (a blood disorder)
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People who recently had a transfusion or were given other blood products
should ask their doctor when they may get MMR vaccine
What are the risks from MMR vaccine?
A vaccine, like any medicine, is capable of causing serious problems,
such as severe allergic reactions. The risk of MMR vaccine causing serious
harm, or death, is extremely small. Getting MMR vaccine is much safer than
getting any of these three diseases. Most people who get MMR vaccine do not
have any problems with it.
Mild Problems
-
Fever (up to 1 person out of 6)
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M ild rash (about 1 person out of 20)
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Swelling of glands in the cheeks or neck (rare)
If these problems occur, it is usually within 7-12 days after the
shot. They occur less often after the second dose.
Moderate Problems
-
Seizure (jerking or staring) caused by fever (about 1 out of 3,000
doses)
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Temporary pain and stiffness in the joints, mostly in teenage or adult
women (up to 1 out of 4)
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Temporary low platelet count, which can cause a bleeding disorder
(about 1 out of 30,000 doses)
Severe Problems (Very Rare)
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Serious allergic reaction (less than 1 out of a million doses)
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Several other severe problems have been known to occur after a child
gets MMR vaccine. But this happens so rarely, experts cannot be sure whether
they are caused by the vaccine or not. These include: Deafness, Long-term
seizures, coma, or lowered consciousness Permanent brain damage
What if there is a moderate to severe
reaction?
What should I look for? Any unusual condition, such as a serious
allergic reaction, high fever, or behavior changes. Signs of a serious allergic
reaction can include difficulty breathing, hoarseness or wheezing, hives,
paleness, weakness, a fast heart beat, or dizziness within a few minutes
to a few hours after the shot.
What should I do?
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Call a doctor or get the child to a doctor right away.
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Tell your doctor what happened, the date and time it happened, and
when the vaccination was given.
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Ask your doctor, nurse, or health department to file a Vaccine
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Adverse Event Report (VAERS) form, or call VAERS yourself at:
l-800-822-7967
In the rare event that you or your child has a serious reaction to
a vaccine, a federal program has been created to help you pay for the care
of those who have been harmed. For details about the National Vaccine Injury
Compensation Program, call 1-800-338-2382 or visit the programs website
at http://www.hrsa.gov/bhpr/vicp/
Ask your doctor or nurse. They can give you the vaccine package insert
or suggest other sources of information. the information of death Call your
local or state health department immunization program. Contact the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Call 1-800-232-2522
(English) Call 1-800-232-0233 (Español)
This Vaccine Information Statement courtesy of the United
States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control,
and the National Immunization Program
As a reminder, this information should not be relied on as
medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice of your childs pediatrician.
Please read our full disclaimer.
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