Inquiry
The baby, who is six months old, received both the third dose of hepatitis B vaccine and the first dose of meningitis vaccine simultaneously. There is some swelling and warmth around the arm where the shot was administered. Is this normal?
Answer
This is a normal antigen response. Most children will experience fever when receiving two or more vaccines at the same time. However, there’s no need to worry. Just ensure the baby drinks plenty of water, keeps warm, and if the body temperature exceeds 38 degrees Celsius, you can give some symptomatic anti-inflammatory medication to treat the fever. Generally, the baby will recover within a week.