Won't eat or drink, any help?

[Amethyst Rose]

Last Tuesday, Quintin had his 18 month shots. I wasn't concerned about a reaction at all, because he's never had one before. This was different. Within 2 hours he had a fever...it was at 103 after his nap. It lasted for 3 days, 104 at its highest. Wednesday he started not eating much...2 or 3 bites here and there, which I figured was because of the fever. Friday he stopped drinking, except for the occasional sip of water... maybe he'd drink 6 oz tops all day.

The fever was gone when he woke up on Saturday, but he still won't eat anything, except maybe breakfast. For example, yesterday he ate oat meal and yogurt for breakfast, 1 french fry for lunch, and maybe 1/4 cup of noodles for dinner. All day all he drank was 2 sips of my iced tea and 2 sips of his dad's coke, and maybe 4 swallows of water thougout the day. He absolutely refuses to drink juice or pedialyte (that's what the nurse suggested I give him). The amount he ate for dinner last night stunned me, cuz he actually ate. The night before he just had 3 bites.

In the last two days, the only thing I can get him to willingly eat is arrowroot cookies. Because he's not eating anything else, when he asks I let him have one.

With all of this he's also been incredibly grumpy for the last week, and horribly clingy. He always needs to be on my lap or held and won't go play.

So my question is, is this still left over from the shots, or is this a phase? He used to eat like a horse, up until Tuesday.... I don't know what I should do or if I should get him to a doctor, or what.

[wolf]

At the very least, call the pediatrician who gave the shot and ask him/her.

[Nighthawk]

ANd on top of that.. I imagine it is a hangover from the Doctor.. Mine have both done this at times....

[Ceres]

My daughter had a fever with every one of her shots and I was told this was normal and not to be concerned. They didnt even call it a reaction! It wasnt until I started researching the safety of vaccines that I realized it WAS something to be alarmed about. I doubt if you do call the pediatrician that they will call it a reaction to shots at this point. I would ask for an appointment to have him looked over anyway and keep a VERY close eye on any other unsual symptoms for the next week and a half.
I assume this was DTPP? the most common component to cause reactions is the Pertussis part, which is the whooping cough vaccine. Its also the least effective vaccine in that shot. I refuse the pertussis portion for this reason and have them special order a shot with polio, diptheria and tetnus only as I feel these shots are useful and least likely to cause a reaction. We dont do chicken pox, measles mumps or ruebella at all. Research it yourself - a good place to start is a book called "A Shot in the Dark"
Contrary to what the doctor will tell you, your children can attend school without their full vaccines. What you will need is a letter drawn up by a Notary Public and signed by you saying you refused the shots. Its costs about ten bucks.

[sari0009]

Personally, with the dehydration issue, I'd get him in to a doctor's quick. Reaction to a shot may also be an issue?

[Amethyst Rose]

Contrary to what the doctor will tell you, your children can attend school without their full vaccines. What you will need is a letter drawn up by a Notary Public and signed by you saying you refused the shots. Its costs about ten bucks.


Thanks, but I don't believe in delayed or non-vaccination. I was fully prepared for the possibility of a reaction, but just haven't experienced it before. The health unit (the shots are given by health unit nurses, not doctors), told me to call if he got a fever that lasted two days, and I did that's when she told me to give him pedialyte. She also told me about any other possible reactions, which included loss of appetite and lethargy, but I guess I just didn't expect it to last a whole week. My parents, when I told them, just said "welcome to the 2s". That's why I thought I should ask if its just a phase or not.

[Enozgirl]

I still might give a call to the health unit to see if his lethargy and lack of appetite is running a "normal" course of a response, or if it might be something more serious and they'd like you to bring him back.

Every patient's reaction to medications is different, even the same patient receiving the same medication will have a slightly different reaction each time.

I'd say call. {{HUGS}} At the best, they'll tell you it's totally normal and he might continue to be kinda clingy and not hungry for a day or so more. At worst, they'll have you bring him in for a check-up.

[Tzhebee]

It could very well be a phase that just happed to hit about the same time as his shots. My son (22 months) is having some odd eating habbits recently. I just chalked it up to a growth spurt kind of thing. He'll eat like a pig for a few weeks, then eat hardly anything at all. But he appears healthy, isn't loosing weight and his diapers are still wet. *shrug* Have you tried something like a popcicle?