What Should I Tell My Child's Healthcare Provider?
- Had any sort of a reaction to a vaccine
- An immune-suppressing condition such as HIV or AIDS, diabetes, or cancer
- A bleeding disorder
- A moderate or severe illness
- Any allergies, including to foods, dyes, or preservatives.
Make sure to tell the healthcare provider about any medications your child is taking, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Specific Warnings and Precautions With Comvax
Precautions and warnings to be aware of prior to receiving the Comvax vaccine include the following:
- Care must be taken when giving any intramuscular injection, including Comvax, to individuals with bleeding disorders or who are taking anticoagulant medications ("blood thinners"). In some cases, your child's healthcare provider may decide that the risk of the injection is not worth the benefit.
- In rare cases, febrile seizures (seizures associated with high fevers in young children) have been associated with childhood vaccines. If your child has a tendency to get febrile seizures, ask your healthcare provider if you should give an anti-fever medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®) to help avoid this problem.
- Your child can receive Comvax if he or she has a mild illness, such as the common cold. However, it is usually best to postpone the vaccine in the case of a moderate or severe illness.
- Make sure your healthcare provider knows if you have ever had any serious reactions to any vaccines before.
- If your child has an immune-suppressing condition, Comvax may not be as effective as usual for protection against Hib bacteria and hepatitis B.
- Comvax vials contain natural rubber latex, which can cause allergic reactions.
- Comvax is considered a pregnancy Category C medication. This means it is unknown if it is safe for use during pregnancy. However, this is a childhood vaccine and should not be given to pregnant women.
- At this time, it is unknown if Comvax passes through breast milk. However, this is a childhood vaccine and should not be given to breastfeeding women.
