1. Is the patient currently sick?

2. Has there previously been an allergic reaction to a vaccine?

3. Is there any history of allergic reactions, severe allergies, immune disorders or convulsions?

4. Will I recognize an allergic reaction to a vaccine?

5. Can I obtain the manufacturer name and lot number of the medicine being used?

6. Is there an alternative?

If you are interested in alternatives to vaccinations you will need to look around for a doctor who is interested in alternative medicine.

Allergic reactions to vaccines can happen to anyone, child or adult, even if there has never been a reaction before. Knowing what the reactions are and how to spot them is necessary so you understand the treatment that is necessary or if you need to consult the doctor.

Early in life children are given the DTaP vaccine. This is the abbreviation for Diptheria, Tetamus and Pertussis. The diseases are a great deal more dangerous than the vaccine, however they can still cause some side effects.

A mild allergic reaction may include fever, redness or swelling and possible tenderness and soreness at the pace where the injection was given. Generally after the 4th or 5th shot the side effects are more evident.

Other mild reactions that you may see are poor appetite, tiredness, fussiness and vomiting. Now there are some allergic reactions that are very rare, however they are severe and should be watched. These include high fever, seizures, coma, non-stop crying or possible brain damage.

The Hepatitis A vaccine causes some mild reactions such as headache, loss of appetite, soreness where the shot is given and tiredness that can last up to 2 days. For the Hepatitis B vaccine the reactions are similar, however there may be a slight fever. Although rare, more severe allergic reactions would appear within a few minutes to a few hours.

Reactions to the Hib vaccine include warmth, swelling and redness where injected and generally a fever of over 101. This may all begin within a day or so and last up to 3 days.

Once vaccine the HPV has only mild reactions that include redness and possible swelling and pain at the site of the injection along with some itching and mild to moderate fever. There do not seem to be any serious allergic reactions to this vaccine.

A very common vaccine that is used for adults and children alike is the Flu vaccine. There are some mild allergic reactions to this vaccine, however rarely any serious problems arise.

The flu virus itself has been deactivated so that you don't actually get the flu from the flu shot. The most common reactions include redness, swelling and soreness.

You may even experience flu like symptoms with aches, pains and a slight fever that can last for a couple of days. If there is a more severe allergic reaction it will usually appear within a few hours of receiving the injection.

The vaccine that is given to children to fight against mumps, measles and rubella is the MMR vaccine. The allergic reactions are from mild to moderate and there is a bit of hullabaloo about whether or not is have been linked with the onset of autism.

The reactions that are mild include swelling of the glands in the neck and cheeks, although rare, a mild rash and fever. The more severe allergic reactions include temporary stiffness and pain in the joints, seizures and low platelet count that causes a bleeding disorder.

A severely debilitating disease that once left it's victims with physical disabilities and paralysis has been all but eliminated since the creation of the Polio vaccine. The inactivated polio vaccine, referred to as IPV, should never be given to someone that has had a prior allergic reaction to streptomycin, neomycin, polmyxin or IPV.

Childhood vaccinations and immunizations has become a controversial issue. If you are concerned, do some research before allowing your child to be given any vaccine. Also, you can choose to make several visits to the doctor for these shots so your child is not given more than 1 or 2 vaccines each visit.