Adverse Events Related to Vaccination (VAEs): How to Manage the Further Doses of Immunization and Parents’ Hesitancy

Abstract

This study supports the evidence that after vaccine‐related reactions, it is still possible to carry out the immunization protocol. Out of more than 1000 patients per year evaluated for potential vaccine‐related risks (patients with chronic/serious diseases and events connected with vaccination), 76 (6%) presented previous vaccine adverse events (VAEs). The decision about whether to con‐ tinue child vaccination is made evaluating different factors: absence of specific contrain‐ dications, parents’ counseling, adequate hospital setting, choice of an appropriate and individualized schedule. None of the 76 children vaccinated after VAEs presented further side effects. Our data demonstrate that VAE is not a recurring event. The real risk of a new VAE is mostly associated with the serious allergic reactions (IgE‐mediated anaphylaxis) and par‐ ents should be aware of this information, so that the widespread fear of VAE recurrence can be contained. Indeed, this type of concerns represents one of the main reasons for vaccination hesitancy, which leads to incomplete vaccination schedules. Conclusions: This chapter encourages clinicians to take advantage of the available VAE assessment algorithms to objectively evaluate real vaccine risk of VAE and provide par‐ ents with correct information, considering that VAEs are rare and severe reactions are extremely rare. Keywords: vaccine, adverse event, side effect, re‐vaccination, causality assessment, VAE