What to expect after immunisation: Young people

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This information tells you about the common side effects of immunisations that might occur in young people from 12 to 18 years of age.

This information is to be used as a guide only. You should always seek advice from your GP or Health Visitor if you’re worried.

After immunisations given to young people

The most common side effects are at the site where the injection was given. These include:

swelling
redness
tenderness
a small hard lump

These symptoms usually pass within a couple of days and you don’t need to do anything about them. If you’re still not happy with your child’s reaction to any immunisation, speak to your practice nurse or GP.

After the HPV vaccination

Mild side effects of the HPV immunisation can include:

slightly raised temperature
sickness
diarrhoea
itching
rash
joint pain

After the DTP vaccination

Mild side effects of the DTP immunisation can include:

headaches
dizziness
feeling sick
swollen glands
fever

How to treat a fever in children

After the MMR vaccination

MMR is made up of 3 different vaccines (measles, mumps and rubella) which can cause reactions at different times after the injection.

Side effects after 6 to 10 days

After 6 to 10 days the measles vaccine starts to work and may cause a:

fever
measles-like rash
loss of appetite

Side effects at 2 to 3 weeks

At around 2 to 3 weeks after the injection the mumps vaccine may cause mumps-like symptoms (fever and swollen glands).

Side effects at 12 to 14 days

Most commonly around 12 to 14 days after the injection, the rubella vaccine may cause a brief rash and possibly a slightly raised temperature. On rare occasions, a rash may also occur up to 6 weeks later.

Where can I report suspected side effects?

You can report suspected side effects of vaccines and medicines through the Yellow Card Scheme.

This can be done by:

visiting the Yellow Card Scheme website
phoning the free Yellow Card hotline on 0800 731 6789 (available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)

Vaccine Safety Net Member

Public Health Scotland is a proud member of the Vaccine Safety Net and partners with NHS inform to provide reliable information on vaccine safety.

The Vaccine Safety Net is a global network of websites, evaluated by the World Health Organization, that provides reliable information on vaccine safety.

More about the Vaccine Safety Net