Hiberix (Hib)

Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) is a bacteria that can lead to serious health issues, including breathing problems or meningitis. Hib infection usually affects children and can be deadly.

Hiberix (Hib) is used to prevent this disease in children and is sometimes given with other vaccines to protect against additional diseases.

ActHIB is given to children aged 2 months to 5 years old. Hiberix is given to children aged 6 weeks to 4 years (before their fifth birthday).

The vaccine works by exposing your child to a small amount of the bacteria or a protein from the bacteria, which helps the body build immunity to the disease. This vaccine will not treat an active infection that has already occurred in the body, and will not protect against other types of influenza.

Like any vaccine, the haemophilus B conjugate vaccine may not provide protection from disease for every individual.

Tell your doctor if your child uses other medicines or has other medical conditions or allergies.

Your child should not receive this vaccine if he or she has ever had an allergic reaction to a haemophilus B, tetanus, or meningococcal vaccine.

If your child has any of these other conditions, this vaccine may need to be postponed or not given at all:

• severe immune suppression caused by disease (such as cancer, HIV, or AIDS), or by receiving certain medicines such as steroids, chemotherapy or radiation; or
• a history of seizures.

Get emergency medical help if your child shows signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Keep track of any side effects your child experiences after getting this vaccine. When your child gets a booster dose, you must inform the doctor if the previous shot caused any side effects.

Call your doctor right away if your child has:

• a seizure;
• fussiness, irritability, or crying for an hour or longer; or
• high fever (within a few hours or a few days after the vaccine).

Common side effects of Hiberix (Hib) may include:

• fever;
• fussiness, irritability, crying;
• drowsiness;
• loss of appetite; or
• pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site.

This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may happen. Contact your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You can report vaccine side effects to the US Department of Health and Human Services at 1-800-822-7967.

This vaccine is injected into a muscle. Your child will receive this injection in a doctor's office or clinic setting.

This vaccine is given in a series of shots. The first shot is usually given when the child is 2 months old. The other shots are then given at 4 months and 6 months of age. The booster shot is given at 15 to 18 months of age. The first shot may be given as early as 6 weeks of age.

Your child's individual booster schedule may be different from these guidelines, especially if the child does not start this series of shots before 7 months of age. Follow your doctor's instructions or the schedule recommended by the health department of the state you live in.

Your doctor may recommend treating fever and pain with an aspirin free pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, and others) when the shot is given and for the next 24 hours. Follow the label directions or your doctor's instructions about how much of Hiberix (Hib) to give your child.

It is especially important to prevent fever from occurring in a child who has a seizure disorder such as epilepsy.

Contact your doctor if you will miss a booster dose or if you get behind schedule. The next dose should be given as soon as possible. There is no need to start over.

Make sure your child gets all the recommended doses of this vaccine. If your child does not receive the full series of vaccines, he or she may not be fully protected against the disease.

An overdose of this vaccine is not likely to happen.

Follow your doctor's instructions about any limits on food, drinks, or activities.

Before your child gets this vaccine, inform the vaccination provider about all other vaccines your child has received.

Also, let the vaccination provider know if your child has recently taken any drugs or treatments that can weaken the immune system, such as:

• steroid medicine;
• cancer treatments;
• medicine for psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune disorders; or
• medicines to treat or prevent organ transplant rejection.

If your child is taking any of these medications, he or she may not be able to receive the vaccine, or might need to wait until the other treatments are completed.

This list is not exhaustive. Other drugs may affect this vaccine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are included here.