Case Study

You are seeing a12-month-old child accompanied by his mother for a well-child visit. The patient’s mother asks questions about immunizations because she is concerned that the child will get too many “shots” by the time the vaccinations are complete. She also expresses concern that the immunizations may be unsafe for the 12-month-old boy. The mother consents to the scheduled immunizations after you discuss with her the patient’s need for the immunizations. Ten days after this visit with immunizations, the mother calls the office to say the patient has developed a very high fever and has become lethargic. The mother asks for advice about the patient’s care needs.

Case Questions
1.What makes immunizations part of primary health-promotion activities?
2.How will you address the mother’s concerns that the vaccinations are unsafe for the patient?
3.What should be done with the consent forms the mother signs for the patient’s immunizations?
4.How should you respond to the mother’s call regarding the high fever and lethargy in the patient after the immunizations?
The patient should be evaluated by a health-care provider that day.
5.What should you do after seeing the patient to confirm that a significant reaction has occurred?