RT Book, Section A1 Kelso, John M. A2 Kline, Mark W. SR Print(0) ID 1182931966 T1 Drug and Vaccine Allergy T2 Rudolph's Pediatrics, 23e YR 2018 FD 2018 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9781259588594 LK accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1182931966 RD 2024/10/12 AB Any adverse event occurring around the time a child takes a medication or receives a vaccine may be labeled as “allergy.” The patient or caregivers typically are told to avoid the suspected and/or similar medications in the future. However, unnecessary avoidance of medication carries a risk because alternative medications may be less effective, more expensive, or have more side effects. In the case of vaccines, withholding future doses leaves children susceptible to serious vaccine-preventable diseases. True allergic reactions are immunologically mediated, and immunologic memory poses a risk for recurrence. In such cases, avoidance of the medication in the future may be appropriate. However, many such adverse events are coincidental or not immunologically mediated and, hence, the medication does not need to be avoided. Therefore, it is important to conduct an appropriate investigation of drug or vaccine allergy before labeling children as “allergic.”