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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before receiving this vaccine (Mumpsvax)?

You should not receive this vaccine if you have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to any vaccine containing mumps virus, or if you are allergic to:

• gelatin; or
• neomycin (Mycifradin, Neo-Fradin, Neo-Tab).

You should also not receive this vaccine if you have:

• severe immune suppression caused by disease (such as cancer, HIV, or AIDS), or by receiving certain medicines such as steroids, chemotherapy or radiation;
• a cancer such as leukemia or lymphoma; or
• if you are pregnant.

Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor if you have:

• thrombocytopenia purpura (easy bruising or bleeding);
• active tuberculosis infection;
• a history of seizures;
• a neurologic disorder or disease affecting the brain (or if this was a reaction to a previous vaccine);
• a weak immune system caused by disease, bone marrow transplant, or by using certain medicines or receiving cancer treatments; or
• if you have received an immune globulin or other blood product within the past year.

You can still receive a vaccine if you have a cold or fever. In the case of a more severe illness with a fever or any type of infection, wait until you get better before receiving this vaccine.

A woman should avoid becoming pregnant for at least 3 months after receiving a mumps vaccine.

A woman should not receive this vaccine without telling the doctor if she is breast-feeding a baby.

How is this vaccine given (Mumpsvax)?

This vaccine is given as an injection (shot) under the skin. Your child will receive this injection in a doctor's office or other clinic setting.

The mumps vaccine is usually given as one shot, followed later by a booster vaccine with measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The first mumps vaccine is usually given when the child is 12 to 15 months old. The MMR shots are then given before the child starts elementary school. Your child's individual booster schedule may be different from these guidelines. 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 this medicine to give your child.

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

This vaccine can cause false results on a skin test for tuberculosis. Tell any doctor who treats you if you have received a mumps vaccine within the past 4 to 6 weeks.

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