Palivizumab-injection

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Before receiving palivizumab injection,

• tell your child's doctor and pharmacist if your child is allergic to palivizumab, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in palivizumab injection. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products your child is taking or plans to take. Be sure to mention anticoagulants ('blood thinners'). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your child's medications or monitor him carefully for side effects.
• tell your doctor if your child has or has ever had a low platelet count or any type of bleeding disorder.
• if your child is having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that your child is receiving palivizumab injection.

If your child misses an appointment to receive palivizumab injection, call his doctor as soon as possible.

Palivizumab injection may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• fever
• rash
• redness, swelling, warmth, or pain in the area where the injection was given

Some side effects can be serious. If your child experiences any of these symptoms, call his doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:

• severe rash, hives, or itching skin
• unusual bruising
• groups of tiny red spots on the skin
• swelling of the lips, tongue, or face
• difficulty swallowing
• difficult, rapid, or irregular breathing
• bluish-tinged skin, lips, or fingernails
• muscle weakness or floppiness
• loss of consciousness

Palivizumab injection may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if your child has any unusual problems while receiving this medication.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

WARNING/CAUTION: Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your child's doctor or get medical help right away if your child has any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect:

• Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Shortness of breath.
• Trouble breathing, slow breathing, or shallow breathing.
• Blue or gray skin color.
• Muscle weakness.
• Very bad dizziness or passing out.
• Any unexplained bruising or bleeding.
• Irritation where the shot is given.

If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

• If you need to store palivizumab injection at home, talk with your child's doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about how to store it.