For most parents, the safety and well-being of their children is of the upmost importance. When the term “safety” is used while discussing children, people tend to think of seatbelts, helmets, and other tools that provide protection. Not often do vaccines come to mind. However, vaccines could be the greatest source of protection that there is in terms of keeping children safe and well. Yet, thousands of children are going unprotected because they are not getting the vaccinations that they need to stay healthy. Education on vaccines is significantly important for parents and guardians, as the rate of vaccine refusals continue to rise. More education regarding childhood vaccinations must be provided to parents, so that they are able to make educated decisions regarding their children’s health.

Thanks to fraudulent medical studies and falsified rumors about pediatric vaccines, the rate of children receiving all their necessary vaccines continues to decrease. Due to the decrease in vaccinations, the risk of spreading preventable diseases has increases dramatically. This increase effects not only children, but the general public as a whole, including all ages and all races. The most common misconception about pediatric vaccines is that they cause autism. This idea originated from a medical study that was published by Dr. Andrew Wakefield. “In 1998, Andrew Wakefield and 12 of his colleagues published a case series in the Lancet, which suggested that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine may predispose to behavioral regression and pervasive developmental disorder in children” (Rao 95). Once the study was published, it received a vast amount of publicity and attention. Almost instantly the rate of children receiving the MMR vaccine plummeted. However, epidemiological studies were completed instantaneously following the published material in the Lancet. These studies found the information that Dr. Wakefield and his partners published to be fraudulent, as it was proven that there is no relation between the MMR vaccine and autism. 

Wakefield’s work was withdrawn from the Lancet in early 2010. The publisher confessed that multiple aspects of the paper were untrue. However, by then, hundreds of thousands of people had heard of Dr. Wakefield’s study and chose to believe the information he had published. Not long after, parents and guardians began refusing vaccines for their children. This is still an issue today, as parents continue to believe pediatric vaccines can cause their children to have developmental disorders, such as autism. Due to parents still believing in information that has been proven inaccurate almost a decade ago, education regarding pediatric vaccines is needed now more than ever.

Dr. Andrew Wakefield’s inaccurate information is not the only reason parents are choosing to decline the recommended vaccines for their children. A survey conducted in the year 2000, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, asked 1600 parents with children under the age of 6 a series of questions to see how well the parents understood pediatric vaccines. The study piloted by the National Network of Immunization Information Steering Committee found that, “25% [of parents] believed that their child's immune system could become weakened as a result of too many immunizations, and 23% believed that children get more immunizations than are good for them” (Gellin). The results of this survey revealed that parents are concerned that there are too many vaccines recommended for children and that the high number of vaccines are capable of harming their children’s bodies. However, vaccines are not straining children’s bodies like many parents may think. In an article published in The Huffington Post about debunking anti-vaccine arguments, Pediatrician Laurel Schultz, who had formerly written an article discussing vaccines “overloading” a child’s immune system, explained, “Children's immune systems are stronger than you think: They're designed to protect kids […]. In fact, children are exposed to more antigens in the environment every day than to those in all their vaccinations combined” (Schultz). Dr. Schultz’s article helps explain why multiple vaccines are not harmful to children, but rather help protect them from the thousands of microorganisms they come in contact with every day. 

The Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine Journal also published a survey related to parents and their concerns about pediatric vaccines. Their objective was, “to determine why parents claim nonmedical exemptions and to explore differences in perceptions of vaccines and vaccine information sources between parents of exempt and fully vaccinated children” (Salmon). The surveys were mailed out to parents residing in the states of Colorado, Massachusetts, Missouri, and Washington (Salmon). The results of the study revealed that, “the most common vaccine not receive was varicella (147 [53.1%] of 277) exempt children” (Salmon). Varicella is the vaccination given to children to prevent the viral infection called Chicken Pox. The survey results also exposed that, “the most common reasons stated for requesting exemptions (190 [69%] of 277) was concern that the vaccines might cause harm” (Salmon). This feedback is the same from the other survey, conducted by the National Network of Immunization Information Steering Committee. Both studies revealed that a vast majority of parents have great apprehension relating to the possible effects that vaccines may have on their children. With this worry comes distrust in the government, public health sources, and medical professionals. The rumors and conspiracies that surround the topic of vaccines are often too overwhelming for many parents. The pressure on them to make the right decision regarding their child’s health is astounding. That is why more intelligence regarding the true facts behind pediatric vaccines is needed. Not only is more information necessary, but the evidence also needs to be presented in an educational way, so that every question a parent might have can be addressed.

Another misconception often association with vaccinations is the concept of “natural” immunity. The idea of “natural” immunity results from the body contracting and successfully battling an infectious illness (Howard). A greater number of parents are choosing this method of immunity for their children. They believe that the human body is better off and strong enough to battle the foreign invader without help from a vaccine. Research has shown that receiving immunity from vaccines is just as effective as the human body defeating the illness on its own (Howard). The vaccine also provides extra protection and ease-at-mind because allowing the human body to fight against a foreign element with no help, permits a greater chance for the illness to succeed. Although to some parents “natural” immunity is a must, their children are not the only persons put in danger. 

There are some people that are too young to receive vaccines or cannot receive them for medical reasons, such as an autoimmune disorder. These people rely on others around them to become vaccinated, so that the chance of a deadly disease infiltrating the community is less likely. This concept is known as “herd immunity.” Vaccines do more than just protect the person who received the injection, they also protect the people that are around them. According to South Carolina’s Education Television Network, “[by] breaking the chain of an infection's transmission, vaccination can also protect people who haven't been immunized. But to work, this protection requires that a certain percentage of people in a community be vaccinated” (Willingham). Different illnesses spread in different ways and at different rates. This alters how much of a certain population needs to be vaccinated in order to protect those who are not able to receive vaccines. In order to find this number, epidemiologists use a method in which a “basic reproduction number” is used (Willingham). The “basic reproduction number”, or “R0”, signifies how many people in an unvaccinated population one infected person could spread the disease to (Willingham). The threshold for most diseases are between 80%-85%, although some diseases requires up to 95% of the population to be vaccinated (Willingham). Herd immunity is an important concept that parents should take into consideration when deciding whether or not to vaccinate their child. Their decision could not only save their child’s life, but many others as well.

An example that proves herd immunity is successful is when the chicken pox vaccine was introduced. The chicken pox vaccination was introduced in the United States in the year 1995. After the vaccine was initiated, the death rates from chicken pox dropped 97% (Willingham). Notably, even though young infants do not receive the chicken pox vaccine until around the age of one, no newborns died from chicken pox in the United States between the years of 2004 and 2007 (Willingham). Thanks to herd immunity, hundreds of lives were saved during that time period. Yet, it is a shame that a majority of parents are unaware of the herd immunity concept. If more positive information about herd immunity was more readily available, a greater amount of parents would be able to take that knowledge into consideration. It is imperative that more evidence is available and discussed with parents, so that not only one child can be protected, but thousands of others as well.

For many reason, including the concept of herd immunity, that have been previously mentioned, more education is essential for parents to make the vaccine decision. I believe this information is to come from doctors, nurses, and other healthcare personnel. I place this responsibility in the hands of healthcare professionals because these are the people who a majority of parents turn to when they have enquiries about their child’s health, and rightfully so. There are numerous ways healthcare workers can educate parents. One way is to sit-down with a parent and allow them to ask any questions they may have and voice any concerns. “Face to face interventions to inform or educate parents about routine childhood vaccination may improve vaccination rates and parental knowledge or understanding of vaccination. Such interventions may describe or explain the practical and logistical factors associated with vaccination, and enable parents to understand the meaning and relevance of vaccination for their family or community” (Kaufman). In these discussions, doctors are able to address worries and misconceptions parent may have, teaching them factual information about vaccines for their child. Intimate meetings like this may allow the parent to feel more comfortable about the topic of vaccines, leading to a decision to vaccinate their child.

 Items such as informational packets and brochures can also be used to educate guardians. Healthcare providers are able to offer these resources for parents to take home, so that they can read over the information or even share it with their spouse. However, the timing of this information may be crucial. “Studies have shown that many parents prefer to receive vaccine information prior to the visit when the child will actually receive the shots” (Barrows). By offering informational documents about pediatric vaccines before the scheduled shot date, parents skepticisms about childhood vaccinations may improve. Having the information early allows the parent to have time to think and not feel like they have to make a rushed decision. In addition, many parents pondering about wither or not to vaccinate their child even before the baby is born. So discussing information with parents at the baby’s first doctors visit and continuing the conversation every visit after, will enable the mother and father to make an educated decision.

As I previously stated, I believe all healthcare personnel should be able to provide parents with adequate information regarding childhood vaccinations, not just doctors. Doctors have hectic schedules that often times prevent them from staying and conversing with parents for too long about various topics. Therefore, parents don’t always get ample amount of time to discuss vaccines with their child’s physician. This is why nurses and other healthcare workers should also be responsible for providing parents and guardians with knowledge and materials about vaccinations. According to an article published in The Journal of Pediatric Health Care, “most parents state that their children’s health care provider is their main source of information (86.9%), but as appointment times are getting shorter, parents are forced to look in other places for information about vaccines, like the Internet (39.3%)” (Barrows). When parents do not receive confidence about vaccines from their child’s doctor or nurses, they turn to other sources, such as the internet. By searching the internet for information on vaccines, a vast amount of the results will reveal false content. These anti-vaccine websites and blogs can easily misguide parents into thinking vaccines will harm their child.

In technologically advanced times like today, it very simple and convenient for parents to Google pediatric vaccines and receive their information that way. With all the misinformation that is readily available, parents get the wrong idea about vaccines. I believe this has contributed to the vaccination rates dramatically decreasing over the last decade. Truthful information about childhood vaccinations is needed now more than ever, as the decrease in vaccinations is allowing preventable disease to spread and children to die. Wither the information comes from a sit-down discussion with a doctor or an informational packet offered to a parent by a nurse, I believe healthcare personnel are responsible for providing the education that is needed. 

Conversations between doctors and parents about childhood vaccines need to begin early. Preferably on the child’s first doctor visit and continue every appointment following. With that being said, healthcare providers should answer any questions parents may have, along with address all aspects of vaccinations. These aspects include the importance of having children vaccinated and benefits of vaccines. The concept of herd immunity should be discussed as well. In addition, parents should also be made aware of the misconceptions that surround the topic of pediatric vaccines, such as the theory that vaccines cause autism and that too many vaccines can “overload” the human body. These fallacies should be set straight, so that the parent has no confusion. Together, all of this information is crucial for parents to know when making the decision to vaccinate their child. 

With more education being provided to parents and caretakers regarding childhood vaccinations, I believe more parents will elect to have their children vaccinated. In turn, the spread of preventable disease will be controlled and millions of lives will be saved. After all, every parent’s main concern is keeping their child safe. While the majority of people do not typically acquaint vaccines with term “safety”, I hope that the parents who receive education on vaccines will come to understand how pediatric vaccines really are one of the greatest sources of protection for their child. In addition, I hope all parents, guardians, and people come to associate the word “safety” with one of the greatest medical advancements of modern medicine – vaccines.
