While children have been yelling about getting shots for years, their parents are now finding reasons to yell along with them. In recent years, parents have become concerned with the vaccination of their children. Though many believe that vaccinations can truly benefit children throughout their childhood, into adulthood, some are also concerned that they could potentially be the cause of many serious diseases, and do more harm to children than help them. There have even been claims that vaccinations can sometimes cause autism. However, these claims are not completely true. What most individuals, who believe that vaccinations are harmful, fail to realize is that any vaccination that exists is put in place to help either cure or prevent any diseases, especially ones that are deadly. For example, the smallpox vaccine has eradicated a disease that was responsible for centuries of outbreaks and had a thirty percent fatality rate. Childhood diseases that were commonplace less than a generation ago are now increasingly rare because of vaccines. It is important for people to get vaccinations, especially children, for a wide array of reasons. Children die from diseases every day that could so easily be prevented by the help of a simple shot. Without certain vaccinations, diseases may be fatal to an infant before they are even twenty-four months old. Vaccinations are more helpful to the human body than harmful, and without vaccinations, infant mortality rates increase dramatically.

It is crucial for parents to be knowledgeable on what vaccinations are, and how they go about protecting your immune system, especially before refusing them for their child. When germs enter the body, the immune system starts its process by recognizing them as a foreign substance otherwise known as antigens. The immune system begins to produce the correct antibodies to fight off the newly discovered antigens. Vaccines begin this process in the patient’s body because they contain weakened versions of a virus or versions that the body may mistake for the virus. This means the antigens cannot produce the signs or symptoms of the disease, but they do stimulate the immune system to create antibodies. These antibodies help protect you if you are exposed to the virus in the future. An example of the antibodies fighting off a smaller version of the virus would be the flu shot. Most people refrain from getting the flu shot because they claim that it makes them sick, and it is not worth it. The way vaccinations work, they send a small amount of the virus, in this case, the flu, into your body so your immune system can fight against it. This will help the immune system to strengthen against the actual flu virus, so the person might gain a small cold, which is less detrimental than the flu. So, while it may affect people at first, and make them feel less than one hundred percent, it is usually preferred as opposed to the alternative. People are usually hesitant to get vaccinations because of the side effects as well. Some of the side effects of vaccinations may be mild and temporary. Patients may experience symptoms such as fever, soreness, or a small raised lump under the skin at the site of injection.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are many misconceptions about the flu vaccination that could be considered myths, that persuade most people to refrain from getting the vaccination. Most people believe that the flu shot can give you the flu, however this is not true. There are two ways that flu vaccinations work. The first way is that they can inject someone with an “inactivated” flu virus, which is not infectious, or they can inject someone with one that does not even have the flu virus at all. One of the most common misconceptions is that it is better to get the flu, rather than get the flu vaccine. The flue is a very serious disease, especially with children, older adults, and people with chronic diseases. Any flu infection could create a risk to hospitalization, or even death, if people are not careful. These two misconceptions are very common with any vaccination, not just the flu vaccine. That is why it is so important to vaccinated while it is still possible, before the disease has been contracted.

Along with having a basic knowledge of how vaccinations work, it is also important to know what types of vaccinations there are, and what age would be the ideal time for children to have these vaccinations. One of the most popular vaccinations is the MMR vaccine. This vaccine protects against the measles, mumps, and rubella. It is given as two shots when a child is a year old and again when they are four to six years old (Bezio). The HBV vaccine helps prevent hepatitis B virus infection, which is an infection of the liver that can lead to liver cancer and death. The vaccine is given as a series of three shots, with the first shot given soon after birth. “The meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) protects against four strains or types of bacterial meningitis caused by the bacteria N. meningitides” (Familydoctor.org). Because the MCV4 vaccine protects people from four different strains of bacterial meningitis, it is crucial that children obtain the vaccination at the appropriate time to make sure that they are safe from the disease. Children should get the MCV4 vaccine at eleven to twelve years of age. The HPV vaccine helps to prevent human papillomavirus infection, which can cause cervical cancer as well as genital warts. It is given as a three-shot series. Most of the vaccinations previously listed can prevent fatal diseases; however, there are also vaccinations that can also prevent sicknesses that are not particularly fatal. An example would be the varicella vaccine, which helps to prevent chickenpox, and should be administered once a child is twelve months old, and again between ages four and six.

While it is important to obtain the knowledge of when it is appropriate for children to be vaccinated, it is also important to examine the evidence that is presented if children are not vaccinated. In December of 2000, there was an experiment conducted that confirmed the hypothesis that children who had routine vaccinations had a lower mortality rate than those who did not in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. The objective of the study was to “examine the association between routine childhood vaccinations and survival among infants in Guinea-Bissau” (Paul Fine). The infants were administered the BCG, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, and polio vaccines. They also stated that the infants that were vaccinated did not have any fatal side effects, nor did any infants pass away after the study was conducted (Jensen). However, the mortality rates for the infants that did not get vaccinated increased significantly (Aaby). This study is a very helpful resource when researching vaccinations, because not only was did this study prove that vaccinations are helpful to the human body, but it also shows that they truly help not only in the US, but in other countries as well. Vaccinations are versatile and can be used all over the world, which is a great benefit. So, while it may be easier to skip the vaccination, or there are reasons that one may find it morally discouraged, it is clear that without the vaccinations, infant mortality rates are skyrocketing.

Along with preventing infant deaths, there are many reasons why getting vaccinated has a significant importance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend that healthy children get vaccinated against fourteen diseases by the age of two, along with an annual inoculation against the flu. In fact, the government supports vaccines so strongly that any uninsured child can walk into a clinic and get his or her shots for free. The reasoning behind encouraging the vaccination process is not only to protect the individual, but the community as a whole. Not being vaccinated does not only affect the individual, but also their surrounding community because they are spreading around the disease.  “In order for a community to be fully protected against a disease, eighty to ninety percent of its population needs to have been vaccinated, says pediatrician Lance Rodewald, M.D., director of the Immunization Services Division of the CDC” (Heyworth). Whenever coverage drops significantly below that level, a school, a church, or a neighborhood becomes susceptible to the disease. While it is important for individual to get themselves vaccinated to help the community, it is more important for parents to get their children vaccinated because they cannot do it themselves. Babies who aren't old enough to get the shot yet are at the greatest risk of contracting an illness.

Many people decide against getting their children vaccinated because of the age old debate of whether or not vaccinations cause autism. If anyone is asked what the biggest risk of vaccinations would be, the answer is almost always “autism”. Many people believe that the rise in children with autism spectrum disorders are due to the fact that children now get twice as many vaccines as they did in 1980. Many people had not put the connection of autism and vaccinations together until 1980, when a doctor made the idea public. “The idea first made headlines in 1998, when Andrew Wakefield, M.D., a British gastroenterologist, published a study of 12 children in The Lancet that linked the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) combination vaccine with intestinal problems that he believed led to autism” (Heyworth). Of course, when people heard about the headline they started to become hesitant to vaccinate their children.

Eventually, the AAP issued a warning about thimerosal, the mercury-containing preservative that was found in most vaccines, and people became even more hesitant to vaccinate their children (Luman). Though it didn't mention autism specifically, it suggested that the use of vaccines with thimerosal could theoretically push an infant's total exposure of mercury, a neurotoxin, above safe limits, and it recommended that the preservative be removed from shots. People already started to believe that there was a connection to autism once the AAP came out with articles along with the doctor, and they only started to feel more strongly about it when actress Jenny McCarthy stated her views on vaccines. “The vaccine-autism hypothesis was solidly in the mainstream by the time actress Jenny McCarthy went public with her belief that vaccines caused her son's autism, describing in heartbreaking detail how "the soul left his eyes" on a 2007 segment of the The Oprah Show” (Heyworth). After coming out with such an opinion in public, it was enough to scare any parent senseless. However, at least seven large studies in major medical journals have now found no association between the MMR vaccine and ASD -- and this February, The Lancet officially retracted Dr. Wakefield's original paper.

It is important to understand that while vaccinations are meant to aid the human immune system, there are also side effects that come along with them. It is crucial to weigh the risks and benefits of vaccinations and decide if they are right for you, or your child. While it has been proven that vaccinations are not the cause of the increase in autism, that does not mean that vaccines aren't capable of causing adverse effects beyond a sore arm and a slight fever. Sometimes the side effects became so bad that parents started filing lawsuits against them. “In 1986, the government created the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program to reimburse families whose children had serious side effects, and it has awarded nearly $2 billion on 2,398 claims” (Heyworth). However, doctors say that the odds of experiencing a vaccine-related injury are greatly outweighed by the dangers of catching a vaccine-preventable disease. An example of this would be the measles vaccine. It can cause a temporary reduction in platelets in 1 in 30,000 children, but 1 in 2,000 will die if they get the disease itself (Shea). The DTaP vaccine can cause seizures in 1 in 14,000 people, and brain swelling in 11 in 1 million, it can ultimately prevent the diseases diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, which are fatal in 1 in 20 cases, 1 in 10 cases, and 1 in 1500 cases (Suisse). There are many steps that go into assuring that a vaccine is safe before passing it on to children: "Before a new vaccine is approved, it goes through a prospective, placebo-controlled trial involving tens of thousands of children" (Dr. Offit). 

At the heart of the vaccine debate is a lot more than “right” or “wrong”. When it comes down to it, it is not just about vaccinating your child to keep your own child safe, but vaccinating your child to keep the community safe. “Since some kids can't get certain vaccines because they are allergic to ingredients like eggs, or because they have immune-system deficiencies that prevent vaccines from working (such as those with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy), many people feel that it's up to healthy children to keep vaccination rates at a level that protects the "herd" as much as possible” (Heyworth). Within this argument, it is not only pitting parents against parents, but also parents again pediatricians. 

One way to look at a benefit of vaccinations is that vaccines protect future generations. When mothers get vaccinated, they are essentially protecting their unborn children from viruses that that could potentially cause birth defects, and vaccinated communities can help eradicate diseases for future generations. It is important to get vaccinated for the health of the mother, as well as the health of the baby. Refraining from getting vaccinated could create many birth defects and or deaths of many babies. “Before the rubella vaccine was licensed in 1969, a global rubella outbreak caused the deaths of 11,000 babies, and birth defects in 20,000 babies between 1963 and 1965 in the United States” (ProCon.org). Women who were vaccinated as children against rubella have greatly decreased the chance of passing the virus to their unborn or newborn children, eliminating the birth defects, such as heart problems, hearing and vision loss, congenital cataracts, liver and spleen damage, and mental disabilities, associated with the disease (Bourdes).  However, along with every advantage comes a disadvantage. Most people find some of the government decisions to get children vaccinated “immoral” saying that The government should not intervene in personal medical choices. Medical decisions for children should be left to the parents or caregivers.

Regardless, vaccinations are more helpful to the body than harmful in many different aspects. Before vaccinating your children, it is crucial to understand how vaccinations work, and what kinds of vaccinations there are. Another important aspect is realizing when to vaccinate children and what the time frame is to ensure that the child is safe from the diseases harm. There are many misconceptions and myths that can be connected to vaccinations, but it is important to do research and make sure that there is factual information that disprove the myths and misconceptions. It is crucial to understand that while vaccinations may cause side effects, the benefits of the vaccine itself will always outweigh the way the side effects make someone feel. While most might say that vaccinations are the cause of the high risks of autism spectrum disorders, there are many facts that prove otherwise. It is important to vaccinate your children, not only to protect them, but to protect the community around them. There are many different reasons why vaccinations have such a role of significance, and it is important to educate yourself on the importance of vaccinations. Before coming to a set conclusion as to why or why children should or should not be vaccinated, make sure that the risks and benefits are weighed out first. If done properly, it will be clear that the benefits outweigh the risks in most situations. So, it is clear that vaccinations are considered more helpful in the human body than harmful, and all infants should be vaccinated if the proper resources can be provided to them.
