Childhood Vaccination Benefits

Between 1924 and 2013, vaccinations prevented 103 million cases of polio, measles, rubella, mumps, hepatitis A, diphtheria, and pertussis (Bailey). Vaccinating is “the process by which pathogenic cells are injected into a healthy person in an attempt to cause the body to develop antibodies to a particular virus or bacterium—successful creation of antibodies is referred to as immunity to the disease caused by the particular pathogen” (Introduction to Should Vaccinations be Mandatory). Popular conflicts regarding vaccination include the worry that this form of immunization isn’t natural, the idea that vaccination schedule for children in the U.S. takes away parents’ rights to make decisions for their children, and the concern that vaccinations aren’t safe for all children. Most doctors and scientists advocate for vaccinations in the name of herd immunity, protection against foreign diseases and prevention against pockets of disease outbreaks. Vaccinations should be mandatory for all children in the United States for who they are deemed safe and effective.

Many infectious diseases that once quickly spread and easily killed have been controlled or eradicated due to vaccinations. The efficacy of vaccines in reducing morbidity and mortality, particularly in children, is undeniable. Per the World Health Organization, childhood vaccinations prevent approximately 2-3 million deaths per year worldwide (WHO, 2016). In the United States, the value of immunizations is clearly displayed by comparing pre-vaccine era morbidity/mortality rates to post-vaccine era in regards to vaccine-preventable diseases. For example, prior to the diphtheria vaccine in the 1920’s, 206,000 people annually contracted the disease resulting in 15,520 deaths (History of Vaccines, 2009). However, between 2004 and 2014, only

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate? Parents with infants and young children have been tussling with this proverbial question for several decades now. With the advent of the internet and the World Wide Web, parents have been bombarded with a plethora of information about pros and cons of vaccines from all kinds of sources, some creditable, and some are not. To the non-scientific community, these conflicting information can create problems in the decision making process; thus, forcing parents to make the wrong choices and putting their offspring and others at risk. However, this article will attempt to address the importance of vaccinations, how vaccines work, why we should vaccinate, and why parents should not be afraid to vaccinate their offspring.

Despite significant progress in the fight against preventable disease, millions still die needlessly each year. According to UNICEF, originally known as the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, a vaccine preventable disease is responsible for 2 million fatal infections worldwide each year. About 75% of these deaths occur in children under five years of age. (N) In more vivid terms, UNICEF notes that vaccine-preventable diseases kill a child every 20 seconds. (D) Due to high rates of childhood vaccination, the United States has experienced a dramatic reduction in such deaths. A comparison of the years 1950 and 2010 clearly illustrates the benefits of vaccinations. During this 60-year period, deaths from diphtheria reduced from 410 to 0, tetanus from 336 to 3, pertussis from 1,118 to 26, and polio from 1,904 to 0. Measles deaths dropped from 468 in 1950 to 0 in 2008, the last year a United States death rate was recorded. It’s not surprising that vaccinations have been touted as one of the top ten health achievements of the 20th century by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Throughout history people have seen many public health innovations. Numerous advancements were made between 2001 and 2010. These advancements include “tobacco control, motor vehicle safety, public health preparedness and response, and occupational safety.” (Ten Great Public Health Achievements --- United States, 2001—2010) One of the most important innovations was vaccine preventable diseases. Many people believe that it is right for the government to necessitate children to be vaccinated. Others think it is wrong and that the parents should decide what is best for their children’s health. It is beneficial for the United States government to require young children in the United States to get vaccinations including hepatitis A and B,

Vaccines have saved many children from sickness, death and have terminated a large part of infectious diseases in the world. That being said, whether to immunize or not is the ongoing question parents face each day. On one hand, questions are raised about the safety of some vaccines because of rare but serious adverse effects that have been attributed to them. On the other hand, vaccines are known to help prevent death and serious illnesses. Hence, this paper explores the pros and cons of children's vaccines.

This research papers purpose was to assess the impact of Medicaid expansion on pregnant mothers and their newborn children. Issues explored were the history Medicaid, current perceptions regarding the program and its recipients, the benefits of Medicaid and the reasons that some states have chosen to opt out of the expansion. The methodology used for this study was to research peer reviewed articles and journals to determine the positive and negative effects of Medicaid expansion and compare data from states that have implemented program expansion to those states that have chosen to abstain. Information was gathered from all stages of development from conception, to school age children. When comparing the potential advantages and costs of Medicaid expansion the research findings indicate a substantial benefit regarding access to care, prenatal and postnatal services for mothers with Medicaid as compared to those mothers without insurance. Although Medicaid insurance and benefits are costly, research data indicated that providing these services can result in a significant savings by offering preventative screening and by avoiding the utilization of expensive emergency services. Additionally, research indicated that Medicaid recipients reported better rates of health care satisfaction and wellbeing than those who were uninsured.

Not only have the vaccinations created a healthier community as it avoids preventable diseases, it also reduced healthcare costs exponentially; 9.9 billion dollars in direct costs are prevented and 33.4 billion dollars of indirect costs are avoided as a direct result of immunizations (Nicastro & Rejman, 2012). Given these facts, it is surprising to see that 85% of healthcare providers that see children have

“In 2011 alone, 1.5 million children died [worldwide] from diseases preventable by currently recommended vaccines” (“Immunization” 2). The magnitude of this tragedy is in part caused by the fact that some of those children simply weren’t reached by organizations like UNICEF, which aim to vaccinate children (“Immunization” 2). However, there are other reasons for the recent deaths and epidemics—such as the whooping cough epidemic of 2012, with 48,000 cases nationally in the United States—involving vaccine preventable diseases (McClay 1).

Currently Medicaid helps in pay for about 40% of all births in the United States; this means that 40% of births in the United States are to mothers and families that qualify for federal assistance due to situations of poverty and low income. Medicaid also only covers hospital stays and services and doctors visits. This tells us that there is a need for improvement, as well as hole in the market, for assistance in maternal/child care during birth. There should be other organizations to turn to instead of only the government. Having more options for assistance and care would allow women to make healthier and more informed decisions

This literature review discusses the benefits and risks associated with vaccinating children. The researcher collects five articles that were deemed appropriate for the topic and analyzed using databases and limitations. The articles were analyzed and categorized by the risks and benefits that may be discussed throughout the article. The findings showed what the researcher collected as important information from the five articles. For instance, vaccinations will prevent an estimated 322 million illnesses, and 21 million hospitalization. While other articles talk about the risks that accompany a vaccinations such as anaphylaxis which is a rare occurrence. The results showed how there are benefits that accompany vaccinations but risks were found and recognized that should be discussed with parents. In conclusion, as long as parents have both sides of the research they can determine what will be best for their children and make educated decisions. As doctors it is their duty to make sure patients understand both the risks and benefits of vaccinations.

The childhood vaccinations that have been created by scientists and researchers so far prove to be 90 percent to 99 percent effective in protecting children from specific disease. This statistic displays the power vaccines have in saving the lives of children. These accomplishments are clearly present and available for pro-vaccine individuals’ to use to strengthen their argument regarding the overall benefits of a regular immunization schedule for young children. A partner association to the United Nations Foundation, Shot@Life, remarks that “vaccines save 2.5 million children from preventable diseases every year, which equates to roughly 285 children saved every hour” ("Should Any Vaccines"). This statement puts into the perspective the extent

One of the best ways to protect your children is by vaccinating them, and making sure they have all the required immunizations and doses. Some of the deadliest diseases are almost completely gone or extinct because of vaccinations. Polio was once one of America’s most feared diseases, since people have started to vaccinate their children, there has been no cases of polio in the United States. Vaccines are only given to children after long and careful examination by a healthcare professional and scientist. Causes of severe allergic reactions due to vaccines have been very rare.

A Vaccine Indicator Reminder device has been developed to monitor how much is left for the next vaccination. The wearable device is newborn babies that can be activated by pressing the VIR’s face with a finger. The device operates using predictable chemical processes, processes that rely on food dye, to keep the baby safe from adverse effects and failure of electronics.

Ragan & Duffy (2012, p.23) have also shown high immunization rates have resulted in a substantial decline in vaccine preventable diseases, particularly vaccination has eliminated smallpox worldwide. In addition, in a study by Bawah, Phillips, Adjuik & smith et al (2010, p.95) found that vaccination has resulted in a large and statistically significant reduction child mortality. The risk of dying for children younger than five who are fully immunized is reduced by more than 70% compared with those who are not immunized or partially immunized. Moreover, research by Dawson (2011, p.1032) also suggests that vaccination is a vital intervention in reducing illness and death rates in children and he estimated approximately 2.5 million deaths could be prevented each year by vaccination. In addition to personal immunity Vaccination programs also bring herd immunity which ensures even greater protection for the community from communicable diseases. The level of vaccination required to provide herd immunity varies with virulence and transmissibility as well as vaccine efficacy. While vaccinating