In recent years vaccines have been a major topic of discussion. While some people still think having your children vaccinated against common illnesses such as chicken pox and the flu is dangerous, I myself think it is perfectly fine to have your children vaccinated on the schedule recommended by pediatricians. Some parents choose to have their children vaccinated on a delayed schedule, which I still find acceptable. However, the parents who choose not to have their children vaccinated at all are a danger to the public.
Unvaccinated people can cause outbreaks of viruses that have been eradicated. In late 2014 a measles outbreak occurred when an unvaccinated child who was a carrier of the disease visited Disneyland. This caused 173 people from seventeen different states to contract the virus that was eradicated from the United States in 2002. In order for measles to be under control 94-99% of the population must be vaccinated. With the recent trend of not vaccinating, measles, along with other once eradicated, or nearly eradicated diseases are making a come-back.
Since early 1998 autism and the MMR vaccine, a vaccine that protects the body from measles, mumps, and rubella viruses, has said to been linked. In an article written by Jeffery S. Gerber and Paul A. Offit published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, Andrew Wakefield discovered this apparent link. According to Gerber and Offit:
On 28 February 1998, Andrew Wakefield, a British gastroenterologist, and colleagues
Many believe the measles mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine triggers autism spectrum disorder in some children. Many Hollywood celebrities in the acting community that have birthed children that suffer from autism spectrum disorder have concluded that this is how their child developed autism. These celebrities being very vocal about this link between vaccinations and autism spectrum disorders and have in turn influenced the increase in many ordinary middle-class parents refraining from getting the medically recommended vaccinations for their children. The medical community has done extensive research on this theory. However, to this date no reliable study shows a link between autism spectrum disorder and the measles mumps-rubella vaccine. In fact, the medical community have continued to recommend childhood vaccinations and continue to emphasis the danger of a non vaccinated child catching and spreading serious diseases like whooping cough (pertussis), measles and mumps (Mayo Clinic, 2012).
There is much debate and controversy about child vaccinations being safe or not. Parents wonder should they get
The American Health Association has also been working hard to remind Americans that without vaccinations throughout our population, preventable – and serious – diseases could once again rise in our schools and homes. Indeed a recent outbreak of measles in Minnesota is but one of recent outbreaks in developed countries.
Childhood vaccinations are important because it creates an immunity among an entire community. Known as ‘herd immunity’ or ‘community immunity,’ there lies an indirect protection of unvaccinated people when a large group of people is vaccinated against a certain disease. Therefore, if children are vaccinated against a disease, they are also protecting their family and friends. According to Vaccines.gov, if enough people are vaccinated against a disease, about 80% of a population or less, the entire community has a lesser chance of getting the disease (Page 3). In different terms, when a large age group of people, children, are vaccinated and therefore immune to disease, everyone else is protected as well indirectly. As well as unintentionally
Outbreaks of preventable diseases happen when parents choose not to vaccinate their children. Vaccines are not only safe, but they are effective as well. Before being introduced to the public, vaccines are carefully reviewed by doctors, scientist and the federal government to make sure they are as safe as they can be. By vaccinating your children and yourself you are protecting everyone else around you love and care about
In today’s society they’re thousands of children that are not being vaccinated because of the unconcerning knowledge of the parents not knowing the side effects: long-term or short-term. A side effect is an harmful or unpleasant effect of a drug or a medical treatment. Babies and children are more than likely to experience an unpleasant effect due to their very weak immune system.Babies and children are not like the adults and the elders. When infants are born their immune system in not fully developed but the doctors vaccinate them to help fight the germs. Children are vaccinated for the same reason because it helps them fight bacteria and bad viruses. Babies and children should be vaccinated
Immunizations protect children from dangerous diseases, which include: diphtheria, meningitis, tetanus, polio, measles, and the whooping cough (Vaccines, 2015). The controversial debate arose in 1998 concerning a link between the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine and autism by Andrew Wakefield. However, his claims and theories on the matter has been discredited due to his
Zoe was a thirteen month old baby who became very ill from the chicken pox disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013) reported on their website, one day her mom noticed blisters on her cheek and at first did not think it was anything to worry about. Throughout the next couple of days her mother noticed more blisters developing all over her body. Amy decided to get Zoe to her pediatrician who said that Zoe had chicken pox. Zoe was up to date on all her vaccines except for the chickenpox vaccine which she was scheduled to receive when she was fifteen months old. Zoe showed no signs of being sick and seemed fine. Everyone told Zoe’s mom that she was lucky that Zoe caught chickenpox and told her not to worry. Within a
In conclusion, studies show that there is no relationship between the MMR vaccination and autism. The reasoning behind individuals not trusting these scientific studies, comes from the untrue propaganda of anti-vaccine extremists who believe and support Andrew Wakefield, even though his work has been discredited. Although there have been hundreds of studies surrounding the link between this a vaccination and autism, none have ever proved Andrew Wakefield's
Today, measles cases are extremely rare, but the CDC reported a spike in 2014, with more than
Autism is a condition typified by abnormal qualitative development of social interactions, communication and imagination, with restricted and repetitive interests and activities (Edward Purssell RGN, RSCN, PhD of the University of London). What causes autism? Many parents like to say that the vaccination MMR has caused their child to have autism later in life. Purssell and other authors and doctors have done countless research to find out the truth about MMR and their being a link between the vaccine MMR and autism. On February 28, 1998, Andrew Wakefield, a gastroenterologist did a paper about eight children whose first symptoms appeared after a month after they had received the MMR vaccine. All of those children had signs of gastrointestinal disease. From what Wakefield observed, the MMR vaccine caused intestinal inflammation, that lead to the blood stream and eventually to the brain where it affected development. Backing this up,
In fact, life-threatening diseases still exist. There have been outbreak cases in the past two years which started in an unvaccinated community, demonstrating it is highly important to vaccinate and that disease is still around. In 2013, the United States experienced eleven outbreaks with twenty or more cases. In 2014, the United States experienced twenty-three measles outbreaks, including 383 cases, which by the way occurred among the unvaccinated community of Amish people in Ohio (Measles). In 2015, again the US experienced one of its largest measles outbreak which started at Disneyland (Measles). The outbreak started through a traveler which then spread it to surrounding people (Measles). A majority of these people who caught the disease were unvaccinated and had no immunity built to defend off the virus. Diseases, such as the measles, has not yet been eradicated and still persists in countries around the world. People who travel abroad bring the disease back and put unvaccinated people in danger. Disease still exists and in order to prevent from catching anything, a person must be
The whole MMR vaccination and Autism inspiration was first brought about by a three key points. In the book “The Everything Parent 's Guide To Vaccines: Balanced, Professional Advice To Help You Make The Best Decision For Your Child” the author told what they were in a very pleasant way. It stated “The first was an observation that the number of children diagnosed with Autism increased dramatically right around the same time the MMR combination vaccine was introduced in the United States and Great Britain. The second was based on a study by Dr. Andrew Wakefield in 1998 Published in the respected scientific journal Lancet. The third is based on the fact that children with Autism were first diagnosed with the condition right after they received the MMR vaccine.” (Leslie 67). However, these three points didn’t get a exceptional start because Dr. Wakefield was later found not credible and his license is under legal indictment. (Leslie 69) Since Dr. Wakefield as found uncredible it severely damaged his followers opinions, and did not help the theory that Autism and vaccinations are linked.
Because these children cannot fight off diseases themselves they count on the rest of the population to receive their immunizations to lessen the risk of receiving them. Many states offer exemptions to vaccinations. Many are health related, but some states allow parents to opt out of vaccinating their children based off political beliefs. “The clustering of these exemptions raises concern among public health officials about their potential to generate disease outbreaks that can spread to children in other areas” (Largent,18). An example of this is in Washington State, which is known for its high levels of unvaccinated children. Where a large outbreak of measles took place in 2008 stemming from an unvaccinated child. These concerns about the
When you are a parent, you can do anything to protect your child and keep them safe and healthy. Vaccines is the vital way to do that. For neonates, mother’s breast milk can help protect against many diseases. It contains antibodies passed from the mother. However, this immunity wears off within a year, and many children aren’t breastfed to begin with. In both cases, vaccines can help protect babies and small children from disease. They can also help prevent the spread of disease to older children and adults. Vaccines emulate infection of a certain disease in your body. This boosts up your immune system to develop weapons called antibodies. These antibodies fight against the disease that the vaccine is meant to prevent.