Should We Make Medical Decisions For Children?

Anti-vaccination movements have been happening since vaccines were created, but it has been picking up momentum again over the last decade. Vaccines began with the creation of the smallpox vaccine in the early 1800s after Edward Jenner’s experiments with cowpox. Through his experiments he found that we could save a child from smallpox by infecting them with a lymph from a cowpox blister. There were many oppositions from the public and government towards vaccinations. People claimed it was against religion, unsanitary, or there just wasn 't enough proof it would work. I don 't blame the criticism back then, because it included scoring the flesh on a child’s arm, and inserting lymph from the blister of a person who had been vaccinated about a week earlier. In 1853, the Vaccination Act of 1853 stated that vaccinations were mandatory for infants up to 3 months old. In 1867, the act extended this age requirement to 14 years. If you refused to vaccinate you would face a penalty. Citizens were upset because they felt that they had the right to control their bodies and their children’s bodies. This is when the Anti Vaccination League and the Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League formed.

We must not forget how catastrophic disease was in the 17th century. Many people, especially children died early deaths because their bodies just could not fight those diseases. We live in a time and age where vaccines are available to help us fight off diseases that once killed so many. I truly believe that vaccines are essential in maintaining health in human populations. “The number of young children who are not fully vaccinated for preventable diseases has been steadily increasing over the last decade” (Daniel A. Salmon)”. With so many more parents claiming nonmedical exemptions, from what was once routine vaccinations, they are not only leaving their children vulnerable to diseases, but everyone that the unvaccinated child comes in contact with; From the classmates and teachers of these children, as well as other people and children in their community. Vaccines are necessary, and the risks of not being vaccinated far outweigh the small risks associated with vaccination. Preventable diseases can cause permanent disability and death. There has been no correlation between vaccines and developmental disorders such as autism. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “most childhood vaccines are 90-99% effective in preventing disease” (Vaccines ProCon.org)”. Vaccines are beneficial for everyone’s protection. Child Vaccinations should be mandatory.

To Vaccinate or not to vaccinate, has been a question many parents in America have been asking themselves for years. Some parents believe that it is their right to decide if their children will be vaccinated; while some states believe that all children should be vaccinated. There are logical and illogical reasons for this argument. There should be a federal law that requires parents to vaccinate their children because it will lower the number of deaths, benefit those children who have lower immune systems, and it can get rid of some diseases all together in the future.

Diseases and illnesses are studied constantly by doctors and scientists trying to find a cure for them. Plague and disease once ravaged our world killing thousands, with no hope or cure to prevent them from occurring. Today, however, is different. Technology is more advanced than ever, and people are living longer than ever before. Life expectancy in the United States has gone up by more than 30 years in the last decades. It isn’t by luck that many diseases now cease to exist, but through extensive studies, and research. The medical field is at the height of its studies with more people being cured of diseases than ever before. Most of this is to the credit of doctors and scientists developing vaccinations that help the body create antibodies, which help fight away diseases, and give the body immunity. I believe that forced vaccinations in children should be mandatory as they have the potential to prevent life threatening diseases, and save countless lives. Though many are against forced vaccinations and say they can cause mental illnesses or brain damage, this has not been proven. The rewards far out way the slight risk, if risk at all of the vaccination having side effects. The individuals who are not vaccinated are left vulnerable to illness, and can potentially infect those around them as well. Leaving scare of an epidemic, and wide spread of a virus. Forced vaccinations in the United States have been beneficial by preventing young children from contracting certain

Over many years, we have gained more and more knowledge in the medical field. We have learned new information about diseases, cures, and technology that can be used to help our society stay healthy. Vaccinations are one of the ways doctors help prevent people from getting various diseases such as polio and the measles. However, some peoples’ beliefs and religions get in the way of them taking vaccines. Also, some parents believe that vaccinations are linked to autism and refuse to let their children get vaccinated. For many years, people have been having controversies over this subject, but I believe that we should require kids to have vaccinations to keep society healthy and stable.

The idea of preventing diseases by injecting a little bit of the disease itself has been around for over 1,000 years, saving humanity from being wiped out by a simple, common cold. The idea of a vaccination seems perfect, but over the years, some parents believe in the idea of “anti-vaccines”, opting out the only potential protection among their children. The comfort and needs of a child is always on the mind of a parent, but when it comes to sticking a needle into the child that could potentially make them “sick” or “uncomfortable”, red lights start flashing and unethical health decisions are made.

Vaccinations have been widely discussed and debated about whether or not people should vaccinate their children. “Childhood vaccines offer protection from serious or potentially fatal diseases” (The Mayo Clinic, 2014)”. Vaccinations prevent diseases that can affect a child with symptoms of a cold or in some cases, the disease can be much more serious and can cause disability and death. The problem is that parents are choosing not to vaccinate their children against them. With choosing against vaccinating a child becoming a common occurrence, diseases that have been eradicated from the United States, are now starting to show back up in society. If there are no strict requirements on vaccinations, then diseases that have been dormant for decades from the U.S. will become into an epidemic. There are many reasons why parents state that they choose not to vaccinate their children. Some include religion, philosophical, and the possible connection to autism. These reasons have been proven to not be strong enough against the threat of the serious disease that vaccinations protect against. There are new regulations going into place, making it an educational and training process to the parents if they choose to not vaccinate their children. In addition to this, there are laws and regulations regarding who is liable in these situations. A child could possibly sue their parents or a third party could sue because they or someone in their family was affected from an infected

Throughout time diseases has caused millions of death. Because of technology today we are able to conduct research, study diseases and find cures. Research has opened a window in discovering vaccines, to possibility cure or remove a disease. However, there are many concerns when it comes to vaccinations; are they okay for the body and/or will vaccines cause our bodies harm? Or are vaccines okay to get, and do they work? State laws are pushing to make vaccines a requirement. Because of these laws being passed, many argue that they are being forced in getting their children vaccinated. People should be able to have the freedom to choose if they want their children to be vaccinated or not. However, others differ and feel as if vaccines are

The big issue is, does the government have the right to mandate immunization? We mandate that a child has to be in a car seat, that they can’t use alcohol, tobacco or drugs so should we mandate preventative protections. This is the ethical question, does the medical field, or the government have the “right” to force a parent to give their child immunizations for disease that can be prevented? This will be discussed for years and no matter what the decision is there will be people on both sides of the issue. Some will say that the government needs to “force” parents that will not take proper “care” of their child to immunize them or penalize them. Then the other side of the issue will say, we have rights and it is not the governments concern to force immunization. Whether you agree or disagree, the child is the major concern in the discussion. They have really no say in what happens, and they are forced to follow whatever their parents feel is the correct direction to follow, an infant cannot say “I want the immunization” or “I do not want the immunization” and the parent that feels that the immunization causes autism or some other type of disease or their religion is against immunization or other medical care have their rights and they are allowed to express what they believe is

As parents do everything within their power to keep their children safe there needs to be an outcry from the community regarding immunizations. Due to the fact that no medical procedure or vaccination has a one hundred percent guarantee those parents decision to not vaccinate their children not only effect other children but the entire general population. There is no need for an outbreak of preventable disease or for people to be sick due to someone else’s ignorance. When lives are able to be spared they should

For many years, there has been a controversy about whether or not vaccinations should be mandated for everyone. In the United States, many diseases such as polio, diphtheria, measles, and whooping cough used to be extremely common, until vaccinations came around and started preventing these diseases. The main point for vaccines is to prepare a person’s immune system for any possible attack of a disease that comes in the future; a person’s body will be prepared to fight off the disease with the vaccine (“Basics”). Vaccines have the ability to prevent many cases of these diseases in advanced, but there are people who think vaccines are unnatural and should not be required for their children. It is said that immunity in child vaccines are about 90%-100%, which is an increase over the past few years (“Childhood”). Although many Americans believe that vaccines are unsafe and cause autism in children, vaccinations for children should be mandatory because they can save a child’s life, create herd immunity in a community, and they have been proven safe/cost-effective.

In addition, Vaccines have caused a lot of trouble in this world. Innocent parent now getting charged for murder when their baby dies from the effects of their vaccines. “Many parents have endured the nightmare of being falsely accused of their child’s death. Some of them are behind bars today after being falsely accused and convicted of manslaughter after their child suffered fatal vaccine injuries”(Christina). This is wrong. The parents are required to get their child vaccinated and then they get put behind bars for their child dying for the very vaccine the government tells us we have to

I agree with your its should be a parent choice to either vaccinated or not they kids . As i mention on my post me personally i didn't wants to vaccinate my kid since its a requirement another for the kid to attend school . I didn't have the choice . I know its very risky when you don't get vaccinated for some disease but we also have to see the side effect , For example i was watching the news one time i don't remember when or what channel about a athletic lady who got the flu shot she can't walking straight  another for her to walking straight it have to be backward.

Parents all across the United States have an issue with vaccinations for their children. Parents as of today do not have the option whether or not to immunize their children. These vaccinations are potentially harmful for children, but they also help and prevent life threatening illnesses. Parents should be allowed to choose to vaccinate their children because at times, the vaccine might harm the child, and because the parents simply just have right.

It used to be that vaccinations were considered a normal part of childhood, right along with loosing teeth and toilet training. However, in recent years vaccinations have become an extremely hot button issue, with many parents actually choosing not to vaccinate their children. The idea seems preposterous considering how many people were left with twisted backs, and withered limbs due to polio, or the amount of deaths as a result of measles. To see someone who has been left in an iron lung from a disease that is now preventable, and still choose not to prevent the disease seems absolutely asinine, and yet many parents are doing just that. Sadly, much of the fear of vaccines stems from Dr. Andrew Wakefield, and his fraudulent research that