One day, a parent may make the choice to not to vaccinate their child. Regardless of the reason, this poses a severe threat to their child, not just medically but socially too. This also puts the public’s health at risk. A doctor may feel that they are being put into an ethically moral gray area when having to make a decision about what to do in this situation. According to the Hippocratic Oath, a doctor wants to do what’s within the best interest for the child and the public. Although it may be going against the autonomy of a parent if said family chooses not to vaccinate their child, doctors have a right for dismissal. This right ensure that he/she will do what’s ethically right for everyone involved, even if it may be against the …show more content…
This schedule is designed to protect children at their most vulnerable states. If a parent chooses to give some vaccines to their child and not others, theses vaccines may not be beneficial anymore and could actually increase the chances of contracting diseases. These vaccines protect children and others from a multiplicity of ailments. The vaccines can protect someone from chickenpox, measles, pertussis, polio, rotavirus, and many more diseases. These ailments can often be life threatening, especially with a child of a young.3 It has been shown that when infants don’t receive the DTap vaccination their immunity to pertussis disease is decreased. Consequently, these children have a 19-fold to 28-fold chance of becoming infected with pertussis bacteria. This can cause brain damage, respiratory failure, or even death.4 In 2012 and 2013 the highest levels of pertussis were reported since 1955. A report from the CDC estimate that there were about 1.4 cases of pertussis per 1000 infants younger than 6 months old between the years 2012 and 2013. Out of 5351 cases of pertussis in children under 7 years old, 40 % of them either did not receive the pertusiss vaccination, or did not report being vaccinated.7
Recently an outbreak of measles was traced back to Disneyland theme parks in California. It has been reported by the CDC that 113 cases have been tied to the theme park as of
I believe that practices should NOT be allowed to dismiss patients because they choose not to vaccinate their children. I believe THAT IT IS A PARENT’S RIGHT TO DO WHAT THEY FEEL IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THEIR CHILDREN REGARDLESS TO HOW OTHERS AGREE/DISAGREE. A PRACTICE SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TELL A PARENT “WELL IF YOU WILL NOT HAVE your baby VACCINATED in MY PRACTICE THAN I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MEDICAL CARE TO YOU.” The biggest key is education, EDUCATION, EDUCATION AND TO GET TO THE ROOT AND EDUCATE ON THE FEAR, and MYTH AS TO WHY THE PARENT(S) REFUSES VACCINATION. It may be time-consuming but educate the family on each vaccine, what it protects against….. that mother is not realizing that vaccinating that young child is preventing
In 2015 there was a measles out break that was linked to Walt Disney Land, California, it was traced to people who are not having their children vaccinate, although it has been proven that there concerns about the safety of vaccines are not founded in
That being said, serious damage from vaccination is a rare occurrence (Malone and Hinaman). A Glanz study (2013) from the Vaccine Safety data link demonstrated a direct magnitude that as communities were under vaccinated for Pertussis, the risk of Pertusis increased. The study also showed a 28 times higher rate of Pertussis in children that had no Pertussis vaccination documentation (Glanz et al. 2913). This study as well as an intense list of data by the CDC emulates supportive data for the effectiveness of vaccinations.
Pertussis would kill 1 in 200 cases in children less than 6 months of age, due to pneumonia or brain damage. (Why Vaccinate? 2014)
According to the law, doctors must keep children and teens up-to-date on all of their vaccinations to ensure that diseases do not spread throughout a school or community. However, many parents are questioning whether the board of health has the right to require children to receive a vaccine. Kohrs explains that “the problem with these regulations in today’s society places the boards of health at odds with the civil liberties and rights of each citizen.” However, he also explains that “an individual may invoke [religious] exemption where compulsory treatment for life-threatening diseases violates his or her religious belief or it is forbidden by their religion,” or they can receive philosophical exemption (Kohrs). This type of exemption “is
In Bell County, the doctors recommended immediate notification if an infant is affected so treatment can promptly begin. It is significant to understand that pertussis can kill the infants which is the reason why vaccination among the adults and children is imperative. Of course, the infant can obtain immunized for pertussis and sometimes the immunity is not guaranteed for the infant. Every Child by Two (2015) states that 90% of deaths for children under one is related to pertussis. Additionally, among half of those infants required hospitalization for their condition. According to the CDC, children who do not acquire their five doses of
Children serve as an important source of infection for infants too young to be vaccinated, (Pillsbury, Quinn & McIntyre 2014) thus the Australian Immunisation Handbook recommends that an extra dose of DTPa (diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis)in the 2nd year of life will reduce the likelihood of a child developing pertussis prior to their scheduled booster dose by four years of age (ATAG 2013). This is supported by World Health Organisation’s (2010) recommendation that a booster be given by age
In this day and time people have so many alternatives to so many things. One of the biggest alternative we have going on today: is parents having the right to not vaccinate their children, and doctor’s having the right to refuse them service. While there are no US federal laws directing vaccinations, but all 50 states mandating irrefutable vaccinations for children entering public schools! Most states offer a medical and religious exemptions. So should doctors refuse to service to children that have not been
Vaccinations are a great success to public health. However, this is a case that deals with self-sufficiency in contrast to a whole population. I will be approaching this case by using John Mill’s theory. As a doctor, your main concern is the health of a child. When a child comes in extremely ill and the parents do not agree to vaccinating the child then you are kind of stuck in the middle because you would hate seeing the child suffer. In order to save a child’s life and other children around them parents should listen to doctors and have them vaccinated. If they refused, I would politely have them go to another doctor because it is something I would lose sleep over knowing that I can save a child, as well as many others, but the parents are not cooperating. As a doctor, we have special obligations to help people in need and protect the helpless ones who cannot protect themselves against a disease. Healthy people protect themselves by getting vaccinated, this is condoned by Mill’s theory. So doctors are authorized to interfere with an individual’s freedom and self-determination because they will prevent harm to other people.
Tetanus is different from the other two vaccine-preventable diseases because it is not transmitted, but instead usually caused when bacteria (from soil, dust, manure, etc.) break the skin through something as minor as a small cut. Results from obtaining this disease include the possibility of being unable to open the mouth (this is where it gets its nickname “lockjaw” from), trouble swallowing, complicated breathing, etc. Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory disease, which leads to an uncontrollable cough that makes it hard to breathe. Diptheria is a disease which often causes the neck to swell and coats the back of the throat with a thick covering. In 192, Diptheria recorded 206,000 cases, 15,520 that resulted in death (often among children). Children are recommended to get five doses of the DTaP vaccine: the ages that are recommended to receive the vaccine include two months, four months, six months, fifteen to eighteen months, and four to six years. Although DTaP is not licensed for adolescents or adults, a similar vaccination known as Tdap is recommended for those ages eleven through sixty-four in order to ensure protection. Pregnant women are also advised to get a dose of Tdap during every pregnancy in order to guarantee their newborns will not be exposed to the horrors of pertussis. It has been found that infants are at the most risk of major
There is a lot of controversy among people about whether children should receive vaccines or not. The percentage of people that don't trust the vaccines have received false information about the dangers of children getting vaccinated; however, vaccines save millions of lives worldwide. Vaccines for children are important for today's society because they reduce them from acquiring fatal childhood diseases, several can be joined in one syringe, and are safe and effective.
Now that most children are immunized prior to starting school, there is a higher (not the highest) percentage of pertussis cases seen among adolescents and adults (Medlineplus, 2013). Consequently, adolescents and adults are a significant source for transmission to unvaccinated young infants (WHO, 2010). Pertussis is most fatal in infants and young children less than one year of age (CDC Pertussis, 2013). Severe disease and death have been reported mainly during the first weeks and months of life. In older children, adolescents, and adults’ pertussis often goes unrecognized (WHO, 2010).
In 2015 there was a measles outbreak At Disneyland. Disneyland is an amusement park in Anaheim, California. Every year Disney theme parks in California there are an estimated amount of 24 million people, including people coming from countries where measles infections are prominent (http://www.cdc.gov/). On February 11, 125 measle cases occurring during 12/28/2014 - 2/8/2015 had been finalized in United States residents connected with this outbreak and 110 out of 125 people were residents of California (http://www.cdc.gov/). 5 of the california patients admitted that they went to one or both of the disney theme parks through 12/17-20/2014(http://www.cdc.gov/). The source of this outbreak of the disney theme parks still have not been identified
it seems that the acellular pertussis vaccines (DTaP and Tdap) we use now may not protect as long as the whole cell vaccine (DTP) we used to use. There were higher rates of minor and temporary side effects such as fever and pain and swelling at the injection site with DTP. There was rare but reported serious neurologic adverse reaction which led to chronic neurological problems after the DTP vaccine. Due to these adverse effects and public concerns the United States switched from the use DTP to DTaP using acellular pertussis vaccines for babies and
Children should get the DTaP vaccine, which is three vaccines in one (Childhood Vaccines 1). It will help protect against diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus. Diphtheria attacks the throat and heart and usually leads to heart failure and death. Pertussis is more commonly known as whooping cough, due to the severe cough that causes things like breathing, eating, and drinking to become difficult. This can then lead to pneumonia, brain damage or death, especially in young children. Pertussis was actually the leading cause of death for infants until they introduced the vaccine (Childhood Vaccines 1). Children should also receive the TDaP vaccine, which is the booster for the DTaP vaccine to guarantee longer protection. Children should also receive the OPV or oral poliovirus vaccine that will help prevent polio. Polio is a disease that causes relentless muscle pain and paralysis of one or both arms and legs. The disease will eventually lead to paralyzation of the muscles used to breathe and swallow which will cause death (Childhood Vaccines 1). Another vaccine children should receive is the MMR vaccine that protects against the measles, mumps, and rubella. Measles causes a high fever, rash, cough, and a runny nose that will last up to two weeks. It doesn 't sound deadly, but it could lead to many different types of infections and pneumonia, which could