Why Vaccinate Your Child

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.

Childhood vaccinations have not been a topic of controversy until recent times. Due to the recent outbreaks of diseases that were thought to be eliminated, people are now investigating vaccinations. State representatives and Congressional people have even gotten on the bandwagon to emphasize the importance of vaccinations. Many states already require children to be vaccinated before entering school, but states allow religious, medical, or personal exemptions. Getting rid of these exemptions would be beneficial to not only parents and children, but also to members of society. Having children vaccinated at a young age when the immune system can respond correctly to vaccines will benefit the future health of children. Children are more at danger at a younger age to catch infectious diseases. Vaccines are a safe way to prevent the child from getting sick. “Proponents say that vaccination is safe and one of the greatest health developments of the 20th century”

There are many arguments that people have developed and built upon that are convincing me of the importance of the vaccinations. The benefits of vaccinations really were shown when “The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that 732,000 American children were saved from death and 322 million cases of childhood illnesses were prevented between 1994 and 2014 due to vaccination” (Huffington). This is proof right in front of our eyes that vaccinations are working for some children. Something that saves 732,000 lives is a very important asset. Also, I think that it is critical to take into account the 322 million children that were saved from sickness. These 322 million children were kept from getting an illness that could be life threatening or even just uncomfortable. No matter the severity of the sickness there is an importance in the prevention of these diseases. Another intriguing argument for the continued use and importance of vaccines is that “most childhood vaccines are 90%-99% effective in preventing disease” (AAP). With a 90%-99% success rate it shows that it is so important to receive a vaccination because of the dangers of the diseases. In fact the 90%-99% effectiveness has “save[ed] 2.5 million children from preventable diseases every year” (Shot@Life). This direct correlation between these two arguments makes this side of the topic even more compelling. Another statistic that creates a realization that there may be more to vaccinations than we see on the

It is better to be precautions and potentially prevent a disease than to have no protection at all. Many parents are misled by myths and false information about vaccines leading them to steer clear of vaccinations. So, parents should do their research and understand how childhood vaccinations potentially protect generations to come. According to Maron (2015), “ We live in a crowded, fast-moving world, and disease travels easily. The data is clear: Failure to immunize a child comes with a much more formidable risk—leaving children vulnerable to contracting a potentially debilitating or lethal illness.” Vaccinate your children and protect them against the things in this world that you can protect them

Some people believe that vaccinations should be the choice of parents and that opting out should be an option. Although these beliefs have not been thought out thoroughly. “The Science is Not Settled”, by Sandy Reider incorrectly suggests that vaccinations aren’t beneficial and that they are almost useless. Jeffrey A. Singer also implies in “Vaccinations and Free Will” that people should not be forced to get a vaccine. Singer states, “Forcibly injecting substances… into someone else’s body cannot be justified as an act of self-defense..” (text 3). This quote is completely wrong. People get vaccinations to protect themselves and others. They were made for the protection of people, not to hurt them. It is self-defense, but not just for one person, for a large quantity of people. A vaccination is a mechanism of defense and people need to get them in order to stay healthy. Reider remarks, “We know that the young child’s nervous and immune systems are actively developing and uniquely vulnerable…” (text 4). A child’s nervous system is weak. At young ages, children cannot get vaccinated. Meaning, its an adult’s

According to the CDC (2014) vaccinations are one of the best ways to put an end to the serious effects of certain diseases, some that can be deadly. Parents who choose not to vaccinate their children are not just gambling with their child’s life, they are also gambling with the lives of others. It is always better to prevent a disease than to have to treat it after it occurs. People with weakened immune systems are not as strong such as pregnant women, newborns, cancer patients, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive people, transplant recipients, and the elderly are also affected by the choice not to vaccinate.

Not only does the vaccination save the vaccinated child’s saves but it also saves other childrens lives as well. Along with saving lives vaccinations give children a longer healthier life as most doctors say. Vaccinations contain medicine that prevents and makes the body immune to the infectious disease or illness. Getting a child vaccinated is a smart choice which will only benefit the child in the future by protecting them from preventable diseases and illnesses. Most childhood vaccines are ninety percent to ninety nine percent effective when it comes to preventing disease and illnesses according to The American Academy of Pediatrics. But do not misunderstand me, vaccinations are not one hundred percent effective. However just like an Ohio mom states, she would rather be safe than sorry( LaGrand ). Even with some vaccinations not being one hundred percent effective it is still important to get it because it still protects the child from the specific disease or illness somewhat. Immunizations are almost nearly one hundred effective which means that a child who gets vaccinated has less of a chance of catching the preventable illness or disease than a child who is not vaccinated against it. With vaccinations protecting against chickenpox, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, measles, polio, rabies, and many other common illnesses, they have prevented many children already from simple illnesses as well as deadly illnesses. Medical discoveries are tremendous with all the different types of immunizations available for diseases and illnesses. Vaccinations stop preventable diseases and infections saving many children from illness. Immunizations protect children and allow them to have the opportunity at a longer healthier life, so if parents vaccinate their children they would be giving their children longer and healthier

There is much debate to whether or not children should or shouldn’t be vaccinated. Every day there are many children and even adults who have died from diseases that could have been prevented before they came up. Immunizing our children is important so that they will stay healthy and so will other children around them. Children are at the most risk for developing diseases when they are growing up. They will play amongst other children and can potentially bring home germs and a common cold. Nowadays, many diseases are being eliminated since parents and their children are being vaccinated. If parents decided against vaccinating their children, there could be some serious consequences. Diseases can be spread and there can even be fatalities if the diseases were left untreated. Vaccinations are extremely important because lives would be risked every single day by many parents deciding against vaccinations for their children. They should also be mandatory for every child, even if they do not attend schools. Parents protect their children from many things; diseases should be one of them.

Some People have expressed concern about vaccine safety. The fact is that vaccines save lives by limiting the spread of diseases. If you choose not to immunize, you are not only putting your kid at risk who has a high chance of getting it cause you don’t have the protection that the vaccine provides you are putting others at risk also. Getting vaccinated is a smart choice because it blocks out a lot of the diseases that try to enter your body so therefore you stay safer than if you didn’t have it. Most of the deadliest diseases that have affected children have been greatly reduced thanks to the help of the vaccines. Today we vaccinate 16 different diseases so that kids don’t have lifetime effects from getting all of these diseases. Through

Vaccinating does not only keep your child from getting sick, but also any one else’s child that they come in contact with whether the other child is an infant too young to get a vaccination, or children whose parent chooses not to vaccinate. The risks of not vaccinating are not only that your child may get a virus that could have been prevented but also that they will spread that virus to people who are also not vaccinated or are too young to vaccinate. People may think that certain vaccines are not needed because no one has had measles in the U.S. for a long time but that’s only due to the high vaccination rates we previously had. People might also say that vaccines can cause Guillain Barré Syndrome, or anaphylaxis. The Gullain Barré Syndrom

Vaccines: More help or more hurt? No parent wants to hinder the health of their baby nor do they go into parenthood with the idea that they would love to have a child with any disease at all. Parents will do anything and everything in their power to keep their children safe. When following the recommendation of most doctors, children will receive upwards of 38 vaccinations by the time he or she is 18 months old. The idea of making vaccinations mandatory seems to have become somewhat of a risk to individual rights, some feel that the choice to vaccinate or not has been taken away from them. Although vaccinating children does have many positive outcomes, people tend to ignore the real cost of vaccinating children so heavily. A big decision arises for every new parent - one that the health of their child depends on - Do we vaccinate him? Many people see the positive chances of vaccinating children, and yes there are plenty of them. The chances of an adverse reaction are much less likely than getting the disease without a vaccination. Vaccinations have also been able to eradicate some diseases in the past, such as smallpox. Finally, when children are not vaccinated properly, they will go out into the world, meet people, go to school, all while they could be unknowingly carrying a disease that could have potentially been very easily deterred with an immunization. No child or parent should be forced into receiving

Our parents who liked during this time of the world, mostly worry about illness and the fear of it. They think getting vaccinated helps ease tension and cut back on communicable illnesses at the same time. “Due to CDC (Centers for Disease Control) they recommend that you get 29 doses of 9 vaccines for children until age six. Although there is no current law requiring certain immunizations for children here are still rules to enter public schools” (vaccines.procon.org) According to benefits vs. Risks “When it comes down to it there are many benefits that comes When getting your child vaccinated. Saving a life, decreasing the rate of diseases, safe, and they are cost effective. These are just the main reasons why it will be good for you to be yourself and your child vaccinated” (immunizeforgood.com). another great point about getting a shot is it can protect you when you travel. According to New Health Advisor, “It protect you from traveling simply because a disease, like the measles no longer exists in the U.S does not mean that it does not exist anywhere else. When receiving your shot, it protects you from any illnesses that may catch somewhere else” (newhealthadvisor.com). an important factor to think about is that it can save future generations. According to Procon.org, “vaccinated mothers protect their unborn children from viruses that could cause birth defects and vaccinated communities can help stop disease for future diseases”

Furthermore, there are beneficial reasons for embracing vaccinations for one’s children. Children are especially vulnerable to disease because their immune systems have not yet developed, and getting a serious illness can have

One of the risks of choosing to not vaccinate your child is that it doesn’t just affect their health; it potentially affects the health of those around them. For example, say your child does contract a disease such as measles and is in daycare or at the hospital being treated for it. In that time your child could potentially spread the disease to other children that are either unprotected because they aren’t old enough to receive the vaccine yet, or have compromised immune systems due to something such as cancer or someone suffering from kidney failure and they are unable to receive any live vaccines, or children who have received the vaccine and still have a low immunity against the disease. Choosing to vaccinate your child will protect people around your child, and that’s the ultimate goal with vaccines is to protect the health of the general public.

“Proponents argue that vaccination is safe and one of the greatest health developments of the 20th century. They point out that illnesses, including rubella, diphtheria, and whooping cough, which once killed thousands of infants annually are now prevented by vaccination” (“Vaccines”). Many deaths occur simply because children, along with adults, do not get the required shots needed. Medical treatments are not given to do a person any harm, but to keep a person and environment safe. Kids being vaccinated will give them less of a possibility to obtain a disease that could lead to death. Benefits outweigh any possibility of risking accumulating a disease. When people say that vaccinations are harmful, does not necessarily mean to develop a deadly disease, simply means some small risks. “Vaccines are not entirely harmless, but the small risks are outweighed by the benefits of a disease prevention” (Offit). Indeed flu shots must be tested in order to be able to give anyone the shot. Receiving vaccinations is only meant to help people prevent many illnesses and deaths. Although some small risks could be accumulated, those small risks are very small possibilities of anything happening to anyone. Getting immunized is not a one-time thing; people must follow up on required dates to receive them.