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Choosing whether to immunize your child can be a very touchy subject, but is common area of concern. Immunizations can be good or bad depending on your circumstances, so let's talk about both the pros and cons.
The Good
Immunizations were created as a way to stop contagious diseases and protect the public. The current push to immunize all children stemmed from a public outcry to find a way to prevent unnecessary child deaths.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls vaccination "the greatest success story in public health."
"Routine immunization has eradicated smallpox from the globe and led to the near elimination of wild polio virus," the CDC's website states. "Vaccines have reduced some preventable infectious diseases to an all-time low, and now few people experience the devastating effects of measles, pertussis, and other illnesses."
Still, whooping cough (pertussis) and measles immunizations have been brought up in the news in the past couple of years due to outbreaks here in Utah. When the majority of children are immunized, these outbreaks usually do not happen.
There are also concerns that immunizations might be responsible for the high number of autism cases doctors are now seeing. However, recent studies indicate the two have no connection.
There's also the issue that some of the diseases that can be prevented by vaccines lead to a very painful end for unimmunized people who contract them. I have personally witnessed someone die from tetanus, and it was so unnerving that I have never forgotten it.
The Bad
On the bad side of immunization, some vaccines can bad reactions in a small percentage of people. But if you are unfortunate enough to experience these reactions, it won't feel like a small percentage to you.
For example, some people have had severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, to vaccines like Hepatitis B, Hib, and Pneumovax 23 (a pneumococcal vaccine). There have also been documented cases of children experiencing seizures and extremely high fevers following a DTap vaccine; and other children have developed blood disorders after receiving the MMR vaccine. Again, these types of complications are extremely rare.
Vaccines don't always do what they are intended to either. While our society has made great strides against disease, in some cases I think we have become so consumed with preventing any distress that we immunize for common things like chicken pox and mumps. In reality, a good case of these common illnesses would not hurt the average person.
In fact, a natural case of chicken pox builds better immunity than having the vaccine. And even if your child has had the chicken pox vaccine, believing he or she will not catch the illness in the future is not necessarily a correct assumption.
It is also important to note that, though rare, over-immunizing increases the possibility of creating mutated diseases that aren't affected by current vaccines. New vaccines would then need to be created.
Making a decision
It is very important that you do your homework on vaccines before you chose whether to vaccinate your children. Take responsibility to understand the risks you put yourself and family into by either choice. WebMD.com has a great section on what parents should know about vaccines. CLICK HERE to visit it.
If you would like to vaccinate your children but cannot afford to, know that there are Utah clinics that provide vaccines free of charge. But your child must meet one of the the following requirements to qualify:
- Enrolled in Medicaid Program
- Enrolled in Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
- Without health insurance
- American Indian/Alaskan Native
- Underinsured (insurance does not cover immunizations) CLICK HERE to find a free Utah vaccination location near you.Remember, making a decision on whether to vaccinate after you contract a preventable disease it too late. You are free to choose, but you cannot not choose the consequence of your choices.
Suzanne Carlile, "Nurse Suzy," has been a nurse since 1982. Her main focus is critical care and nursing education. She holds a master's degree in nursing, is a Certified Emergency Nurse, and a member of NNSDO Intermountain West Chapter.
