Parental Concerns about Vaccines
Vaccination remains one of the most efficient ways to prevent infections and the spread of diseases. In the United States, almost all children are vaccinated except for a very small percentage. Approximately 2-3 million deaths are prevented through vaccination each year. However, many parents are still concerned about vaccinating their children.
Every parent wants to do right by their child. But parents may succumb to misleading information about a vaccine either from a friend, a relative, or through social media. They may begin questioning the safety of the vaccine or whether their children need it.
Let us look at common concerns that parents have concerning vaccines
1. Do the Vaccines really work?
Some parents are not sure whether their children need vaccines. Why treat something that is not there? But research has shown that after introducing vaccination, all vaccine-related diseases have declined in all countries with reliable vaccination programs. But when the fear for vaccines increases, vaccine-related infections, and deaths also increases.
2. Safety concerns
Just like other medicines, vaccines go through a series of testing to ensure that they are safe before being approved for public use. And once the vaccine is released for public use, it is continuously monitored for any serious side effects.
3. Are there side effects?
Like any other medical treatment, vaccines too can have side effects. However, the most common side effects are mild such as a slight fever or soreness inflicted by the needle. All cases of side effects are reported and maintained through the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System, which is publicly available for everyone to see.
The notion that vaccines cause autism is absolutely false! The fact that autism in children is diagnosed at a young age when the children are actively receiving vaccines has made some parents associate autism with vaccination. But not one research has linked vaccines to autism or any other serious health problems.
4. Do vaccines compromise the immune system of my child?
Parents are worried that the vaccines may overwhelm the immune system of their young ones. Vaccines work by introducing antigens that mimic infection-causing antigens but which are incapable of causing the disease. This allows the body to create antibodies that protect the body against the disease.
As a parent, it is normal to worry about the wellbeing of our children. However, we tend to focus too much on the risks and overlook the dangers and fatality of the diseases that the vaccines prevent. Vaccination does not only protect children who are immunized but also those who live close to them who are either too young to be immunized or those with compromised immunity and cannot be vaccinated by stopping the spread of the diseases.

Published by

Essays

View all posts