Children are the future so why risk their health? It Vaccines have been considered critical in the world today to keep us from being overcome with disease; however, there are some risks. It is important to know both the pro’s and con’s of vaccines before you get your child vaccinated. Although there are some risks, it has been said that more die from not getting vaccinated than a vaccinated child. Vaccinations are a controversial issue worldwide. One of the main questions that needs to be addressed when considering vaccination is, do the risks of the disease outweigh the risks of the vaccine?
There are several diseases that are vaccinated against that can be serious. Some of them are: Measles, Mumps, Tetanus,Whooping Cough, Polio, Diphtheria, Hepatitis A and B and Chicken Pox. It has been believed that vaccines played a large role in lowering the risk of exposure to these diseases, thus lowering the serious complications, even death, caused by these diseases. For example, according to Medicinenet. com, before there was a vaccine for diphtheria, it used to kill over 10,000 children every year; it is so rare now that doctors almost never see a case of it. Parents in the 1950s were terrified as polio paralyzed children by the thousands… now the fight against polio is nearly won” (Medicinenet. com).
Also, many people have believed that the health complications caused by the disease itself far outweigh the health risks of the vaccine. It has been believed that vaccines always protect a vaccinated person against disease, and that the reactions are very mild. “The important thing to remember is that getting the disease is much more dangerous than getting the shots” (Medicinenet. om). The other side of this is that some of these diseases were considered relatively harmless.
Now, these diseases such as chicken pox have been vaccinated against. Most people would agree that symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, and itchy rash are harmless to a healthy child. These are the symptoms of getting rid of the chicken pox naturally. The risks of the chicken pox vaccine include serious reactions such as “deaths, lifethreatening events, hospitalizations, persistent or significant disabilities… eurological disorders, immune system damage, blood disorders, brain inflammation, seizures, and death” (Miller). These studies have shown that “risking a serious vaccine reaction in order to prevent a mild childhood disease may not be the best alternative for a child” (Neustaedter).
Vaccines have been believed to work the same way that natural immunity works; they cause the body to form antibodies to the disease, which in turn, fight it off and providing immunity. “Your immune system reacts to the vaccine the same as it would if it were being invaded by the disease- by making antibodies” (Medicinenet. om). On the other hand, research shows that if an infant with a very immature immune system gains immunity through natural exposure, normal immune system development is much more likely to occur (Miller) “However, if the immature immune system is forced to respond to a barrage of vaccines injected directly into the body, bypassing outer immune system defenses, inner immune system protective maneuvers may be overwhelmed” (Miller).
Some research has shown that the invasion of organisms directly into the body, by vaccines, has dramatically raised the occurrence of chronic diseases. Under these circumstances, the immune system is likely to invade its own cells (cancer), or ignore danger signs altogether, leaving the organism vulnerable to any number of autoimmune diseases” (Miller). Some researchers blame this on the widespread, mandatory childhood vaccination programs. Many researchers have stated that vaccines help protect against the permanent effects of diseases on the body, such as paralysis caused by Polio, and liver disease caused by Hepatitis.
It has been said that before vaccines, these diseases killed causes serious complications and even killed many worldwide. There has been research saying that vaccines can cause more harm than good in the long run. Some research showed that there has been a dramatic increase in many medical disorders since the implementation if vaccines; these include: Autism, developmental disabilities, genetic mutations, ADHD, violent crime, and drug abuse (Miller). Other research has refuted these claims: it was felt there was not adequate information directly linking vaccines with these effects.
They have been proven to help fight disease, but like any other medication, there are risks involved. Everyone has their own opinion whether to vaccinate or not and mine is to always vaccinate. In my research I have discovered many diseases that no longer exist today because of vaccines, and I think one day we can stop most diseases with a vaccination. It is better to be well informed about all aspects of vaccination, than to vaccinate (or not) a child without knowing the benefits and the risks.