Introduction
When I became pregnant with my first child in late 1998, my life was forever changed. For the first time, I had someone else to think about, someone else to worry about. I did my best to follow the orders of the doctor the girlfriend-esque physician that I had chosen to deliver my bundle of joy. I took my prenatal vitamins and made sure that I was eating enough for two. In fact, I may have been eating for triplets during that pregnancy, as I gained a whopping 60 pounds!
My daughter became the center of my universe in August of 1999. I could not imagine doing anything to put that little 8 pound 12 ounce angel face into harm’s way. Being young and naïve, I questioned nothing that they did to her. She was given her Hepatitis B vaccine without ever giving it a second thought. The doctor said that it was necessary, so be it.
Many go through life following doctor’s orders without ever thinking “what if they’re wrong?”, “what if this makes me sick?” Doctors are people whom we trust, without question. We take their advice and always assume that they would never do anything to put us or our children into harm’s way. Our best interest is always in their forethought, or at least, that is our assumption.
Even though many of us trust our doctors without fail, many parents are choosing to take a different approach these days when it comes to vaccinations. Many are choosing a delayed vaccination schedule for their children, while others are choosing to forego many vaccinations that are viewed as essential by the medical community. Even though there is much evidence to support the need and effectiveness of many vaccinations used in the United States, parents should have the right to choose, not the government, whi...
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Most people have never thought twice about vaccines until the day they are faced with injecting a weakened virus with chemicals and known toxins into their baby.
The authors used a historical timeline to introduce a need. Stressing the number of lives lost allows the authors show the importance of vaccines. The repeated emphasis on those lives being the lives of children played on the emotions of readers. Once the need is established Lee and Carson-Dewitt clarify the use of “a dead or mild form of a virus” to create a vaccine (Lee, Carson-Dewitt, 2016, p.2). The distinction of the types of
Atkinson, William. Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. Washington: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1996.
“Vaccinations are causing a major upsurge in childhood diseases, adult maladies, and even deadly ailments such as Gulf War Syndrome and Lou Gehrig’s disease” (Blaylock). Every now and then an individual’s doctor calls telling them about the latest vaccine they should receive. The person immediately schedules a time to come in and get it done. But do they even give a second thought about it? Have they ever thought that maybe they do not need another vaccination? Many people have not taken the time to seriously think about the process of immunization. The truth is, there are many dangers that the average person should be unaware of. Rarely do vaccines actually accomplish what the public has been told. In fact, a lot of vaccines contain harmful substances that have been linked to disorders such as autism. The lack of education and dishonesty from doctors are putting people in danger of health problems without even realizing. Many parents feel obligated for their children to get vaccinated because of school, not knowing they have the alternative option of refusing immunization.
The use of vaccinations has been a major topic in the news lately. The decision to or not to vaccinate your child is a decision that parents face each day. For some the decision is an easy one, a no-brainer. For others, it’s a very difficult one to make. People that are pro-vaccine believe that they are protecting their children and the future generations by vaccinating them against diseases that they could potentially get. People that are ant-vaccine believe that by choosing not to vaccinate, they are protecting their children and future generations from the serious side effects that they could potentially get from the vaccination.
Vaccination was first introduced globally for small pox and later on extended to other communicable diseases which are now known as vaccine preventable disease. Vaccination is beneficial both for individuals and community. This bring us to the ethical dilemma - Vaccination of a healthy child with the intention of protecting both the individual child and the community at the same time exposing the child to the theoretical risk of exposure to disease products whether live, attenuated or killed. There was a time when people never questioned the government or their physicians. Now because of more public awareness and accessibility to medical information, they are questioning the safety aspects of vaccines.
The fact that parents see’s vaccinations as a choice makes me think why do they see vaccinations as a “bad” thing. Then I realized just maybe some parents don’t know anything about vaccinations and prefer that they don’t put a unknown source in their baby, or maybe they are just given wrong information by other parents that don’t believe that infants should get vaccinated. I believe that every single parent should to a pediatrician/ or family doctor and ask them all the questions the have on vaccinations because at least they will get the right
Through the years, controversy has surrounded vaccinations such as, whether or not they have harmful side-affects, are a government scheme, or simply unnecessary. Parents today have a choice whether or not to vaccinate their children, but should vaccinations be choice? By mandating vaccinations, fewer people are likely to contract diseases. Although vaccines have been subject to scrutiny, vaccines have worked for many years, are not harmful, and use safe ingredients.
Illness has been a major part of humankind’s lives almost since the beginning of time. Throughout history, illnesses caused fatal epidemics that caused deaths between young and old, and brought fear upon all for the absence of a cure. Having an illness throughout most of history was considered an inevitable death sentence, as the majority of causes of death (Offit). Vaccinations have been experimented in China and Turkey in the 15th century, with methods such as inhaling or rubbing grounded up smallpox scabs against open cuts (Clem). Then in 1700s, the first form of modern vaccination was invented by Edward Jenner with the cowpox virus acting against smallpox, giving immunity against it (Offit).
This article focus on a document publishes in the Canadian Paediatric Society website, which can help council hesitant parent that refuse to vaccine their children due to safety concern. This article use research information and premeditated steps to exemplify the issue surrounding the use of vaccine on children. Research shows that health care provider has a major influence on parental decision. In addition, Doctors should take into consideration and understand parent’s specific concern, by taking the time to explain the evidence so the hesitant parents will have a better understanding and this will determine whether a child get immunize. The information that present in the article comes from the “CPS” Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee, which is research and educational source. This article provide a clear information on what can happen if a child is not vaccinate, due to the facts that parents believe if their child is healthy and strong that they will disease free. However, most parents based their information on what they heard on the media and internet for example, that vaccine cause autism, there is no prove that it does, however things like that will make any parents not want to vaccine their child. There are consequences of a parent not having their child. In Ontario if a child is not immunize they are, not allowed in the school system, this is due to the risk that may occur. For example, a child who is vaccine, but may have a low immune system will mostly like catch whatever disease or bacteria when he encounters that specific chi...
Each year, about 2.1 million people die from vaccine-preventable diseases. Many children may not receive their necessary first year vaccinations because of lack of availability, religious beliefs, and safety concerns (Healy, Rench, and Baker 540). The dictionary definition of a vaccine is a biological preparation that improves the immunity to a certain disease (Healy, Rench, and Baker 540). Although all 50 States in the United States require children to be vaccinated to certain diseases before entering school, the states also have exemptions for these vaccinations (Lu 870). Parents often choose not to get their children immunized, and it has proven harmful to the health of the global population. It is important for parents to have their children vaccinated against diseases such as measles, mumps, and polio because it is important to promote the welfare of the human race (Parkins 439).
“Because young children are not able to make complex decisions for themselves, the authority to make medical decisions on behalf of the child usually falls to the child’s parents” (Diekema 1). Sometimes it’s not that the child is will not make the most logical decisions, it’s just that parents are generally more cautious and think things through more. “Parents generally are better situated than others to understand the unique needs of their children, and to make appropriate, caring decisions regarding their children’s health care” (Diekema 1). Although the critic side presents many valid thoughts, the advocate side also presents thought-provoking statements that make the issue
Wiesel, E. (2004). Disease prevention through immunization: Beginning of health care reform. S.l.: Diane Pub Co.
The number of vaccinations that a child has to receive is overwhelming to a child and parent. They will also be receiving boosters and other vaccinations throughout life. The ineffectiveness of vaccinations can also be a factor in a parent’s choice. Side effects are the main concern between parents’ decision of whether to vaccinate their children. Not everyone believes that vaccinations are helpful; it should be a parents’ choice whether their child should be
[online] Available at: https://www.iaff.org/ET/Smallpox/What_is_the_history_of_smallpox_vaccination.htm [Accessed: 11 Apr 2014]. Josefsberg, J. O. and Buckl. 2012. The. Vaccine process technology -. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 109 (6), pp. 109-109.