The Effects of Vaccinations
Holding children’s hands while crossing the road, buckling them up in the car, and teaching them to stay away from strangers, are all important when it comes to child safety. But what about vaccinations? It is necessary that each child be properly vaccinated for many reasons, but most importantly for their health and well-being. With the help of vaccinations, many diseases have been eradicated and many lives have been saved. If parents do not properly vaccinate their children, health issues and other complications will arise for everyone, leading to a higher disease and death rate worldwide.
Editor Noel Merino of Should Vaccinations Be Mandatory? states that, “Vaccination is the process by which pathogenic cells are injected into a healthy person in an attempt to cause the body to develop antibodies to a particular virus or bacterium” (Merino 7). Once the antibodies
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“Childhood vaccines not only have personal benefits, but for entire communities and the future of public health” (Espejo 1). If a child goes without immunization, then he or she is also putting others at risk. Most parents do not consider all of the options and effects that come along with not having their child vaccinated. Many are quick to reject because of the possible side effects and harm it could cause. However, nothing in today’s world is completely harmless. An adult can easily be in a danger at work, while the child is in danger of disease at daycare. That is why it is completely necessary to vaccinate. By doing this, family, friends, and others are being protected as well (Allen 71). “There are also children who cannot get certain vaccines for medical or other reasons, and those who are too young to be vaccinated. These children have no protection if they are exposed to someone who is infected with a communicable disease” (Espejo 4). Commonly, this is not thought
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Show More“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.
A vaccine, once injected into your child's body, with cause a type of immune cell called lymphocytes to react and produce anti bodies to fight the disease the particular vaccine was designed for. This works by injecting weakened or dead antigens of the particular diseases which then prepares the body for the full strength pathogen. This also causes the lymphocytes to remember the particular antigen that the particular pathogen possess. This works as the antigens and antibodies stick together like a key and lock and the pathogen become traps then engulfed and destroyed by a white blood cell. Not only will the vaccination protect your child, but also the people around
Childhood vaccinations have replaced common childhood illness as a “rite of passage” for many young children. Many parents, at the recommendation of their physician, diligently bring their children to the doctor every couple of months for what are thought to be important and safe vaccinations. Many parents are lead to believe that vaccinating their children, albeit the so-called slight risks associated with vaccines, is the responsible thing to do for the sake of the common good, which includes their child’s safety, as well as the safety of the community. But are parents made aware of some of the ingredients in these so-called safe vaccines and the inherent risks of the ingredients? Are parents aware of the protection the United States government offers to vaccine manufacturers and those who recommend and administer the vaccines? Do parents realize that their child just might be a sacrificial lamb?
The idea behind vaccines is to provide the body with just enough of the disease-causing substance to trick the body into producing antibodies against it. By injecting weak or dead infectious agents through the skin, it’s believed that the body will create the appropriate immune defense. Infants come into the world with antibodies they have gotten from their mother through the placenta. Infants who are breastfed continue to receive many important antibodies in the colostrum (the thick, yellowish premilk that is secreted during the first few days after a woman gives birth) and breast milk. During the first year of life, the immunity an infant gets from its mother at birth wears off. To help boost the fading ability to fight certain diseases, vaccines are given. Once the antibodies are produced, they stay around, protecting the child against the disease they were designed to fight.
A vaccination is the injection of weak disease-causing agents that help the body develop immunity against specific infectious diseases ("Why Are Childhood Vaccines So Important?"). It is through these vaccinations that children will develop immunity without suffering from the actual diseases that vaccines prevent ("Why Are Childhood Vaccines So Important?"). The field of medicine has come a long way. Vaccines are considered to be one of the public health’s greatest accomplishments to date. With the help of vaccines and public health, the overall goal is to prevent disease and promote health.
For parents, the responsibility of taking care of a child is their number one priority. They tend to build up a list of what their child needs to stay safe and healthy. Even the smallest way of a taking care of a child is important like putting them in a car seat is one of the ways to keep children protected. There is another important way that parents should not forget to do – vaccinating their children. Parents should not miss all of their children’s vaccinations. Children can be protected against severe diseases, such as polio, which was “America’s most-feared disease, causing death and paralysis across the country” (“Five Important Reasons to Vaccinate Your Child”). Today, there hasn’t been any news about Polio for the longest time because of vaccinations. However, there are people who don’t have an option to not get vaccinated because they aren’t allowed due to their protection such as pregnant women and newborns. In order to avoid contagious diseases, people who are allowed to do so should get themselves vaccinated for the benefit of those who can’t get vaccinated and have a higher risk of getting severe diseases. For example, “Newborns who are too young to get vaccinated for whooping cough are also most at risk of severe illness from the disease” (“10 Reasons To Get Vaccinated”). Newborn infants have a high risk of getting serious diseases, which should encourage more people to get
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that 732,000 children were saved and 322 million cases of childhood illnesses were prevented between 1994 and 2014 due to parents preventative vaccinations. (Vaccines 1). With 732,00 children saved from death and illness there should be no question on whether parents should vaccinate their children. Vaccines are an important part of saving children’s lives, all parents should get their children vaccinated, this prevents their child from catching diseases and passing it on to other children and adults, some parents fear that vaccinations can cause autism when there is no scientific evidence; vaccines are safe in the amount used.
Vaccination protects children’s lives from fatal illness and complications of preventable disease, which could include amputation of body parts, paralysis, brain damage, and death. The scientists are constantly conducting research for a vaccine before it can be approved by the FDA. In addition, the research conducted by the National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention demonstrated the vaccines’ effectiveness. Likewise, immunization of children protects society by preventing the spread of disease. If infected children are not immunized, they could spread disease to other young children, who cannot be vaccinated. The cases for several infectious disease have dramatically decline in the United States. However, numerous disease are still common in other countries and are brought to the United States by international travelers. As a result, there should be a national law for mandatory vaccinations of
Imagine having rashes all over your body, a fever that starts to increase every minute, and the vomiting and abdominal pain that will not stop. These are the symptoms of smallpox, a disease that is now eradicated from the majority of the world. Diseases that can be prevented, such as smallpox, have killed millions of people annually. What if there was a simple solution to this problem? In fact, there is a solution: vaccines. A vaccine is a treatment which makes the body stronger against a particular infection. Vaccinations are considered one of the greatest medical achievements of modern civilization. However, people around the world are not fully vaccinated against diseases. If vaccines become mandatory, it is possible that all the negative consequences of certain diseases and diseases itself could be eliminated. Vaccines should become mandatory considering they can reduce the mortality rate associated with diseases, improve public health and decrease health care costs.
Vaccinations have significantly reduced the disease rate throughout the world. Usually, vaccines prove to be between 90 and 99 percent effective. This reduces disease and mortality rate by thousands every year (Jolley and Douglas 1). On average, vaccines save the lives of 33,000 innocent children every year (“Vaccines” 1). In addition, if a vaccinated child did contract the vaccine’s targeted illness, that child would, in general, have more mild symptoms than an unvaccinated child that contracts the same illness. These vaccinated children will have less serious complications if they do contract the disease; they will be much more treatable, and have a lower risk of death (Jolley and Douglas 2). The risks of not vaccinating greatly outweigh the small risks of vaccination. Diseases like measles and mumps can cause permanent disability. While there i...
“Vaccination is the act of introducing a vaccine into the body to produce immunity to a specific disease. It is a process by which a person becomes protected against a disease through vaccination. This term is often used interchangeably with immunization or
“Childhood vaccines are one of the great triumphs of modern medicine. Indeed, parents whose children are vaccinated no longer have to worry about their child's death or disability from whooping cough, polio, diphtheria, hepatitis, or a host of other infections.” (Ezekiel J. Emanuel, 1). Vaccines helped humanity for many years in eliminating illnesses that disfigured, disabled and a lot of times took lives away. Children who do not get vaccinated not only risk themselves by being an easy target for diseases they also, harm everyone around them. In the end, today's children are the fuel of the future. Every parent should think carefully before taking any chance that may harm the coming generation.
Vaccines are becoming increasingly hazardous for many children and parents are not being informed about the safety of their children. Current reports are linking vaccines to serious life-threatening disorders such as asthma, autism, immune system dysfunction, and mental retardation (Williams). These recent revelations are causing an increasing amount of people to claim religious and medical exemptions from vaccines. From 1999 to 2006, exemptions have more than doubled from 9,722 to 24,919 (Cronin). It is very clear that vaccinations are posing many problems for parents everywhere. Each day researchers are finding out about vaccines and are realizing that there are a lot more risks than benefits. Dr Phillip F. Incao explains: “Today, far more children suffer from allergies and other chronic immune system disorders than from life-threatening infectious disease. It is neither reasonable nor prudent to persist in presuming that the benefits of any vaccination outweigh its risk” (qtd in Spaker). While infectious diseases are becoming uncommon there is no need for any person to get vaccinated.
According to World Book Advanced Encyclopedia, immunization is defined as the process of protecting the body against disease by means of vaccines or serums (Hinman). While medical science backs up the efficiency and necessity of vaccines, within the past decade, a rise in parents disbelieving the medical community and neglecting to immunize their children has occurred. This “fear of vaccines” is nothing new, but with the ever-increasing safety of vaccines, the benefits of inoculation far outweigh the risks. Parents who refuse to vaccinate, or anti-vaxxers, put more than their children’s lives on the line, but also risk the safety of the whole community. Because vaccines are essential to protecting individuals and communities
Despite the important and positive benefits of vaccinations, some people believe that vaccinating their children can cause serious health problems. Psychological, social, and cultural factors can also play a role in the parents’ decision in whether or not they wish to vaccinate their child (M. Ruijs., 2012). I feel that is it personal responsibility of all parents to vaccinate their children. Despite any pain or discomfort that a child may experience from the given injections, vaccinations are in the best interest of the child. It is very important to vaccinate children as it will protect them against many serious and potentially fatal diseases. Vaccinations are fast acting, harmless to the recipient, and extremely effective.