Should Your Child Be Vaccinated: Myths and Facts

Parents are required to make a lot of decisions when it comes to their children. And, as most parents know, some of the decisions concerning their children can be hard to make. One decision that can be especially hard for parents is whether or not to have their child vaccinated. Many parents may not be able to separate the myths and the facts about vaccinations in order to make a good decision. This article will help separate the myths from the facts.

Myth: Vaccinations are no longer necessary

While it is true that many of the diseases that we have vaccinations for have seemed to just about disappeared in the United States, this does not mean that vaccinations are no longer a necessity. There are many countries around the world that still suffer from horrible diseases such as polio and whooping cough. When people from these countries come to the United States they can spread the viruses and bacteria that cause these deadly diseases. If enough children are not vaccinated against these diseases, there could easily be an outbreak that could cause a lot of sick children, or even deaths.

Myth: Vaccines aren’t safe

For the most part, vaccines are safe. Of course there are risks with getting vaccines. There have been cases of children getting an allergic reaction to vaccines or experiencing severe side effects. But the risks of allergic reactions and severe side effects are so small and the protection that vaccines provide is much greater. Most children only experience mild side effects after receiving the vaccines and then they are completely fine, and they are protected against deadly diseases.

Myth: Vaccines cause SIDS and Autism

This is a very popular myth, that vaccines can cause SIDS and Autism. One of the reasons why people think that vaccines cause SIDS, or at least increase an infant’s chance of SIDS, is because some babies have received their shots and then pass away in their sleep sometime after being vaccinated. The same goes for Autism. Babies receive the MMR vaccine around the age of one. This is about the same time that many infants begin to exhibit signs of Autism. But a lot of research has been done, and researchers are not able to find a link between vaccines and SIDS or vaccines and Autism.

Myth: Children are vaccinated too early

Many parents feel that vaccinations are given too early. They believe that their infant’s little bodies cannot handle the amount of vaccines and they are overloaded. Though vaccines can start as early as right after birth, the vaccines offer the babies protection against potentially deadly diseases that they are at risk for. The danger of complications for the diseases that babies are vaccinated for are highest when they are young. Because of this, it is important to get babies vaccinated as soon as possible.

Myth: It is fine to skip some of the vaccines

Skipping vaccines can be a bad idea. When a child does not get a certain vaccine, they are vulnerable to get the disease. Since the diseases that vaccines protect against are very dangerous, possibly deadly, it is important for children to get all of the vaccines that they can get. Parents who are uncomfortable about their child receiving certain vaccines should talk to their child’s health care provider.