The Importance of Childhood Immunizations

Importance of Childhood Immunizations
Jennifer

Why do we immunize our children, and is it really necessary? Today many parents will be faced with the decision about, whether to immunize their children or not because of the growing concern over their safety. We hear it on the television and see it on the internet about the risks and side effects of childhood immunizations. TV and movies are all about entertainment value, they might be based on true stories or current events, but the storylines are usually meant to reel in viewers and give them a good show and not to educate the public about the truth. And the more controversial the topic, the more viewers will likely be interested in tuning in. As for the internet, just because it is written some where online does not mean it is true. Many sites that may look perfectly professional and legitimate are often written by uneducated people and may be based more on unsubstantiated rumors, myths, and conspiracy theories rather than actual research or proven science.

Therefore, there have been a growing number of parents who choose not to immunize their children because of the risks and side effects, but are their fears led by truth? Immunizations are safe and strongly recommended by pediatricians. We put our faith in them when our children get sick so why not trust their advice on immunizing our children? Pediatricians want what is best for all children and to protect the health of children. My goal is to help parents gain a better understanding about the importance of childhood immunizations so they can make a more informed decision. However, the best information comes from the professionals, I am just passing on the trusted information I have found. Just remember after all, everyone wants what is best for his or her child.

According to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (March 2008) before vaccines where developed in the United States, many children became seriously ill or died. “Every year Polio would paralyze 10,000 children. Rubella, also known as the German Measles, caused birth defects and mental retardation in about 20,000 newborns. Measles would infect approximately 4 million children with about 3,000 deaths. Diphtheria was one of the most common causes of death in school-aged children. Haemophilus influenzae (type b) also know as Hib, would be the cause of meningitis in 15,000 children that also left many children with permanent brain damage. Last but not least, Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, led to the death of thousands of infants.” All the children that these diseases claimed the lives of or left permanently disabled could have been prevented if we had the same medical technology that we have today. Thanks to the help of doctors, medical advances, preventive measures, and the many researchers this has been possible. We should be so fortunate for these medical advancements since there are still children in other countries that are still affected by these diseases everyday. This is due to the lack of the medical technology in other parts of the world.

However, whooping cough is still a major problem today. Even though babies are immunized against Pertussis, they may not be fully protected until their third or forth dose. Studies have found that when the source of Pertussis has been identified, parents were the cause in nearly half of the infant cases. (CDC 2008) That is why the Centers for Disease Control recommends a booster for everyone 11 through 64 years of age.

In 2002, the World Health Organization, also known as WHO estimated that 1.4 million deaths among children under 5 years of age was due to diseases that could have been prevented by routine vaccination. This only represents 14% of global total mortality in children under five years of age (World Health Organization, W.H.O. 2002). [pic]

Due to advances in medical science and vaccines, many of the diseases have become eliminated. With less reported cases every year, parents think that the threat of these diseases has past and that immunizations are no longer needed. This however is far from the truth. If pediatricians no longer immunized children for these diseases there could be a potential outbreak since these diseases are not extinct. We have come too far in our advancements to stop now and let our guard down. These less common diseases are only an airplane ride away. We do not just vaccinate just to protect our own children but also for the children of the future.

Now, since there are not as many diseases common today, parents are wondering if it is still necessary to immunize their children. More and more parents are starting to question the safety of the immunizations and a growing number of parents are concerned that vaccines may actually be the cause of diseases such as autism, hyperactivity, developmental delay, attention deficit disorder, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) among others. These concerns have caused some parents to delay vaccines or withhold them altogether from their children. According to the Center for Disease Control (2008) the United States currently has the safest, most effective vaccine supply in history. There are year’s worth of testing that is required by law, before a vaccine can be licensed. Once a vaccine is in use, vaccines are continually monitored for safety and efficacy. Before vaccines are licensed, the Food and Drug Administration requires that they be extensively tested to ensure safety. This process can take in excess of 10 years. After the Center for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration have approved a vaccine, it will then monitor its side effects through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and the Vaccine Safety Data Link. If and when researchers find that a vaccine may be causing a side effect, the CDC and FDA will initiate actions appropriate to the nature of the problem.

Unfortunately, there have been rumors that some combo vaccines have been linked to the cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in some children. This originally started all because of the debate by suggesting that there was a link between the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. This theory was retracted and thrown out in 2004, long after it had been rejected by all major health organizations. Study after study has found no scientific evidence that autism is caused by any one vaccine, a combination of vaccines, or the mercury-containing preservative called thimerosal, which was once widely used in many childhood vaccines. However, in 1999 vaccine manufactures agreed that thimerosal be reduced or eliminated as a precautionary measure.

According to the Associated Press article viewed on the ABC news web site at: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/health&id=6655425. There has been no link from vaccines to autism. Still some parents are skeptical. This is why some parents choose not to immunize their children against the recommendations from health care professionals, over the recommended immunizations. Surprisingly however more then 77% of children in the Unites States have received all the recommended vaccinations (C.D.C 2008).

Although it is ultimately the parent’s decision whether to immunize their children or not, some parents feel that some immunizations are not necessary and choose to refuse certain ones. Pediatricians cannot force a parent to immunize their children with all of the recommended vaccines but if a parent does refuse to have their child vaccinated by some or all vaccines then they will have to sign a refusal waiver. The pediatrician also has the obligation to report this refusal to the American Academy of Pediatrics. For a more detailed look at the refusal information and waiver follow this link: http://www.cispimmunize.org/pro/pdf/RefusaltoVaccinate_revised%204-11-06.pdf.

Immunizations are administered at different stages of early childhood, mostly between the ages of birth to 18 months. Following this scheduled time line in Example A will help to assure that children get all of the recommended immunizations on time. Also doing so will prevent the child from having to get makeup shots at their next scheduled visit. Most shots are now combo shots meaning they contain more then one vaccine. This has caused some concerns with some parents because they worry that the children’s immune systems could be overwhelmed by receiving more than one vaccination at a time. However, the human immune system is remarkably strong; many studies have shown that simultaneous immunizations with multiple vaccines are safe for the normal childhood immune system. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends simultaneous immunizations when appropriate, saying “they are as effective in combination as they are individually, with no greater risk of side effects.” Also since some shots are now combo shots it provides a little relief for the children who will receive the shots. Some shots that would have been administrated in 3-4 individual needle pokes have now been combined into one.

Recommended immunization schedule for children aged birth to 18. [pic] Example A. Center for Disease Control (2008)

As a parent we cringe at the thought of our children getting shots, and that is because we do not like to see our children cry or experience discomfort. Even though the pain only lasts a few seconds it feels like an eternity for small children who do not understand why they are being poked with these strange objects. Doctors will sometimes recommend giving children Tylenol before their doctor’s visit to cut down on some of the discomfort afterwards. Some common side effects that pose no life threatening risk are; a temporary redness and soreness at the site of the injection and a mild fever. These side effects usually clear up within 24 hours.

Staying up to date on child vaccinations is important and is easy to do since most pediatricians will inform the parents when to schedule the next well child check up. Most follow up appointments will be approximately two months apart until the child is about six months of age. After that, the appointments will taper off to about three to four month spans until all recommended shots have been administered before the child reaches two years of age.

Once children reach school age, they will be required to show proof of current immunizations. Although not having the required immunizations does not mean that a child can not attend school. Most schools will allow a parent to enroll their children that are not immunized because of personal or religious beliefs. However, if there was to be a disease outbreak, children who are not immunized may be excluded from school or child care until the outbreak is over. This is done both for their own protection and for the protection of others. In some cases this can cause a financial burden on families.

In conclusion, I ask again. Why do we immunize our children and is it really necessary? I hope with the information provided parents can feel more comfortable with their decision. It is important to have access to accurate information so one can make an informed decision. Having more information about the facts and safety is important. As a parent we want to do what is best for our children and for our children’s future children. Immunizations remain a crucial tool for protecting kids against many serious and potentially deadly diseases during their childhood and beyond. This simple thing we can do for our children goes a long way. If you have concerns about any vaccination, be sure to talk to your doctor before making a decision to delay or skip an immunization. This choice could affect not only your child 's health but also that of other children.

References
American Academy of Pediatrics. Documenting Parental Refusal to Have Their Children Vaccinated. Revised 0708. http://www.cispimmunize.org/pro/pdf/RefusaltoVaccinate_revied%204-11-06.pdf.

"APHA: assure public on safety of vaccines.(APHA ADVOCATES: Recent actions on public health by APHA)." The Nation 's Health 38.9 (Nov 2008): 2(1). General OneFile. Gale. Apollo Library. January 16, 2009. .

Associated Press. (2009) ABC News. http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/health&id=6655425

Center for Disease Control. (2008) Vaccine Safety. Retrieved February 2009 from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/downloads/f_vacsafe.rtf.

"Health experts warn Californians about importance of immunizations." Managed Care Weekly (Nov 8, 2004) 83. General OneFile. Gale. Apollo Library. Retrieved January 16, 2009. http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPS.

National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. (2003). Why Immunize?. Retrieved January 25, 2009, from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/why.htm.

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. (March 2008)Vaccine Education Center. Retrieved January 2009 from. www.chop.edu

World Health Organization. (2002). Disease chart. Retrieved February 2009 from. www.who.int.

References: "APHA: assure public on safety of vaccines.(APHA ADVOCATES: Recent actions on public health by APHA)." The Nation 's Health 38.9 (Nov 2008): 2(1). General OneFile. Gale. Apollo Library. January 16, 2009.  . Associated Press. (2009) ABC News. http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/health&id=6655425 Center for Disease Control "Health experts warn Californians about importance of immunizations." Managed Care Weekly (Nov 8, 2004) 83. General OneFile. Gale. Apollo Library. Retrieved January 16, 2009. National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. (2003). Why Immunize?. Retrieved January 25, 2009, from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/why.htm. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. (March 2008)Vaccine Education Center. Retrieved January 2009 from. www.chop.edu World Health Organization