Immunizations
What’s a parent to do?
Your baby’s health and safety is first and foremost on your mind: you’ve researched the safest crib and car seat, baby proofed the house and chosen a pediatrician. Now your thoughts have turned to immunizations. With all the media attention regarding vaccines, how can parents make the best decision for their precious infant? When it comes to this important topic, it pays to get the facts and not let emotions and unjustified prejudices overrule science. So what are the facts and how can you separate truth from fiction?
Rely on Trustworthy Sources for Information
The Internet is a wonderful tool, but must be used wisely. Many sites appear to be reliable and scientific but actually reflect the opinion of only one person, a small group or a biased organization. Look carefully at the “about us” section to learn more and make sure there are scientific sources cited for the information given. A good scientific study requires “double blind, placebo controlled and peer reviewed” status. These terms are standard research jargon to assure that the information acquired is not biased by the researchers’ expectations, and that other experts in the field have reviewed the information and agree that the research is sound. Some reliable sources for immunization information include the Centers for Disease Control, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Your pediatrician can also help address your concerns.
Understand How Immunizations Work
Immunization technology has come a long way since the first vaccines appeared in the 1800’s, improving safety and effectiveness. Vaccines come in two types — live attenuated and killed. Neither can cause disease and both types result in the body producing antibodies, proteins that attach to the actual disease causing bacteria or virus to effectively prevent the disease in the future. An infant’s immune system is capable of handling thousands of antigens (protein particles on bacteria and viruses to which the immune system must respond) at any one time from the moment they are born. In fact, an infant is bombarded daily by millions of bacteria and viruses, most of the time without becoming ill. But certain diseases are especially adept at causing disease in infants, making it important to protect them early in life. Delaying vaccines only makes your infant vulnerable to preventable infections longer.
Know What Immunizations Your Baby Needs and Why
The current vaccine schedule includes Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Haemophilus Influenza Type B, Rotavirus, Pneumococcus, Hepatitis A and B, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, and Influenza for infants up to age two. That’s quite an extensive list but although the list has grown, the number of antigens in vaccines has decreased from a little over 3000 in 1980 to around 150 today, so from scientific standpoint vaccines don’t “overwhelm” the immune system. Each of these diseases can cause serious illness, severe complications and even death. The decision to include each in the routine childhood vaccine schedule was not made lightly. Panels of experts carefully studied the diseases, as well as the risks and benefits of each vaccine before concluding that it was wiser to prevent these diseases than risk the consequences. Your doctor will give you a Vaccine Information Sheet on each vaccine prior to immunizing your child, but you can read this information ahead of time on the CDC’s website-cdc.gov/vaccines.
Understand the Risks and Benefits of Immunizations
Nothing in this life is without risk, and vaccines are no exception. However, the prevention of these serious diseases far outweighs the true risks of the vaccines themselves. Most of the side effects of vaccines are mild like fever and pain at the injection site. Very rarely, more serious complications can occur. Vaccines have received a bad rap over the years, sometimes being blamed for symptoms that have nothing to do with the vaccine — the most notable of these is autism. There are now over 23 scientific studies involving tens of thousands of children that show no connection between vaccines and autism. In fact, the first study to start this whole controversy, completed by Dr. Andrew Wakefield, has now been retracted and the data shown to be fraudulent.
Many parents are unfamiliar with most of the diseases that vaccines prevent because they are now so rare. They are reluctant to vaccinate because they perceive the risk of the disease to be low. But the fact is, they are only rare because vaccines keep them at bay. Every year in this country, there are mini-epidemics of measles, mumps or pertussis because too many families choose not to vaccinate. In other countries, children still die every day for lack of access to vaccines.
Vaccines are a lot like seat belts. Lots of people protested when laws required us to wear them. Many were worried they’d muss our clothes, interfere with our comfort or more seriously, trap us in the event of an accident. As it turns out, rarely someone is injured because of the seat belt but far, far more lives are saved because of its use. Now, we wouldn’t think of driving down the road without buckling up even if we’ve never been in an accident, and we certainly wouldn’t fail to buckle up our children. Don’t let misinformation or unfounded fear interfere with providing your baby with this vital protection for her health.