At the first visit to the pediatrician with their new baby, parents are given multiple sheets of papers with information about all the vaccines their baby will receive in the coming months. At the same time they have read things on the Int`rnet or heard from other parents that vaccinating their baby is a dangerous thing to do. The question of whether or not to vaccinate their baby is one of the first stressful decisions a parent has to make. A good source for research based information is the the Childhood Immunization Support Program of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Do I Have a Choice?
All parents have a choice. You should be provided with information on the risks and benefits of each vaccine so you can make an educated decision. It is the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics that all children be as fully immunized as possible in order to protect our children and society from these contagious and dangerous diseases. However, you must feel comfortable making this decision.
This is when trust in your doctor is important. Make sure you have all the reliable information and then ask your questions. Don’t rely on Internet web sites that may have a true bias and may have information not based in fact or research. The relationship between vaccines and serious complications has been studied in great detail and parents must be aware of the risks and the benefits of immunization before they make a decision.
Why Do We Immunize?
We immunize our children to protect them from very serious and often life-threatening diseases. Vaccines provide immunity by introducing the disease in a weakened or killed form into the body. The body’s immune system then produces antibodies to the disease and this provides immunity. The only other way to gain immunity is to actually have the disease.
Are There Risks to my baby from Vaccines?
Overall, the risk to your baby’s health from these vaccines is very small. The most frequent side effects are fevers or rashes, or swelling at the site of the injection. Some vaccines, however, carry more risk then others for serious side effects. But not vaccinating your baby also carries risks and parents must understand both sides of the issue. It is the overwhelming conclusion of both the American Academy of Pediatrics as well as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that the benefits to immunization outweigh the very small risks involved.
Can the DTaP (Diptheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis) vaccine cause seizures and brain damage?
Getting any of these diseases is much riskier than getting the DtaP vaccine. However there is a very small risk of a serious reaction with this vaccine. The common side effects are swelling, redness or pain at the site, fever, fussiness or vomiting. Less common are a seizure (1 in 14,000), non stop crying for 3 hours or more, (1 in 1000) , high fever over 105 degrees (1 in 16,000). Very rare and serious problems are an allergic reaction (less than 1 in 1 million) and permanent brain damage ( although reported, these cases are so rare it is hard statistically to tell if the vaccine is the cause).
Is there a relationship between the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine and Autism (or Autistic Spectrum Disorders)?
In recent years, this question has been raised in many public forums. Scientists generally agree that most cases of ASD result from events that occur before a baby is born or shortly after birth. However, the symptoms typically emerge in the second year of life - about the same time the MMR is administered. Because of this, there has been concern that there is a relationship between the MMR vaccine and ASD. In response to these concerns, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to establish an independent expert committee to review all hypotheses regarding this question. (also see www.AAP.org.)
The committee concluded that the vast majority of cases of autism cannot be caused by MMR vaccine and that the recent increasing trends in autistic diagnoses cannot be explained by the rate of immunization with MMR in this country. Research and review continues into the safety of all vaccines and the establishment of an independent scientific committee of this purpose is an important step forward in vaccine safety.
Is thimerosal used as a preservative?
Thimerosal is a preservative that was originally used in some vaccines to stop the growth of bacteria. Although there is no evidence that thimerosal containing vaccines caused any harm in children, some researchers raised concerns about exposing small infants to mercury in the thimerosal. Therefore the FDA and the pharmaceutical companies decided to remove thimerosal as a preservative from all routine childhood vaccines.
Is Immunization Required for School Entrance?
Every state has its own requirements for vaccination. Some states are very strict about vaccinations and school attendance. This is especially true for pertussis and measles vaccines, and some children have been barred from school or day care until the vaccine was given. Exemptions can be made for certain medical conditions, religious beliefs, and if a child has had a severe reaction to a vaccine in the past.
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