Child Development and Public Health

      As early childhood educators the topic of immunizations is a constant debate.  Some believe that immunizations are necessary while other people would argue that immunizations lead to other major developmental disabilities.  I am an advocate for immunizations.  I personally believe that immunizations are the reason that many deadly communicable diseases have been eradicated.  I choose to believe that immunizations keep children safe from possible deadly diseases.  

      Immunizations can save your child’s life. Because of advances in medical science, your child can be protected against more diseases than ever before. Some diseases that once injured or killed thousands of children, have been eliminated completely and others are close to extinction– primarily due to safe and effective vaccines. Polio is one example of the great impact that vaccines had have in the United States. Polio was once America’s most-feared disease, causing death and paralysis across the country, but today, thanks to vaccination, there are no reports of polio in the United States. 

       Vaccines are only given to children after a long and careful review by scientists, doctors, and healthcare professionals. Vaccines will involve some discomfort and may cause pain, redness, or tenderness at the site of injection but this is minimal compared to the pain, discomfort, and trauma of the diseases these vaccines prevent. 
Immunization protects others you care about.  Children in the U.S. still get vaccine-preventable diseases. In fact, we have seen resurgences of measles and whooping cough (pertussis) over the past few years. Since 2010, there have been between 10,000 and 50,000 cases of whooping cough each year in the United States and about 10 to 20 babies, many of which were too young to be fully vaccinated, died each year. While some babies are too young to be protected by vaccination, others may not be able to receive certain vaccinations due to severe allergies, weakened immune systems from conditions like leukemia, or other reasons.

     Immunization protects future generations. Vaccines have reduced and, in some cases, eliminated many diseases that killed or severely disabled people just a few generations ago. For example, smallpox vaccination eradicated that disease worldwide. Your children don’t have to get smallpox shots any more because the disease no longer exists. By vaccinating children against rubella (German measles), the risk that pregnant women will pass this virus on to their fetus or newborn has been dramatically decreased, and birth defects associated with that virus no longer are seen in the United States.

      As it stands, whether you choose to vaccinate your children is a personal decision and no one can make you do it.  There are benefits to immunizations.  But like every great debate there are pros and cons of everything.  

       Germany is a country that has recently mandated that all families vaccinate their children.  Every family must show proof of immunizations before entering Kindergarten.  This is German law.  The reason..  From the beginning of 2017 to May 7, Germany has reported 634 cases of measles, compared with just 62 cases over the same period in 2016, according to a report from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.  

Maybe the law is necessary.  Maybe this law prevents the further spread of measles.   Maybe not.  In my opinion it is better to be safe than sorry.  It is YOUR choice to make.

HHS.gov. (2017). Five Important Reasons to Vaccinate Your Child. Retrieved from Vaccines.gov: https://www.vaccines.gov/more_info/features/five-important-reasons-to-vaccinate-your-child.html

Scutti, S. (2017, June 6). How countries around the world try to encourage vaccination. Retrieved from CNN.com: http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/06/health/vaccine-uptake-incentives/index.html