Over the past 50 years, medical science has been very successful in developing vaccines to prevent and, in some cases, nearly eradicate certain infectious diseases. The irony of this success is that many parents today have little or no real-world experience with a child paralyzed from polio or an adult with brain damage from measles. Many parents don’t really even remember what chickenpox looked like, since it was 20 or more years ago, and kids today seldom get serious cases.
So what are some of the reasons parents list for delaying vaccines or even deciding against one or all recommended childhood immunizations? There are several common misconceptions, fueled by incorrect information that is often found on the Internet.
THE MYTH
Vaccines (particularly MMR, for measles, mumps and rubella) cause autism.
THE TRUTH
This idea began with an article published in a medical journal about 12 years ago. The theory was taken very seriously, and many other researchers looked carefully for this supposed link. Looking back, it turned out to be a hoax by a doctor in Britain who disagreed with the concept of vaccinating children. The original article has been retracted and the doctor lost his license for falsifying data. It seems this was just an “urban legend.”
THE MYTH
Giving a baby “so many” shots at once is too hard on their developing immune systems.
THE TRUTH
When a baby exits his mother’s womb, he is instantaneously exposed to hundreds of thousands of “antigens,” or particles in the air that make the immune system respond. Vaccines only expose the child to about 20 or so antigens, at the most. Babies are well-equipped to handle this, and the FDA is very careful about evaluating vaccines for this issue before they are ever available to be given in doctors’ offices.
THE MYTH
These diseases are gone from the US, so why should we torture our babies?
THE TRUTH
If vaccination rates drop, the next epidemic is just a plane flight away. Many of these infections are still rampant in other parts of the world, and there have been cases of measles even in Owensboro in the last 2 years. Pertussis (whooping cough) is on the rise, with hundreds of cases every year in the US. As long as most parents follow the recommended schedule, the unvaccinated kids can benefit from the low rates of infection in our community. But the more parents refuse, the higher the risk of a problem, as we saw in San Diego last year with about a dozen deaths from measles.
THE MYTH
Won’t my child suffer terribly by receiving so many shots in one visit?
THE TRUTH
A study a few years ago was very clear: children suffer more when the shots are spread over several visits. The child who receives combination vaccines in three to four injections during the first three well child checkups experiences minimal pain compared to an older child who gets one shot every month for 10 to 12 months. By giving them all quickly at one visit, the child experiences the pain as one long injection, rather than three to four separate ones, but if they are given on different days, this benefit disappears.
THE MYTH
What about all the stuff added to the vaccines?
THE TRUTH
The mercury has been removed from almost all vaccines for several years because of some questions about this, and the rates of autism have continued to rise. The other chemicals in vaccines have been looked at closely and have always proved to be safe.
Some helpful, unbiased and reliable resources on the Internet regarding vaccines and child health in general include: www.healthychildren.org; www.immunizationinfo.org;
and www.cdc.gov/vaccines/.
As a child health advocate, I believe the FDA is watching over our children’s safety, and we should trust that our doctors would never recommend any treatment or preventive measure that would cause illness or damage to our children. Much of the information available that preaches against vaccination is based on philosophy, not science. This may be valid for some people, but it is important for us as parents to be honest with ourselves about how we are using information to decide on the best medical care for our children.
By Dr. Brian Gannon. Dr. Brian Gannon is a partner at Pediatric Partners of Western Ky in Owensboro and the father of five children, including 2-year-old twins. He is a very busy man.