Childhood Vaccination Research Paper

Vaccinations are a controversial issue in the United States because of the debate on whether or not they cause harm. The importance of communicating the benefits and risks of vaccines in today’s society is important. However, people who are against vaccines say that since many once dreaded fatal diseases have nearly disappeared from the United States, to vaccinate children against them is pointless. Continuing, childhood vaccinations provide reduced economic costs of diseases to parents. The growing concern parents have for vaccinating their children may result in making diseases more common. The recent public concern about vaccines is unnecessary. The misconceptions and safety concerns about vaccinations are problematic when medical professionals …show more content…
They are nervous because they either have false or inadequate information. One common misconception parents have is “the administration of too many immunizations will weaken the immune system or cause chronic diseases such as asthma, autism, diabetes mellitus (DM), or multiple sclerosis (MS),” (Kimmel and Wolfe). Parents with children that have diseases such as autism often blame vaccines. This is an understandable assumption since vaccinations are given at the age when diseases like autism become more apparent. However, no definitive link has been proven that any of these diseases is a result of vaccinations. One misconception is that vaccinations will weaken a child’s immune system. This common fear is false since vaccines prevent disease, which in turn strengthen the immune system. Without a strong immune system, many common illnesses, such as a cold, could quickly turn deadly. These misconceptions are due to doubts about whether vaccinations can really help. Parents believe they can control how susceptible to disease their children are by controlling the environment the children are in. Furthermore, the myths about vaccines cause a horrible backlash when parents hear them and begin to “spread disinformation about the need for childhood vaccination,” (Offit). These myths can easily be debunked if parents are willing to research and discuss with a medical professional. The most dangerous part of these myths is the manner in which they are presented makes them seem believable. Another myth is that vaccinations just do not work. However, it has been proven on multiple occasions that “vaccines work very well to prevent disease and are necessary, even though the diseases they prevent are not common – in fact, vaccines are part of the reason this is so,” (Offit). Some believe vaccinations are no longer needed because disease is not