Benefits & Risks of Vaccines

Benefits & Risks of Vaccines

Vaccines have helped children stay healthy for more than 50 years. Vaccines teach the body how to defend itself when germs enter the body that do not belong. If a person was to get a disease later in life but had already got the vaccine for it such as the flu the immune system recognizes it and attacks the infection. “Vaccinations have reduced the number of infections from vaccine-preventable diseases by more than 90 %”( healthychildren.org, 2014). There are people who should not get vaccines such as premature babies, people with asthma, vitamin D deficiency, or severe illness. Vaccines are considered the natural way to deal with infectious diseases. Neil Kaneshiro is a medical doctor and Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University Of Washington School Of Medicine, he states, “The recommended vaccination schedule is updated every 12 months by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention”.

Types of Vaccines

There are four different types of vaccines that can be given; live virus vaccines which are a weakened form of the virus, measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines are types of live viruses. Killed vaccines, such as the flu vaccine, are made from protein or other small pieces taken from a virus such as the flu vaccine. There is also a toxoid vaccine that contains toxins or chemicals made by the virus. Toxoid vaccines make you immune to harmful effects of the infection, these are found in diphtheria and tetanus vaccines. Finally, biosynthetic vaccines are manmade substances similar to the virus like the vaccines haemophilus influence type B (2014).

Babies and Pregnant Women

The reason babies need vaccines a few months after birth is because it helps protect the baby from germs that cause the diseases that their bodies are not use to. The baby’s body was protected for 9 months in the womb by the mother’s placenta. But hours after birth there is no more protection. With the exception of the flu shot, no vaccines should be given to a pregnant women. It is best that when trying to become pregnant a woman is up to date on vaccines.

“Whooping cough is one of the most common vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States. It is caused by bacteria that spread easily from person to person through personal contact, coughing, and sneezing. It can be very serious for babies and can cause them to stop breathing. “Pregnant women should receive a dose of Tdap during each pregnancy, preferably at 27 through 36 weeks - to protect themselves and their baby” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014).

'''Symptoms of Vaccine Reactions ''' swelling redness, heat or hardness at injection site that continues for days or weeks; rash or hives; prolonged deep sleep; pitched screaming (may include arching of back); of persistent, inconsolable crying; fever (over 103 F)    distress (difficulty breathing); or jerking of the body, arm, leg or head; or crossing of eyes; head or neck pain; pain or muscle weakness; fatigue; of memory and mental skills; of any part of body; in sleep/wake pattern and dramatic personality changes; of eye contact or social withdrawal of ability to roll over, sit up or stand up    banging or unusual flapping, rubbing, rocking, spinning; of chronic ear or respiratory problems (including asthma); diarrhea or chronic constipation; bruising, bleeding or anemia serious loss of physical, mental or emotional wellness Crystal Lombardo wrote the article 9 MAJOR PROS AND CONS OF VACCINATIONS, she states, “Over 90% of doctors that were surveyed for a study by a prestigious university answered yes that they had at least one parent that had opted to NOT vaccinate their child based on what they believed were the cons of vaccination”. “Proponents say that vaccination is safe and one of the greatest health developments of the 20th century. They point out that illnesses, including rubella, diphtheria, smallpox, polio, and whooping cough, are now prevented by vaccination and millions of children’s lives are saved. They contend adverse reactions to vaccines are extremely rare” (ProCon.org, 2015). All 50 states require vaccinations if the child is to enter a public school even though there is no laws staying that children must be vaccinated. “Opponents say that children’s immune systems can deal with most infections naturally, and that injecting questionable vaccine ingredients into a child may cause side effects, including seizures, paralysis, and death. They contend that numerous studies prove that vaccines may trigger problems like autism, ADHD, and diabetes” (ProCon.org, 2015). Immunizations need to be taken more seriously, it could change a child’s life in a good or bad way.
 * pronounced
 * body
 * shock/collapse;
 * unresponsiveness,
 * high
 * hours
 * high
 * respiratory
 * twitching
 * rolling
 * severe
 * joint
 * disabling
 * loss
 * paralysis
 * changes
 * lack
 * loss
 * head
 * onset
 * severe/persistent
 * excessive
 * other

References

Vaccinations? Know the risks and failures. Retrieved from http://www.nvic.org/vaccines-and-diseases/Vaccinations--Know-the-risks-and-failures-.aspx

Vaccines Your Child Needs. (2014, April 24). Retrieved from http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/Vaccines-Your-Child-Needs.aspx

Vaccines for Pregnant Women. (2014, October 10). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/rec-vac/pregnant.html

Should Any Vaccines Be Required for Children? (2015, February 6). Retrieved from http://vaccines.procon.org/

Kaneshiro, N. (2015, April 24). Vaccines (immunizations) - overview: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002024.htm