Controversy and Concerns Surrounding Childhood Vaccinations

Many new vaccines have been developed by companies whose interest is in the well-being of children is in question. Consequently, since 1950 over 29 vaccinations have been added to the list of recommended vaccinations children need by age. Children are now receiving 6 rounds of 6 vaccinations by the age of 6. With the seemingly increased rate in complications related to immunizations, many parents are questioning the benefit of vaccinations for their children. There are claims of vaccines causing autism which led to a huge movement to change the vaccination schedule. With this movement, others fear parents will opt to not vaccinate their children causing diseases to make themselves prevalent again. From polling parents, many support mandatory

vaccinations of children, but others are hesitant and do not support this mandate. Nonetheless, vaccinations are important to both sides.
Many parents took the stance that vaccinating children should be mandatory. A nurse, Megan Cash, feels strongly about vaccinations because they have almost eliminated diseases that killed thousands of children each year. “Measles, mumps, and polio have been nearly irradiated in countries with a high vaccination rate.” Stacey supports vaccinating children because the risk of slight illness associated with vaccines is less than the risk of serious illness if a child is not vaccinated. She shared a story of a family member who became mentally handicapped because of a high fever associated with vaccinations. According to this family members’ parents, “This may not be the life we thought he would live, but he has lived a great life and is a sweet man”. Despite the result, they don’t regret having him vaccinated because he has lived a life where he was not sick or in pain like those who get diseases vaccinations prevent. Lindsey, a labor and delivery nurse, is a proponent for vaccines because not vaccinating children puts others at risk. “People have their own free agency to make that decision for themselves and their children, but when that decision could potentially harm my family, I draw the line.” She compared this to second hand smoke. Someone can decide to smoke resulting in harmful toxins in their body, but should not smoke in close proximity to others who have no desire to ingest the toxins.
Others took the stance vaccinating children should not be mandatory.

Cheryl feels immunizations are given too early, therefore, vaccines should be given later. Vaccinating according to the time frame set by doctors should not be mandatory. Marissa agrees while adding there are so many added vaccinations today. “I don’t believe all of the vaccinations are worth the risk”. Personally, she had a daughter injured by vaccinations and a close relative who lives life in a vegetative state now because of vaccinations. “While many vaccines are worth the risk, not all are, and I am against those mandatory vaccinations.” Madalyn says vaccines contain harmful substances parents may not want their children to have. “Toxic substances are in all vaccinations. As an adult I can choose if I want these harmful substances in my body, but my child

cannot.”
Those on the proponent side made valid and invalid assumptions. Megan’s claim that many diseases have been almost irradiated because of vaccination assumes diseases were once prevalent and vaccinations are the reason for the decreased disease rate. Polio, measles, mumps, and many other diseases killed thousands of people, including children, each year. These diseases killed like the plague, sweeping through entire communities easily. Since vaccinations have been on the scene, we do not see outbreaks like this anymore. Stacey claims the risk of illness from immunizations is worth the risk compared to getting the disease by not receiving vaccinations. To believe this one would have to believe the fever and irritability associated with vaccines in children is a small price to pay compared to the contagious disease one could get from not receiving vaccinations. While this is true, there are cased where vaccines cause extremely high fever resulting in detrimental changes in a child. While some do to react in this way, others do. It is hard to make a generalization for everyone based on some cases. Going with the majority is not always safe in every situation. According to Lindsey, not being vaccinated can put others at risk making one believe the group is more important than the individual. (_________elaborate______)
On the opponent side, assumptions were also made.

Cheryl says immunizations are too hard on a young infant’s body leading one to believe infants are vulnerable because of their small stature. Birth weight is different for each child, but in comparison the amount of immunizations given to infants is a high ratio compared to the same vaccines given to adults. Marissa claims not all children need every vaccine. In order to believe this, one believes there are too many vaccines and each individual is different. There has been an increase is the number of vaccines recommended for children to get over the past decade and the number of newly invented vaccinations. While humans share many similar characteristics, they do differ. For example, many people develop allergies to foods, weather, or certain material while others do not. Therefore, it is not too far fetch to believe vaccinations can have different effects of different individuals. Madalyn’s claim that vaccines contain toxic substances parents may not want their children to have leads one to believe parents have the right to decide for their child and that substances, such as mercury, that are prevalent in vaccines are toxic. Parents have guardianship over their children and are the ones responsible to taking care of and deciding for their children until they become of age.

Amongst the heated argument of mandatory vaccination for children, both sides agree some vaccinations are important enough to be mandatory. Despite

the age children should receive immunizations and the number of these vaccines actually needed being in question, common ground is reached on the importance of major vaccinations that have been around for a long time are. There are some vaccines, such as measles and polio that are “worth the risk”.
Through this process, I have recognized a few things. Vaccinations certainly have a place today’s society. Personal experience and knowledge of the subject has direct impact on parent’s decisions to vaccinate their children or not. This leads to individualized opinions of whether immunizations should be mandatory. Also, parents are trying to do what is best for their children and what with yield the best life possible for their children. The reasons behind supporting mandatory vaccinations or not are supported by parent’s desire to give their children the best they can possibly have.