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Effect of Vaccinations in Pediatric Medicine

Shannon OBrian

Clinical Internship, 5th Period

Bearden High School

Health Science Academy

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What led me to choose this research topic?

o I have always wanted to be a pediatrician and I know that this will prove to be an
issue I will face when working in the field. Perhaps when I do become a doctor all
of these issues will be solved, but for now it is a very pressing matter that I hope I
can assist in defusing. Vaccines are an incredible invention. They have saved so
many lives and continue to do so through their continued use. If I could manage to
convince many of these parents about the truth on vaccines in pediatrics perhaps I
could help their children and help other pediatricians keep their patients safe.
What interest do I have as a career and in this career field?
o For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a pediatrician. Ever since I was
little I was always fascinated in sciences like biology and anatomy and never had
any other career interests. Because of this path I have taken I have participated in
a number of medical classes like Health Science, Anatomy and Physiology,
Medical terminology, Diagnostic Medicine, and Emergency Preparedness. I plan
to go to Maryville college to participate in their Pre-med Program in the Fall.
What most excites you about this career and topic.
o In all honesty I just want to be able to help people. I get along with children really
well, much better than adults actually because I am a little awkward socially, so
combining these two things together resulted in a want to go into pediatrics. This
topic is also a very good way to help these children. Considering how many
people want to get rid of important vaccinations for children because of one false
report from a now de-licensed doctor, I want to get this information out there
about how vaccinations are really for the greater good for kids and that by
discrediting them more children are falling victim to these preventable diseases.
10 words
o Vaccination: The administration of antigenic material (a vaccine) to stimulate a
persons immune system so they are able to better defend their bodies and become
immune to certain diseases.
o Pediatrics: The use and research of medicine dealing with children from birth to
around age 18.
o Autism: Neurodevelopment disorder characterized by impaired social interaction,
verbal and non-verbal communication, and restrictive and repetitive behavior.
o HPV: Human Papillomavirus. A sexually transmitted disease that is the leading
cause of cancer deaths in women.
o Measles: highly contagious infection that shows signs of fever, cough, runny
nose, inflamed eyes, and a red rash on the skin that mainly occurs in children.
o Mumps: Contagious and infectious disease that causes a swelling of the parotid
salivary glands in the face.
o Rubella: Contagious viral disease, with many symptoms like mumps, that can
cause fetal malformation if contracted by a woman early in a pregnancy.
o Smallpox: An acute, contagious viral disease that causes fever and pustules that
can leave permanent scars on the skin.
o Polio: An infectious disease that can cause weakness in the muscles, mainly
including the legs but also appearing in the head or neck.
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o Diphtheria: Infection caused by bacterium. Can cause minor or severe symptoms

such as sore throat, fever, white patches in the throat, blocked airways, etc.
Shannon OBrian

Mrs. Roach

Clinical Internship

26 January, 2017

Effects of Vaccinations in Pediatric Medicine

Vaccinations have been considered by many to be one of the most important scientific

breakthroughs in the medical field, yet some are skeptical of their use in pediatric medicine.

Even though vaccines have prevented the resurgence of many diseases through their use some

people believe that they do more harm than good. However, despite these beliefs many studies

have been conducted to show that vaccinations are for the greater good of the children receiving

them.

Malaria, polio, typhoid fever, yellow fever, diphtheria, and smallpox. All of these deadly

diseases have at least one thing in common: they have all been cured by vaccines at one point in

time. Through the use of constantly advancing medicinal technology all of these diseases have

been studied and vaccines were created using the information found. Vaccinations the

introduction of a substance to create an immune response against a pathogen as a preventative

measure against disease. (LaPensee 1) In other words, dead strands of a pathogen are injected

into a patient in order to build up immunity against the disease. This process was discovered

around 1800 when Edward Jenner discovered that by injecting cowpox into patients they would

not be susceptible to smallpox later on. Over the years more diseases have been cured by these

vaccinations and are still being studied to try and fight off more prevalent diseases such as AIDS,

cancer, and HPV. Many vaccinations were also introduced to children at young ages, even at
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birth for certain medicines. However, even though these vaccinations have proved to be a

valuable tool in healthcare many parents are hesitant to administer them to their children.

Andrew Wakefield, a former doctor from the United Kingdom, recently lost his license to

practice medicine after publishing false articles in 1998 on how vaccinations caused autism.

After publishing papers with small sample size, uncontrolled design, and speculative nature of

his conclusions (Rao 1) the information went viral and many parents stopped vaccinating their

children in fear of them developing autism. Because of this widespread panic caused by the false

research, many diseases, such as measles, mumps, and whooping cough, have even made a

comeback after years of being eliminated by vaccines. Since many children are no longer

receiving the vaccinations due to worried parents the diseases have been able to take hold in the

population again. It wasnt until February 2010 that the publishing companies finally took down

Wakefields research completely but the damage was done. No matter how many new articles

were published on how no link between the Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and autism

parents still fear for the worst and refuse to vaccinate their children. This dilemma not only poses

political issues and health hazards, but also an ethical problem as health care providers must now

deal with parents who refuse to vaccinate their children.

Now that parents are refusing to vaccinate their children, cases of diseases such as

measles and mumps have been appearing in children and even in some adults. In 2014 alone

there were 667 cases of measles and 495 cases of the mumps in the United States. Pediatric

doctors everywhere now have to decide how to handle parents who refuse to have their children

vaccinated since these children now pose a health risk to others under the doctors care. A new

ethical problem has also arisen from this issue: can the pediatrician still vaccinate the children

since it is in their best interest, or at least make attempts to persuade the parents into vaccinating?
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The answer to the first is no, since consent is needed no matter what from the parent since the

children are minors, but as for the second, the pediatrician can work to try and convince the

parents as no rules would be broken that way. By giving lessons, showing tests and data, and

even just talking one on one with the parents the pediatrician can make attempts to get the

consent they need to vaccinate the children. It is a difficult task, since many of the parents

against vaccinations are completely convinced by Andrew Wakefields papers and others that

have sprung up since his research came out. The best course of action is to continue to put out

sound research and educate parents correctly on vaccinations in order to better the health of

children in the world.

Despite the fact that many studies and tests have been done to prove the safety of

vaccinations in pediatrics, many parents are still concerned. Vaccinations are some of the greatest

discoveries in the medical field and future pediatricians are now left with the job of convincing

people that these medicines are in their childrens best interest in order to keep children safe from

diseases that were once eradicated.

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How will this topic/research impact healthcare?

o Vaccinations are a huge deal in the medical field and many outside factors
have sparked controversy. This topic could bring to light just how
important it is to vaccinate children at early ages and maybe even
convince those in the anti-vaccination movement that what they are doing
could bring back even more deadly diseases.
How will this help you in your future practice?
o Since I am going to go into pediatrics these debates are going to pose a
large problem. When I care for children whose parents refuse to vaccinate
on the basis of the autism argument and I will have to take many steps in
order to properly care for the child. This is also helpful to know just how
much vaccinations have helped children and how my care will help protect
them from deadly diseases.
How has this changed your thoughts about this field?
o It made me realize that it isnt only about caring for the children, its
caring about the concerns of parents too. There will be parents worried
about treatments and procedures for their children that I will need to
explain in order to better their childrens health. I am still super excited to
be going into this field as it has always been what I wanted to do, this is
just a small issue that I can learn to deal with effectively.
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Works Cited Page

"Accepting pediatric patients with vaccine-hesitant parents." Reuters Health Medical News, 2

Sept. 2016. Science in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A46230654

3/SCIC?u=tel_k_bearhigh&xid=d561cea1. Accessed 17 Jan. 2017.

Boggs, Will, M.D. "Accepting Pediatric Patients with Vaccine-Hesitant Parents." Reuters Health

Medical News (2016): 1-3. Web. 20 Jan. 2017.

Mitchell, Allen A., M.D, ed. "Smallpox Vaccination: Pediatric Academy Perspective." Child

Health ALERT (2002): 1-2. Web. 20 Jan. 2017.

LaPensee, Kenneth Travis. "Vaccines." Biotechnology: In Context, edited by Brenda Wilmoth

Lerner and K. Lee Lerner, Gale, 2012. In Context Series. Science in Context,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/OEPYWI037507985/SCIC?u=tel_k_bearhig

h&xid=c35e0e5e. Accessed 17 Jan. 2017.

Rao, T. S. Sathyanarayana, and Chittaranjan Andrade. "The MMR Vaccine and Autism:

Sensation, Refutation, Retraction, and Fraud." Indian Journal of Psychiatry. Medknow

Publications, 2011. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention. Recommended Immunization Schedules for Persons Aged 0 to 18 Years.

2016. Raw data. United States, n.p.