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Hannah Coy

Vicki Stalbird

English 1201-505

18 March 2019

Are Vaccinations Impacting the Health and Safety of our Children?

Vaccinations are one of the most controversial topics in society today. There are many

opinions that can be argued whether or not vaccines are safe for children. This topic has become

a personal interest of mine, as I have a passion for the medical field and plan to pursue a career

in nursing. The controversy over vaccines first sparked my interest when my family found out

my little cousin had been diagnosed with autism. He was meeting all his developmental

milestones until he reached eighteen months old and received the MMR vaccine. That is when he

began to show signs that something was not right. He lost his speech, could no longer make eye

contact, and was not eating foods that he had typically eaten before. The reoccurring question

and concern that was newly arising about vaccines, led my family to believe there had to be a

connection between vaccines and autism. Does the benefit outweigh the risk? As my interest in

this controversy grew and my research began, it was to my amazement the endless amount of

information there was to be found. Although, I discovered there is no scientific research to

support the belief of any vaccination causing autism, or any other neurological disorder for that

matter. Maybe it is not the impact that vaccines have on child health and safety, but rather the

impact of those not being vaccinated can have on our society.

Vaccines have been scientifically proven to be safe. There are multiple reasons why

parents make the choice not to vaccinate their children. There are some risks to vaccinating,

however, the benefits outweigh the risks. They are a gateway to the prevention of wide-spread
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disease. This is a decision that does not only affect children locally, but also around world. There

are many resources and actions being put into play to help educate parents on the importance and

necessity of vaccinations. Parents should vaccinate their children to protect them from illness, to

keep their child along with other children safe and healthy, and prevent death.

ARE VACCINES SAFE

Vaccines must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration and are closely

regulated by the Center of Disease Control. Before this approval, they undergo rigorous

scientific testing to ensure that they are safe and effective. In the article, along with a video,

Vaccine Safety: Are Vaccines Safe? Written by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, they explain

the safety of vaccines. “No vaccine is 100 percent safe. Almost all vaccines can cause pain,

redness or tenderness at the site of injection” (1). The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of

1986 created the National Vaccine Program Office requires “...all providers who administer

vaccines provide a vaccine information statement that explains the disease and the risks and

benefits of vaccination to the vaccine recipient, parent, or legal guardian” (4).

There are more severe side effects, however, none of them have resulted in permanent damage.

The questions arises about the benefits of vaccines, do they clearly and definitively outweigh the

risk? Paul A. Offit, MD says it best when he discusses this issue, “I think the answer to that

question assuming one does not have a medical contraindication to vaccines, is yes.” (Video)

The most important thing for parents to keep in mind is “that while vaccines aren’t risk free, a

choice not to get a vaccine is not a risk-free choice, it’s a choice to take a different and far more

serious risk” (Video) because the diseases can cause a tremendous amount of suffering,

hospitalization, and even death. Dr. Dana Hawkinson, with the infectious disease department of
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the University of Kansas Health System says, “The safety and efficacy of these vaccines has

been repeatedly shown through rigorous scientific study” (Krans 4).

WHY PARENTS CHOOSE NOT TO VACCINATE

Multiple factors play a part in a parent making the decision to not vaccinate their child or

to have a delayed vaccination schedule. The amount of trust in our healthcare system along with

specific providers affects the amount of people not vaccinated. “Studies have argued that the

personal level of trust in the health-care professionals such as doctors and nurses also have a

considerable impact on individual attitudes toward benefits and risks of vaccinations” (Song 3).

The way information is given about vaccines is through these health-care professionals. With all

the mistrust in them people are more likely to not believe the information they are trying to

provide about these vaccines. Some people even have adopted an opposing viewpoint due to this.

A big concern people have regarding vaccinations and their children is whether or not vaccines

are safe. Misinformation is a huge problem when it comes to vaccines and it scares parents from

vaccinating making it an even tougher battle to protect communities from vaccine-preventable

diseases. “I think that sometimes parents who make the decision not to vaccinate their children

do not consider the health of other children as much as they should” (Krans 5). To reduce the

amount of anti-vaccinators, people should start to look at the scientific research rather than the

inaccurate comments or thoughts of others.

Some families may choose not to vaccinate their children due to financial reasons.

However, vaccines are available for no charge or for a reduced cost at local health departments

for children. “August 10, 1993, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) created the

Vaccines for Children Program (VFC) program as Section 1928 of the Social Security Act in

order to increase access to immunizations” (Huang 4) There are also thoughts about vaccines
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causing neurological disorders. “Among parents who declined vaccines, the reason most often

cited for doing so was concerns about vaccine safety” (Bloom 18). Other common causes of the

decision to not vaccinate are personal and religious beliefs. People do hear and see many

different comments and opinions through the media, and from celebrity endorsement, persuading

them to think negatively about vaccines. With low vaccination rates this opens the door to more

diseases and more risks for the children.

Fig.2. Senate Bill 277, passed in the state of California no longer allowing vaccine exemptions in

public school.

SCHOOL VACCINE EXEMPTION

With all the controversies and different opinions on vaccines, this causes an increase in

the amount of parents or guardians filling out an exemption through the education system. The

main priority of our schools is keeping the children safe and healthy. Schools are where most
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children spend their times during the year. Schools are filled with many children and this

increases germs along with the risk of contracting diseases. This is one reason why there are laws

put into place for schools requiring certain vaccinations at certain ages. Since parents have began

to disagree with the use and safety of vaccinations, they started to exercise their right to refusal.

For this reason, they do have a policy where parents are able to exempt due to personal, or

religious beliefs. Even though schools have this policy in place, it can cause more harm than

good. This then causes the school to be at a higher risk of disease being contracted and spread.

School systems do not promote the exemption policy, as their main priority is keeping the

diseases away out of the schools. They want to keep their children safe and be a disease free

zone. Being a healthy and safe environment for the children gives them the ability to

productively run the school and provide the children with the education they need. The main idea

and want is for our school systems is that the majority are vaccinated. We must take into

consideration the high risk they are at due to the large population of children.

WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF CHILDREN ARE NOT VACCINATED

Although, a higher percentage of people do immunize their children the percentage of

people that don’t can cause arise of problems. In Vaccine Controversies, Jane Lemons describes

the benefits of what vaccines can do and what could happen when a child is not vaccinated. More

than ninety percent of Americans vaccinate their children. The remaining ten percent of people

that do not vaccinate either reject it, or do not follow the recommended vaccinations schedule.

The author writes “public health officials say refusing to follow vaccine protocols allows

diseases to spread rapidly, as happened in December 2014 when a measles outbreak began at

Disneyland and spread to seven states” (1). After this outbreak in Disneyland a study had found

that “substandard vaccination compliance” led to the measles outbreak. To prevent the spread of
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measles, vaccination rates need to be between 96 and 99 percent. After the outbreak, the

percentage of U.S adults who said common vaccines are safe had risen by ten percent. The

disease spread throughout many other states. One unvaccinated child who had contracted the

measles, ended up affecting hundreds of others. Not only are vaccines protecting the readers

child from the diseases, it is also protecting the children of others around the world.

In This Is What Happens When Children Don't Get Vaccinated , Brian Krans expresses

the idea that reported cases of diseases, such as measles, have increased by more than thirty

percent across the globe since 2016. In some other countries, people may decide not get vaccines

because of personal and religious reasons just as we do in The United States. “According to the

CDC, the percentage of 2-year-olds who have never received a single vaccination has quadrupled

since 2001…” (Krans 3). Measles had been removed from society for a long time, so many

people do not have the firsthand knowledge of what is like to have the disease. People then

question the importance of vaccines however the world is not an isolated island. Traveling is a

perfect example of how these diseases can spread. Without vaccinations society, especially the

children, are at higher risk for disease and death

WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT THE CONTROVERSY

More education and more trust with the health experts could raise the amount of children

vaccinated. In Understanding Public Perceptions of Benefits and Risks of Childhood Vaccines

Geoboo Song writes that, “a study confirmed that individuals characterized by greater trust of

healthcare professionals and the possession of more vaccine-related knowledge, perceive higher

levels of benefits and lower levels of risks from vaccinations” (8). It is important that the medical

and public health communities respond to vaccine concerns. “The majority of health-care

professionals affirm the overwhelming benefits of vaccines for individual infants and children
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and for overall public health” (3). The knowledge of vaccines that people have is important and

can play a huge role in the safety of children. There needs to be improvement in vaccine

coverage to keep the children safe from the diseases. As many health care providers come in

contact with many people that have concerns. They need to have conversations with parents

regarding their concerns, and provide them with the scientific evidence. A method used for this

is the C.A.S.E approach which was developed by Alison Singer, a mother of a child with

Autism. “The approach utilizes the acronym “C.A.S.E” which stands for the following:

Corroborate, About Me, Science, Explain/Advise, after engaging the parent in an open dialogue

and eliciting the specific concerns” (Bloom 20). It’s been found that this approach has been

helpful to guide conversations with the parents in answering their questions and easing their

concerns. Many of these conversations have resulted in a shift in the beliefs, or behaviors of the

parents.

CONTROVERSIAL VACCINES

One of the first vaccines was established around 1796 for an illness referred to as

smallpox. Today, there are a total of twenty-one regularly required vaccines, along with many

other vaccines for specific illnesses and travel. A specific vaccine that is well known around the

world is the flu vaccine. The flu vaccine can keep you from getting sick with the flu. On the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, they discuss the many benefits of the flu

vaccine. The flu is a very contagious respiratory illness. It can cause mild to severe illness and at

times can be deadly. Some people will develop complications when they have the flu leading to

inflammation of the heart, brain, or muscle tissues, and multi-organ failure. This is all

preventable with the flu vaccine. “During 2016-2017, flu vaccination prevented an estimated 5.3

million influenza illnesses, 2.6 million influenza-associated medical visits, and 85,000 influenza-
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associated hospitalizations” (1). The flu vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of having to

go to the doctor regarding the flu by forty to sixty percent. Getting the flu vaccine can help

ensure the children are safe and healthy. “A 2017 study was the first of its kind to show that flu

vaccination can significantly reduce a child’s risk of dying from influenza” (1). The flu vaccine

can save a child from many threatening health risks. Another vaccines worth mentioning is the

MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella). This may be the most controversial of all the vaccines,

covering multiple respiratory illnesses. This particular vaccine is first given around fifteen to

eighteen months of age. It has been thought to be linked to the autism epidemic which you can

begin to first see signs around eighteen months of age. This is what is termed as risk perception

although it can’t be supported with rational arguments and scientific research.

WHY WE SHOULD VACCINATE

For two centuries it has been proven conclusively with scientific evidence that getting a

child vaccinated can prevent the deadly diseases such as measles, diphtheria, and whooping

cough. In the document Immunization and Children’s Physical Health written by Angela Huang

they write about immunization and the physical health of children. “With the exception of safe

water, no other public health intervention has had a greater impact in reducing deaths related to

infectious disease than vaccinations” (1). With the globalization continuing to increase the threat

of disease continues to increase. People who are vaccinated are protected from the diseases but

those who are not vaccinated are “protected by the limited likelihood that they will be exposed to

another unimmunized and infected individual” (1). Although, not everyone can be vaccinated

because of contraindications such as, immunosuppression, herd immunity can protect their

children from the disease.

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Schools require children to have certain vaccinations when attending school. With so

many children in one place it causes a lot of risk for disease to spread. Vaccinations decrease the

risk of infection and outbreaks in schools. Vaccinations are so important for children to get for

protection from the disease. In the academic book Understanding and Managing Vaccine

Concerns written by Julie Bloom and Rachel Cunningham they address the high rates of vaccine

refusal and the effects of not vaccinating children. Most studies have shown that the outbreaks of

these diseases such as measles, and pertussis demonstrate the bad effects of vaccine hesitancy

and refusal. As personal belief exemptions have been introduced, this has increased the

utilization of exemptions and exemption laws. This impacts the rate of vaccine preventable

diseases. “ Evidence has clearly indicated that children whose parents choose to delay or refuse

vaccines are at increased risk of VPDs” (1). Children's parents who refuse vaccines were twenty-

three times more likely to contract pertussis which is a highly contagious respiratory tract

infection than the children who are vaccinated. There has been studies supporting the fact that

states with lower vaccination rates have had an increase of infectious diseases. “A recent study

by Atwell et al. (2013) demonstrated that the 2010 California pertussis outbreak was, in part, due

to increased rates of nonmedical vaccine exemptions” (4). This is definitely a controversial issue

that is not going away, therefore, action must be taken for improvement to take place.
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Fig.1 graph of the amount of measles outbreaks in the U.S during 200-2014.(“Child Neurology

Foundation”)

Parents should vaccinate their children to protect from illness, to keep their child along

with other children safe and healthy, and prevent death. The rates of vaccine refusal and

hesitancy continue to rise. Regardless of the amount of scientific research provided

demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. They get tested through multiple

different avenues to ensure they are safe to give to the people. Along with the careful review by

scientists, doctors, and healthcare professionals, the healthcare field has created multiple

resources to give more information on vaccines for those parents who have concerns. With the

high levels of concern from parents leading to delays or refusal of vaccines, it is so important we

educate those patients. The refusal is more of a risk than the minor side effects that may not even

occur. Vaccines are not life threatening, but some of the VPDs are. The more serious, yet rare,

side effects following a vaccination could include severe allergic reaction. There have been

studies published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology that have determined that
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allergic reactions are about one in a million. With all the benefits to vaccines, they clearly do

outweigh the risks and have a huge impact on the safety and health of the children. The main

goal is protecting children from suffering, illness, and even death. In order to avoid the hardships

and sickness that could come along with not vaccinating, we must vaccinate. They are safe and

effective, protect the important people in our lives, save family’s time and money, and protect

future generations. Immunizations do not just save one child’s life, they save the lives of

millions.

Works Cited

Bloom, Julie A, and Rachel M Cunningham. “Institution Selection Form.”

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Children's Hospital. “Vaccine Safety: Are Vaccines Safe?” Children's Hospital of Philadelphia,

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 4 Nov. 2014, www.chop.edu/centers-

programs/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-safety/are-vaccines-safe.

Chiriboga, Claudia. “Immunization.” Child Neurology Foundation,

www.childneurologyfoundation.org/disorders/immunization/.

Huang, Angela. "Immunization and Children's Physical Health." Encyclopedia of Education,

edited by James W. Guthrie, 2nd ed., vol. 4, Macmillan Reference USA, 2002, pp. 1106-

1108. Opposing Viewpoints in Context

Krans, Brian. “Vaccinations: Health Effects on Children Without Them.” Healthline, Healthline

Media, 2018, www.healthline.com/health-news/this-is-what-happens-when-children-dont-

get-vaccinated.

Lemons, Jane Fullerton. "Vaccine Controversies." CQ Researcher, 19 Feb. 2016

“Influenza (Flu).”Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention, 24 Jan. 2019, www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/vaccine-benefits.htm.

Song, Geoboo. “Understanding Public Perceptions of Benefits and Risks of Childhood

Vaccinations in the United States.” Risk Analysis: An International Journal, vol. 34, no. 3,

Mar. 2014

“Vaccinations: Health Effects on Children Without Them.” Healthline, Healthline Media,

www.healthline.com/health-news/this-is-what-happens-when-children-dont-get-vaccinated