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GLENN ELLIS' STRATEGIES FOR WELL-BEING: Should you Vaccinate your Child?
*Vaccines are one of the most controversial topics in modern medicine and will continue to attract more attention in the years ahead.
As the new HPV Vaccine makes the news and advertising circles more often, I am finding most people are still greatly uninformed about the whole issue of vaccinations as it relates to their children. It is surprising (at least to me) how many parents do not have enough basic information to make an informed decision on this issue.
A vaccination is the process of administering pathogens that can't reproduce (due to being weakened or dead) to a healthy person or animal, with the intent of providing immunity against a targeted form of a related disease agent. The word "vaccination" was originally coined to apply to the injection of smallpox vaccine.
Vaccination efforts have been met with some resistance since their inception. Early successes brought widespread acceptance and mass vaccination campaigns were undertaken which have greatly reduced the incidence of many diseases in many areas. Some remember taking the polio vaccine in a sugar cube in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
It's true; some diseases (like polio and diphtheria) are becoming very rare in the U.S. Of course, they are becoming rare largely because we have been vaccinating against them. But it is still reasonable to ask whether it's really worthwhile to keep vaccinating.
Today, a plethora of vaccines are available, and routinely administered for a variety of diesease. In fact, there are at least 11 diseases to vaccinate against, with as many as 16 doses in about five visits to the doctor before a child's second birthday.
A partial list of these diseases include:
• Diphtheria
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Measles
• Mumps
• Whooping Cough
• Pneumococcal disease
• Polio
• Rotavirus (severe diarrhea)
• Rubella (German measles)
• Tetanus (lockjaw)
The eradication of smallpox, which was last seen in a natural case in 1977, is considered the most spectacular success of vaccination. Currently some people believe that childhood vaccination causes some autoimmune disease, such as Lupus, and autism. Scientific studies have not demonstrated a link, however, a United States House of Representatives report in 2003 included the suggestion that mercury derivatives in vaccines might have been a cause of autism.
What are the side effects of vaccines?
Most children will have mild side effects, if any. Over-the-counter pain relievers for children will help soothe pain and fever; be sure to follow the dosing directions on the medicine package. Vaccine side effects can fall into 3 general categories—local, systemic, and allergic. The most common local side effects are pain, swelling, and redness at the injection site. They generally occur within a few hours following vaccination, and are usually mild. Systemic side effects are more "general body" reactions, such as fever, irritability, tiredness, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, and loss of appetite. This generally occurs within 1 or 2 days following vaccination, and is usually mild, and may be caused by something unrelated to the vaccine (eg, cold).
.A third type of vaccine side effect is a severe allergic reaction and can be caused by the microbe in the vaccine or another ingredient in the vaccine.
Although they rarely occur, severe allergic reactions may be life-threatening
If you or your child has suffered a serious health problem following receipt of a vaccine, it is very important that you make a vaccine adverse event report to National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC). Since 1982, NVIC has operated a vaccine adverse event database which is helping to stimulate independent research into vaccine adverse events. A record of what happened to you or your child could help identify common factors which pre-dispose individuals to reacting to vaccines; find ways to prevent others from suffering the same kind of vaccine-related health problems you or your child are suffering; and may well contribute to future development of therapies to help repair vaccine damage. You should also make a vaccine adverse event report to the federal government’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The health professional that administered the vaccine has a duty under the law to report all serious health problems which develop within 30 days of vaccination to VAERS.
You should also make a vaccine adverse event report to the federal government’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The health professional that administered the vaccine has a duty under the law to report all serious health problems which develop within 30 days of vaccination to VAERS.
In light of the ongoing controversy, one of the biggest issues for parents is under what circumstances one can refuse to let their child be vaccinated. Most state laws say that children need not be immunized if the parent, guardian or emancipated child objects in writing to the immunization on religious grounds or on the basis of a strong moral or ethical conviction similar to a religious belief.
It is important to note that many, if not most, insurance companies, who do the best liability studies, refuse to cover vaccine reactions.
The US Federal Government's National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP) has paid out over $1.2 billion since 1988 to the families of children injured and killed by vaccines, with money that comes from a tax on vaccines that vaccine recipients pay.
Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies have a captive market; vaccines are legally mandated in all 50 US states (though legally avoidable in most; yet these same companies are "immune" from accountability for the consequences of their products.
Recommendations about when to have your child vaccinated change from time to time. You can get a copy of the most current vaccination schedule on the World Wide Web from an organization such as the American Academy of Family Physicians or the American Academy of Pediatrics, or you can ask your family doctor. Vaccinations usually start when your child is 2 months old and most are finished by the time he or she is 6 years old.
Be sure to make your decision on whether to vaccinate your child an “Informed” one.
Remember, I’m not a doctor. I just sound like one.
Take good care of yourself and live the best life possible.
Glenn Ellis lectures and is an active media contributor nationally and internationally on health related topics, including health education and health promotion particularly relevant to the African-American community.
e-mail me at info@glennellis.com
For more good health information, visit: www.glennellis.com
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