Unvaccinated Children are Putting Vaccinated Children at Risk
In an outbreak of measles in San Diego last month, twelve children became ill. Nine of them were not vaccinated against the virus because their parents objected, and the other three were too young to receive vaccines. The parents who objected to their children being inoculated are among a small but growing number of parents who take advantage of exemptions to laws requiring vaccinations for school-age children.
Measles is a significant infectious disease because, while the rate of complications is not high, the disease itself is so infectious that the sheer number of people who would suffer complications in an outbreak amongst non-immune people would quickly overwhelm available hospital resources.
Most children recover from measles without any complications, but the disease causes death in one out of every 1,000 cases, and serious complications such as retardation in others. According to the World Health Organization, measles is a leading cause of vaccine-preventable childhood mortality.
Few deny the vast improvements vaccination has made to public health; a more common concern is their safety. Controversies in this area revolve around the question of whether the risks of adverse events following immunization outweigh the benefits of saving children from tragic outcomes of common diseases.
Paradoxically, the very success of the vaccine in eradicating common childhood diseases may cause a generation, that never saw the possible tragic outcome of these diseases, to object to vaccines. Public health officials say they are concerned about the growing number of school-age children being exempt from being vaccinated and insist that there’s no solid evidence linking vaccines to autism or other neurological disorders. Critics say that lack of evidence of harm is not the same as evidence of safety.
Incomplete vaccine coverage increases the risk of disease for the entire population, including those who have been vaccinated. One study found that doubling the number of non-vaccinated individuals would increase the risk of measles in vaccinated children anywhere from 5–30%. In several countries since 1960, reductions in the use of some vaccines were followed by increases in the diseases’ morbidity and mortality. Some parents who refuse to vaccinate their kids say that they are aware of putting other children at risk.
The vaccine debate has reached mainstream TV in 2001, when NBC’s television drama ER contained a highly controversial story line about a family that chose not to vaccinate their children. One of the children contracted measles and died from complications. The episode portrayed the parents’ decision not to vaccinate as irresponsible and negligent.
My own kids are vaccinated. I completely understand parents’ fears: the possibility, even if remote, even if unproven, that choosing to vaccinate your children would cause irreversible damage to them and ruin their life is devastating. But my husband and I felt that in a situation where the benefits of vaccinating are proven but the risks are not, we simply cannot take the risk of NOT vaccinating. We also felt that it would be unfair to choose not to vaccinate and rely on the fact that the majority of parents still vaccinate.
Currently, 20 states allow personal-belief-type exemptions from vaccinations. My guess is that if the number of non-vaccinated children will continue to grow, and if, as a result, common childhood diseases will start making a comeback, more and more states will stop allowing these exemptions.
Sources:
Health risk rises as parents reject shots
More Parents Refuse to Vaccinate Kids
Kids’ skipping vaccines worries health officials
Autism – Still Not Vaccines
Measles, Vaccine Contoversy
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Jill responds:
Posted: March 24th, 2008 at 8:43 am →
If more parents don’t vaccinate, these diseases *will* make a comeback. Scary.
Computer Addict responds:
Posted: March 24th, 2008 at 12:22 pm →
Parent’s who decide not to vaccinate, knowing that this puts others in jeopardy, are criminally negligent. Once we start suing them, you’ll see these “personal reason” exemptions go away very quickly.
JustMom responds:
Posted: March 24th, 2008 at 9:20 pm →
There is a strong link between vaccines and autism. You should educate yourself more before writing.
Start here:
http://www.know-vaccines.org/autism.html
Concerned Dad responds:
Posted: July 17th, 2008 at 8:15 pm →
This article is full of misinformation and a complete lack of data which is needed for an informed decision on whether or not to vaccinate. Statements are which have no basis in fact. There was no mention in the article of thimerosal (ethyl mercury) and the fact that is is used as a preservative in the vaccines. Most pediatricians will spout the same information at uninformed parents.
” It contains the same amount of mercury as a can of tuna so it is fairly safe.” They say it like they are more informed than you and deflect the fact that a can of tuna has 20 mcg of mercury while just one typical vaccine has 25 mcg of mercury. If you child is getting more than one vaccine that day, you are then multiplying the levels of mercury. What the the EPA/FDA/CDC say about that so-called “safe” can of tuna? they suggest that pregnant women, women who are nursing, and infants should not eat tuna because of unsafe mercury levels. Why is mercury safe in a vaccine when it is not safe when in a can of tuna? Safe levels of mercury are .1 mcg per kilogram of weight of the person exposed to mercury. Some children receive 15 vaccination in one visit, so even if only 4 of the vaccines contain mercury, the child will be injected with 100 mcg of mercury. if the child is 20 pounds, the safe level is .8 mcg. 100 mcg of mercury is 125 times the safe level of exposure. Ask your self if you would take a syringe with 100 mcg of mercury and let a physician inject it into your child because he told you it was safe? Do you need a degree to know that mercury should not be injected into a child? Will you still inject your child with mercury because the government/state/medical organization/judge/news program/blog says that since other kids were injected with it, you should do the same?
Olivia Shasta responds:
Posted: August 4th, 2008 at 10:58 am →
Well, to the comment above about criminal negligence…hmmm? I had my fully vaccinated child in kindergarten; he “got” MRSA from another child in his classroom that had a known, diagnosed case of MRSA. The parent decided to bring the child to school the next day, and my child got it. The MRSA later became a septic, toxic, systemic infection. He ended up in the ICU for 12 days and almost died. So, should I be able to sue her? Absolutely ridiculous! Unfortunately there are diseases out there that cause harm, sometimes fatal harm. The law (sir) states that she was within her right to bring her child to school, she was not required to disclose her child’s condition. She was terribly irresponsible and it lead to my child being seriously harmed. The law states (in several states) that we are allowed to make the decision for our children. Also, my child was diagnosed on the autistic spectrum. Because I was pressured to vaccinate, I HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH MY CHILD’S ISSUES, NOT THE SOCIETY!! Should I be able to sue my pediatrician that pushed these vaccines on my child because they put him in jeopardy? Until you have dealt with a sick child from something you are “supposed” to do for their health, perhaps you need to keep your comments to yourself!
MomGrind responds:
Posted: August 4th, 2008 at 11:28 am →
Hi Olivia,
Thank you so much for taking the time to add your own perspective to the discussion.
I edited the end of your comment just a tiny bit because while I encourage discussion and disagreement, I also encourage my readers to refrain from personal insults.
I am SO SORRY about what you’ve been through. I just can’t imagine how hard it must have been. And you are still dealing with autism. My heart goes out to you. This certainly shows that there are still many unanswered questions surrounding the issue of vaccines. Parents are doing the best that they can to protect their own children, but there’s still the issue of responsibility towards the general society. I was trying to address this issue here.
Colleen J responds:
Posted: August 4th, 2008 at 11:49 am →
Good day- To Jill and Computer addict, if your kids are vaccinated…how are the catching the illness from my un vaccinated kid? Isn’t that what the vaccine is for…to protect you from getting the illiness? Doesn’t sound right. As for vaccination. I have not vaccinated my “school” age children in 3 years. My youngest who is 5 was in and out of the hospital since day one. She has S.I.D., autism, leaky gut, gastro issues that of a 80 year old, food intolerances (not allergies). She has had 19 ear infections, 6 bouts of croup, 5 cases of pnunemoia, 7 yeast infections and 4 UTI’s. Again…SHE IS 5! Her immune system sucks. Wanta know why? The shots. Too many too soon. I am all for vaccines and the saftey they bring. But 24 before a baby turns 2 is too many. Why are that many necessary in such a short time? Why? I will tell you why. MONEY!! That’s it plain and simple. I am 36. Before I turned 6 I had a total of 6 vaccines. Never went to school with anyone with sever food allergies, never went to school with an autistic child…and yet we were fine. So, again the questions all mothers have who have a sick child, why so many so quickly?
To computer addict…really you jumped right to sueing or jail time. And you think that faced with that I would make the decission to poison my child. Is that what you are saying? I have to tell you that they tried to jail parents in Maine early this year. I WOULD GO TO JAIL BEFORE I LET THEM STICK MY DAUGHTER AGAIN WITH ANYMORE SHOTS. Money is a non issue with me. Sue if you want. You won’t get much since my daughters medical bills are running in the $100 of thousands. So, before you open your mouth again on a topic it is odvious you know nothing about, get the facts.
The pharma industry needs to rethink what they are doing. In 20 years we are going to find all these kids who had no autistic symptoms, are sick too.
I love my kids, and do anything for them…that includes educating myself on what the are being injected with. Get the facts straight. Ask questions.
Thank you for your time, Colleen
MomGrind responds:
Posted: August 4th, 2008 at 12:38 pm →
Hi Colleen,
Thank you for your comment. I am very sorry about everything that your daughter is going through.
The question that you are raising - the amount and spacing of vaccines - is a very important question.
I think one of the things that worry parents who do vaccinate, is that some of the vaccines don’t fully protect, and so vaccinated children could still get sick if they are exposed to sick children. Full protection is only achieved if everyone is vaccinated.
Thanks again for your comment. My heart goes out to you and to your family.
Please keep the discussion going, here and elsewhere. It’s an important one.