Weighing the Pros and Cons of Vaccinations
It is impossible to know how much your child will benefit from a vaccine. Exposure to disease is not something that can be measured, and you will never know how many times in their lifetime your child is exposed to a disease and protected by their vaccine. Research shows that vaccinations have saved millions of lives. In the United States, diseases such as measles, diphtheria, smallpox, mumps, and polio have almost completely been eradicated since the introduction of vaccines.
Even though these diseases are no longer a common threat, doctors say it is still important for children in the United States to receive the vaccine. Serious disease is still a threat to children in other countries, and traveling internationally without the protection of vaccinations can be very dangerous. Children who never have or never will travel internationally are still protected by their vaccines when they are around other individuals who have traveled abroad and been exposed.
Vaccines are cost effective. Medical treatment for the serious disease they prevent is much costlier than the vaccine itself. Vaccines are rigorously tested by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and continually monitored for safety. They are studied individually and together to protect and allow children to receive multiple vaccinations.
Any medication can cause side effects, but serious reactions to vaccines are extremely rare. The benefits of receiving vaccinations far outweigh the risks, however it is always important to be aware of any possible medication risk, especially when it concerns your child.
Vaccines can cause serious and sometimes fatal side effects. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), all vaccines carry a risk of life-threatening allergic reaction in about one per million children. The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) says that vaccines may be linked to learning disabilities, asthma, autism, diabetes, chronic inflammation, and other disabilities.
Vaccines contain harmful ingredients such as thimerosal, an organic mercury compound found in the flu vaccine that some medical professionals link to autism. Aluminum is found in vaccines, and an excess of aluminum in the human body can cause neurological damage. MSG, a component of the Hepatitis vaccine series, can cause migranes, irritable bowel symdrome, asthma, diabetes, Alzheimer’s Lou Gehrig’s disease, ADD, seizure, and stroke.
Parents who choose not to vaccinate their children often do so to avoid risk, but studies have shown that choosing not to vaccinate a child is the riskier choice. You are 100 times more likely to be struck by lightning than experience a serious side effect from a vaccine. Nevertheless, it is every parent’s responsibility to be aware that vaccinations are not risk-free, and though it is small, there is still a chance that your child will be the rare child that experiences serious side effects from their vaccine.
If you or someone you love has experienced a negative side effect of a vaccine, contact Urban & Taylor, S.C. for a free, zero-obligation consultation of your case. Our Milwaukee vaccine injury lawyers are experienced in filing injury claims to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program to help victims receive financial compensation. We’re dedicated to helping families recover and children move past their injury to a happy and healthy childhood.
