Safeness of Childhood Vaccines Essay
Childhood vaccines help children to protect themselves from various diseases, including measles, diphtheria, polio, tetanus, and pertussis. Due to immunization, the risks of being infected by these diseases are reduced to the lowest levels. According to researchers, “immunizations are responsible for preventing death and disability from disease and are among the most cost effective and widely used public health interventions” (Chen & Hibbs 445). Childhood vaccines are developed with the goal of assisting children in making them immune to life threatening diseases without any possibility of getting sick first. Vaccinated children are immunized to the germ that causes a disease. In other words, vaccines should be given at certain ages to allow children avoiding measles, diphtheria, polio, tetanus, and pertussis. The schedule for childhood vaccines should be strictly followed to avoid complications. Safeness of childhood vaccines is guaranteed if the proper rules and regulations are accepted and followed by paediatricians, vaccinologists and immunologists.Safeness of Childhood Vaccines Essay
Actually, the issue of safeness of childhood vaccines is widely discussed in the media and academic sources. Researchers are focused on determining the efficacy of vaccines, placing emphasis on a number of factors that affect safeness and immunigenucity of certain vaccines specially developed for children. Some experts believe that childhood vaccines are safe and efficient, while others oppose the use of childhood vaccination for the reason of serious side effects. Research studies show that some children experience side effects from vaccination, while others do not experience a complete immunological response to a vaccine, leaving hem susceptible to disease” (Chen & Hibbs 445). It is critical to consider the challenges associated with childhood vaccination to maintain support for childhood immunisation. Safeness of Childhood Vaccines Essay
To start with, the challenges of childhood vaccination are few. One of them is the assumption that that vaccines are unsafe as they are linked to autism if administered in accordance with the proposed schedule. In the study conducted by Eric Fombonne, special attention is paid to autism – immunization links. Researcher found that an autism “epidemic” may be “coincided with the introduction of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and the increased exposure to ethylmercury due to the increased number of recommended childhood immunizations in the first 3 years of life” (Fombonne 15). This fact means that it becomes very difficult to sustain high vaccine coverage rate because of the limitations of vaccines.
Besides, there is much evidence that the growth of parental vaccine safety concerns leads to refusal in providing scheduled vaccination. As a result, physicians’ vaccine communication attitudes and practices are ineffective because parents are interested in deviating from recommended vaccine schedules. There is a need for considering the burden and success of vaccine communications with parents, in order to find the proper solutions. According to researchers, “the burden of communicating with parents about vaccines is high, especially among pediatricians” (Kempe et al. 548). Physicians are interested in finding the proper ways to convince sceptical parents regarding the importance of childhood vaccination. Their messages should rely on their personal choices and experiences to allow parents drawing relevant conclusions. Hence, another challenge of childhood vaccination is associated with parental concerns regarding the efficiency of vaccines and ineffective risk communication practices that do not provide advocacy and education of the general public. Childhood immunization depends on the consequences of decision making which affect not only parents of vaccinated children, but also others in the society (Chen & Hibbs 454). Safeness of Childhood Vaccines Essay
Moreover, childhood vaccination safety is poorly monitored because of the emergence of a large number of cases with tragic outcomes. As a result, parents whose children have been injured by childhood vaccines share their experience with others. Improper administration of vaccination is caused by the failure to maintain biological activity of certain childhood vaccines. According to researchers, vaccines must be properly shipped, stored and administered” (Chen & Hibbs 451). Failure to comply with these rules and regulations contributes to the loss of vaccine potency, which results in improper immune response of a child to the vaccine. Research in vaccine safety shows that public confidence in childhood immunization depends on vaccine reactions and credibility of childhood immunisation programs (Chen & Hibbs 452).
In fact, examination of the controversy of the issue under discussion should be based on support from academic sources. Many studies point out to the fact that childhood vaccination is unsafe. Researcher claim that “there is a broad range of factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy, including the compulsory nature of vaccines, their coincidental temporal relationships to adverse health outcomes, unfamiliarity with vaccine-preventable diseases, and lack of trust in corporations and public health agencies” (Salmon et al. 391). There is a need for enhancing vaccine safety research to maintain parental support for childhood immunization and ensure prevention of many vaccine preventable diseases. Researchers recommend to enhance vaccine risk communication and provide vaccine injury compensation programs and other useful approaches to improve vaccine safety (Chen & Hibbs 452).Safeness of Childhood Vaccines Essay
Thus, it is necessary to conclude that childhood vaccination is an acute issue faced by paediatricians, vaccinologists and immunologists. Vaccine hesitancy is unavoidable because of the ongoing concerns about the parental decision to vaccinate their children. It is critical to improve vaccine safety research to address the challenges associated with safeness of childhood vaccination. Due attention should be paid to the methods that can help to improve vaccine safety monitoring. The major goal of paediatricians, vaccinologists and immunologists is to establish trust and credibility as the basis for promotion of positive relationship to childhood vaccination through effective administration of vaccination and reduction of side effects.
Works Cited
Chen, Robertt. & Hibbs, Beth. “Vaccine Safety: Current and Future Challenges.” Paediatric Annals, vol. 27, no. 7, 1998, pp. 445-456.
Fombonne, Eric. “Thimerosal Disappears but Autism Remains.” Arch Gen Psychiatry, vol. 65, no. 1, 2008, pp. 15-16.
Kempe, Allison; Daley, Matthew; McCauley, Mary M. et al. “Prevalence of Parental Concerns About Childhood Vaccines: The Experience of Primary Care Physicians.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine, vol.40, no. 5, 2011, pp. 548-555.
Salmon, Daniel A.; Dudley, Matthew Z.; Glanz, Jason, M. “Vaccine Hesitancy: Causes, Consequences, and a Call to Action.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine, vol. 49, no. 6, 2015, pp. 391-398.Safeness of Childhood Vaccines Essay