A child receives antibodies from their mother before they’re born. But, that immunity goes away by age 1. That’s why the CDC recommends that before a child is 6 they have 49 doses of 14 different vaccines, and 69 doses of 16 vaccines by age 18. That might seem excessive but it’s a small price to pay to ensure that a pandemic doesn’t make a come back.
Most people that are against vaccination claim they hurt their child and increase their risk of autism. Autism is proven to be separate from vaccines through a study that shows autism rates are increasing the same amount in every country, even the ones like Japan who give their children significantly less vaccinations. Autism rates are increasing because we are able to understand it more, and we are able to diagnose it on a broader spectrum. So, as we broaden and learn more, autism becomes diagnosed more frequently.
Autism isn’t the only counterargument to vaccinations. Children get dirty on the playground and bring in all kinds of germs to their classrooms. A child that is not vaccinated is at risk for catching everything, and because their immune systems are still growing, they are at risk for becoming extremely ill. An unvaccinated child is also posing a threat to other children by potentially spreading the disease to them. Vaccines are not 100% effective, so if your child is part of that 5% who don’t develop immunity, you might be careful of whom your child is around.
The more people that are vaccinated, the less you see of the disease. Take polio, for example. Incident rates for polio has decreased by 99% since the introduction of the vaccine in 1988. Small pox has also been eradicated world wide, thanks to this miracle in a needle. Doctors are treating these preventable diseases less. This is a good thing! Now we can focus on advancing medicine and making more vaccines, or curing cancer. The vaccinated population is also saving lots of money. By getting these vaccines they are preventing long and expensive hospital stays.
Theres no other logical choice but to vaccinate. I personally think its selfish to withhold immunization from your child. Its like holding the key to their success, and not letting them have it. Its almost like you want your child to get sick. You think you can protect them and you only want them to eat organic applesauce, and you want them to remain pure and untouched. Vaccines are not a choice between cheetos and veggies at the grocery store. They are not "inorganic" and your child is not "too good" for them. Let your child eat dirt and gather all the immunity they can.
Its your choice to vaccinate your child, they’re too young to decide for themselves. But ask yourself, would you rather have a mildly autistic child (if that’s what you want to believe), or one that becomes fatally ill due to measles that could’ve been prevented? Unvaccinated babies who develop the measles or mumps have a 1 out of 20 chance of becoming deaf if the infection isn’t caught on time. Vaccinations save more than just hospital visits, they save quality of life.
