Vaccinations have identifiable risks such as complications, allergic reactions, and exposure to thimerosal, but not increased rates of autism or reduced immune system capacity. The benefits of vaccinations outweigh the risks, as more children suffer from adverse reactions to diseases than from vaccinations. Thimerosal-free flu vaccines are available, and a link between thimerosal and autism has not been proven. The most dangerous risks are rare allergic reactions or seizures.
Vaccinations are associated with certain well-known risks. However, they are often associated with risks that have not been proven, such as a possible connection between autism and vaccinations. Many people choose not to vaccinate their children because they believe they create more risk for their children than catching the disease. This has not been confirmed by statistical evidence, nor is it the position of the world’s most recognized medical organizations, such as the American Medical Association (AMA) or the World Health Organization (WHO).
Identifiable risks with vaccinations are complications of vaccination, allergic reaction to a vaccination or exposure to thimerosal, which contains mercury. Risks not associated with vaccinations include increased rates of autism or reduced immune system capacity.
The most common reactions associated with vaccinations are fever, pain upon seeing the shot, and occasionally a rash. Fever is most often one of the risks associated with the measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine and the diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis (DTP) vaccine.
Live polio vaccination was thought to cause polio in some children, and those who cared for immunosuppressed young children had a lower risk of contracting the disease from the children’s feces or bodily fluids. Now babies are usually given dead vaccine before giving live vaccine drops to minimize the risks of getting the disease.
Varicella vaccination has also been associated with occasional cases of chickenpox or lack of immunity from chickenpox. However, it can be argued that the risk of getting chickenpox from the vaccine is minimal. If a child gets chickenpox from the vaccine, it’s usually a fairly mild version. Also, children without complete immunity often have a very mild version of chickenpox if they get it later.
The biggest risks associated with the now recommended meningitis vaccination for 11- or 12-year-old children are pain from the vaccine and pain at the vaccine site for several days or weeks afterward. This far outweighs the risks associated with contracting meningitis, which can quickly lead to death.
Some vaccinations can cause complications. For example, the flu vaccine can, although rarely, cause paralysis of the face, called Bell’s palsy. Others are concerned about giving the flu vaccine to children since many versions contain thimerosal. In fact, concern about this mercury-containing agent, which is used to protect vaccine integrity, has led to most children’s vaccines being produced without thimerosal.
There are also now companies making thimerosal-free flu vaccines for those parents who feel that the risks associated with thimerosal exposure outweigh the benefits of being protected from the flu. To date, a link between thimerosal and autism has not been established or proven. Indeed, in many cases, statistical studies show that autism develops where no thimerosal vaccine has been administered.
The most dangerous risks associated with vaccinations are the rare allergic reactions or seizures that result from a vaccine. If your child has had an adverse reaction to a certain vaccination in the past, it’s important to notify a doctor before your child receives any more vaccinations. Again, however, the benefits outweigh the risks. Far more children suffer adverse reactions from contracting a disease because they are not immunised, than from having an allergic reaction to a shot.
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