But vaccines exist to protect children and communities.
Other immunizations such theCOVID-19 vaccineandflu shot help ward off commonly transmitted viruses.
The good news is that these concerns are completely unfounded.
Whats more, you shouldnt let them stop you from sticking with therecommended vaccine schedule.
How do vaccines protect children?
Vaccines safeguard your childs health by protecting her against harmful, potentially life-threatening diseases.
But vaccines dont just go a long way towards keeping your child healthy.
Immunizing your little one also keeps other kids from getting sick, and vice versa.
And if everyone was vaccinated, outbreaks could be prevented altogether.
Last but not least, vaccines ensure a safer future for everyone.
Over time, widespread immunization can make a disease so rare that it officially becomes medical history.
Speaking of reactions, theside effects are usually mild.
Myth: Herd immunity means that my child cant get sick.
You’re risking your little ones health and the health of others.
If your child as well as others arent getting immunized, it sets the stage for a potential outbreak.
But one still will.
Keep in mind thatherd immunitydoesnt work for diseases like tetanus, which arent transmitted from person to person.
An unvaccinated child could get tetanus from stepping on a rusty nail, for instance.
Myth: Vaccines have already wiped out childhood diseases.
Reality: Many of those diseases are still out there.
Vaccines have just made them much rarer.
If your child isn’t immunized, she’s at increased risk for getting sick.
Multiple mumps andwhooping coughoutbreaks have occurred in the U.S. in recent years.
Which means they’re only a plane ride away, and can still pose a risk to unvaccinated kids.
Finally, many vaccine-preventable diseases pose the most danger when children are very young.
Myth: One vaccine in a series gives a child enough protection.
Skipping out on even one could leave her unprotected and put her at risk for getting seriously sick.
Myth: Multiple vaccines for young children put them at increased risk for other diseases.
Receiving multiple shots doesnt increase your childs chances of getting sick it greatly lowers them.
Myth: Shots are very painful for a baby.
There;s no denying that seeing your baby cry from a shot can be hard.
But there are things you’re free to do to make the shot easier on your little one.
Getting immunized for multiple diseases in one go means fewer needles and ouchies overall.
Myth: Parents should be concerned about mercury in vaccines.
Thimerosal, a mercury-containing compound, prevents the growth of harmful bacteria and fungus.
It was once used as a preservative in some vaccines to protect against contamination.
Instead, it was made as a precaution to reduce infants' exposure to mercury overall.
Thimerosal-free flu vaccines are available, so ask the pediatrician if that’s an option for your baby.
Myth: Vaccines cause autism and other developmental disorders.
Reality: Despite the continued spread of misinformation, childhood vaccines do not cause autism.
In 2010, The Lancet retracted the study.
The highly flawed study was declared an “elaborate fraud” by the British Medical Journal in 2011.
And in 2019, a decade-long study looking at over 650,000 children found no link between autism and MMR.
In other words, there’s no credibility to the myth that vaccines cause autism.
Myth: Preemie babies are too fragile to get vaccinated.
Not only are vaccines safe for preemies, theyre incredibly important.
Compared to their full-term counterparts, premature babies are even more vulnerable to the diseases that vaccines protect against.
And if they do get sick, theyre at higher risk for complications.
The one sometimes-exception is thehepatitis B (HBV) vaccine.
Preemies weighing at least 4 pounds.
and 6 ounces should get their first HBV shot shortly after birth, just like full-term infants.
Myth: Vaccines often cause allergic reactions.
Reality: Vaccines have the potential to cause allergic reactions, but it’s extremely rare.
If that happened, your doctor would likely recommend against giving your child additional doses of the vaccine.
But that’s not always the case.
For instance, children with egg allergies are often still able to safely receive a seasonal flu shot.
Ultimately, the risk of having an allergic reaction to a vaccine is very, very low.
In some cases, your baby may still be able to receive certain immunizations.
Myth: My child shouldnt get vaccinated if she has a cold.
Neither is taking antibiotics.
Vaccines won’t make a mild illness worse, and they won’t keep the vaccine from being effective.
Based on your sweetie’s symptoms, the doctor can determine whether delaying the shot makes sense.
Vaccines protect children and communities from serious and even life-threatening illnesses.
Of course, its normal to have questions about your childs shots.
But dont let those stop you from having her vaccinated.
Instead, voice any concerns you have with her pediatrician.
He or she will be able to share the facts and hopefully, put your mind at ease.
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