Running head: Childhood vaccination

Childhood Vaccination: A Safe and Efficient path to Immunization

Benjamin D. Schoenhals
Westview High School

Childhood vaccination

Childhood Vaccination: A Safe and Efficient path to Immunization

According to the Center of Disease Control, childhood vaccinations have prevented 21
million or more hospitalizations and an estimated 732,000 deaths among children in the United
States between 1994 and 2013 (CDC, 2014). Due to those prevented hospitalizations and deaths,
the CDC has calculated that childhood vaccinations have saved nearly $1.675 trillion in both
direct costs and indirect societal costs (CDC, 2014). Although many benefits stem from
childhood vaccination, there is still a copious amount of people who do not and will not
vaccinate their children which has led to a heated debate over the whether or not vaccines are
ultimately necessary (Stinchfield, 2001). There is a myriad of reasons why parents do not
vaccinate their children; although, according to Matthew Daley and Jason Glanz, both of whom
are pediatricians and researchers at Kaiser Permanentes Institute for Health Research in Denver,
there are three reoccurring reasons (2011). Firstly, many of the vaccine preventable diseases are
not common in the United States anymore leading parents to believe that their children are not at
risk for them (Daley & Glanz, 2011). Secondly, many parents do not believe that most vaccinepreventable diseases are very serious or dangerous to their childs health (Daley & Glanz, 2011).
Lastly, a great majority of anti-vaccination parents believe that the contents and or side-effects of
the vaccinations themselves are an endangerment to their childs well-being (Daley & Glanz,
2011). Although there are possible dangerous side effects and an incredibly small chance of
contracting the disease even after vaccination, vaccines have repeatedly presented themselves as
one of the most successful and cost-effective public health tools through their aid in the
eradication of diseases like smallpox and the increased control over diseases such as measles and
polio (Olubukola & Lewis, 2007); therefore, I conclude that childhood vaccination should be

Childhood vaccination

mandatory in all cases except those in which ones religious beliefs oppose the vaccination of
their children.
One perspective on the beneficial aspect of childhood vaccinations is exhibited by many
organizations such as the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and even the World Health
Organization (Stinchfield, 2001). This is the perspective that childhood vaccination is ultimately
the best way to eradicate diseases throughout the world (Olubukola & Lewis, 2007). There is a
large amount of evidence to support this belief; specifically, evidence which supports that
vaccine development and use aided significantly in the elimination of smallpox and the drastic
reduction of polio cases throughout the world (Bonanni, Sacco, Donato, & Capei, 2014).
Between 1900 and 1904, an average of 48,164 cases and 1528 caused by smallpox were reported
each year throughout the United States (CDC, 1999). Through the use of vaccination, the
prevalence of smallpox steadily decreased until about 1929 when cases only rarely appeared
(CDC, 1999). The smallpox vaccine was highly endorsed and distributed around the world which
eventually led to the declared eradication of the disease in 1977 (CDC, 1999). Another example
of the increased control of a disease due to vaccination is the measles vaccine, which was
licensed for use in the United States in 1963 (CDC, 1999). During the years 1958-1962 there was
an average of 503,282 measles cases and 432 measles linked deaths in the United States every
year (CDC, 1999). After the introduction of the measles vaccination, cases and deaths began a
steady 33-year downward trend (CDC, 1999). As of recent times an overwhelming majority of
cases reported in the United States have been associated with or directly linked to international
importations of the disease (CDC, 1999). In each of these examples, it is seen that after the
introduction of or the beginning of the mass use of each vaccination, there is a very noticeable

Childhood vaccination

decline in cases ending in eradication in smallpoxs case or a drastic reduction of presence in

measless case.
Another common supportive perspective for childhood vaccination is that it is often
regarded as the safest way to immunize children (Maron, 2015). In a recent survey of antivaccination parents, a participant said that they are afraid to vaccinate their child because there
are many unpleasant side effects and diseases that are due to the vaccinations, and this is always
dismissed as untrue (Harmsen, et al., 2013). While this parent and others are not wrong about
the fact that there are possible negative side effects which can happen when a child receives a
vaccination, most do not know exactly how rare these side effects are (Maron, 2015). Most
common side effects such as redness or itching at the site of the vaccination pass within a
maximum of a couple of days (Maron, 2015). Other side-effects, which are possible with
vaccines such as polio, MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), or smallpox include heart
problems, brain or spinal cord swelling, temporary low platelet count, rashes, serious allergic
reactions, and seizures (CDC, 2015a). These are side effects that cause many parents to become
reluctant when considering getting their children vaccinated (Daley & Glanz, 2011). These more
dangerous side effects, especially those such as seizures and serious allergic reactions, have been
found to be extremely rare with the risk of seizures averaging around 1 in 3000 doses and the
risk of a serious allergic reaction averaging at about 1 in a million doses (CDC, 2015a). While
these do seem very serious, it is important for parents to recognize that an overwhelming
majority of these side-effects have not been shown to permanently damage the childs health
(Daley & Glanz, 2011). For example, the seizures that have been linked to these vaccinations,
although hard for the parent to watch, have not been found to leave any long term neurological
effects, rendering them a temporary and only mildly dangerous side-effect when treated with

Childhood vaccination

care (Daley & Glanz, 2011). Another example, allergic reactions, are generally easily treated by
the administering of epinephrine and are virtually harmless in the long-run when treated with
care (Daley & Glanz, 2011). Although most all of the side effects are harmless, there are
extremely rare case in which certain vaccines such as MMR and smallpox have been associated
with the death of their recipients (CDC, 2015a). Even though vaccines are shown to be very safe
there is also the possibility that one may not be prepared for an allergic reaction or seizure which
could lead to possible permanent damage.
Though it is agreed by most healthcare professionals and organizations that vaccines are
the safest way to immunize children, parents often question the contents of the vaccines,
including both preservatives such as thimerosal (a chemical compound containing mercury) and
other ingredients such as formaldehyde (Daley & Glanz, 2011). Both mercury and formaldehyde
are very dangerous chemicals, each with their own side effects. For example, formaldehyde is
considered a human carcinogen meaning that it is directly involved in cancer development
(Christopher, 2011). Mercury on the other hand is very toxic to the human body and is known to
interrupt nerve growth and permanently damage healthy nerve systems (Christopher, 2011).
Although it is true that there is a presence of mercury in some vaccines, it is not in its harmful
pure form, but rather in a compound known as thimerosal (CDC, 2011). Thimerosal itself is only
put into a relatively small amount of vaccines, including many influenza vaccines and is left out
of most vaccines, including the MMR vaccine and the polio vaccine (CDC, 2015b). Many of the
vaccines that contain thimerosal, such as the influenza vaccination also come in different
versions that do not contain thimerosal thus providing an alternative to skeptical parents and
other recipients (CDC, 2015b). Thimerosal itself is processed and broken down easily and
quickly in the human body, and is quickly disposed of before it can build up to dangerous and

Childhood vaccination

harmful amounts (CDC, 2015b). As far as the presence of formaldehyde in vaccines, it serves a
necessary purpose which is to inactivate the bacteria in certain vaccines thus making it safer for
the recipient (CDC, 2011). After the bacteria is inactivated the formaldehyde is removed from
the vaccine through filtration techniques which leave only trace amounts in the completed
product (CDC, 2011). Many of the ingredients that people argue are dangerous components of
vaccines are actually harmless or found in only trace amounts unlikely to do any damage to the
recipient. Due to this fact, vaccines are still the safest option for immunizing children (Daley &
Glanz, 2011).
Many parents also come to believe that vaccine-preventable diseases are not a high threat
to their child or that natural immunization is more efficient than vaccination of the child (Daley
& Glanz, 2011). In one survey on why parents do not vaccinate their children a participant stated
that they did not vaccinate because they assumed, based on the fact that both children did not
come that much in contact with other children at a very young age, that the risks [of getting the
disease] were less (Harmsen, et al., 2013). This can be a very dangerous assumption. One
example of a disease that many parents dont feel the need to vaccinate for is Chicken pox since
it often only produces a fever and an itchy rash (Daley & Glanz, 2011). Although most of the
time chicken pox does not cause many severe side effects, in some cases, it is known to be
directly linked to skin infections, swelling of the brain, and even pneumonia (Daley & Glanz,
2011). Some vaccine preventable diseases, like chicken pox, do only have minor side effects, but
sometimes they can also lead to deadly symptoms like inflammation of the brain, pneumococcal
diseases, and even death in rare cases (Daley & Glanz, 2011). Studies have shown that
previously vaccinated children who come down with a disease such as chicken pox (no vaccine
is totally effective at all times) usually have much less severe side effects than their unvaccinated

Childhood vaccination

counterparts showing that even if a disease does seem harmless it is always safer to be
vaccinated (Daley & Glanz, 2011). In a study conducted in Colorado by pediatricians and
researchers Matthew Daley and Jason Glanz, it was found that unvaccinated children were
approximately 23 times more likely to get whooping cough, 9 times more likely to get chicken
pox (Varicella), and 6.5 times more likely to be hospitalized due to pneumonia or pneumococcal
disease than their vaccinated counterparts in the same communities (Daley & Glanz, 2011).
Clearly, there is an association between higher levels of health in children who are vaccinated
than those who are not. Many times the symptoms and outcomes of vaccine-preventable diseases
such as measles are often much worse and have a greater chance of appearing in the actual
disease than as a side-effect from the vaccine for the same disease (Daley & Glanz, 2011). In
measles cases involving previously healthy children, 1 in 20 will come down with pneumonia, 1
in 1000 will experience brain or spinal cord inflammation possibly leading to convulsions and
mental retardation, and 1 or 2 in 1000 children will die (Daley & Glanz, 2011). Each of these
chances are much more likely than if they were to be side-effects of the vaccine itself (CDC,
2015a). Like measles and chicken pox, there is also a strong correlation between less intense
symptoms and vaccination with most other vaccine preventable diseases (Daley & Glanz, 2011).
One major problem presented when it comes to making vaccination mandatory is that if
there are no limitations, then it can and most likely will interfere with peoples religious beliefs.
In a survey given to anti-vaccination parents one of the main concerns was that mandatory
vaccination interfered with their religious rights (Harmsen, et al., 2013). I believe that even if
vaccines were made mandatory, it would be vitally important to keep religious exemptions in
place in order to keep from infringing on peoples religious rights.

Childhood vaccination

Overall, vaccinations are very safe and have been shown to be extremely efficient when it
comes to the aiding in the prevention and even the eradication of many diseases (Stinchfield,
2001). Vaccinations have also been shown to be a safer alternative to natural immunization
which often has riskier complications than the vaccines do for the same vaccine-preventable
diseases (Daley & Glanz, 2011). Finally, it has also been found that many of the contents of
vaccines that people often fear or question are actually safe or come in only minute amounts
(CDC, 2011). Because of these reasons I conclude that the vaccination of children is the most
efficient and safe way to aid in the elimination of disease; therefore, childhood vaccination
should be mandatory in all cases except those involving valid religious exemption.

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9
References

Bonanni, P., Sacco, C., Donato, R., & Capei, R. (2014). Lifelong Vaccination as a Key Diseaseprevention Strategy. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 20(5), 32-36.
CDC. (1999). Impact of Vaccines Universally Recommended for Children--United States, 19001998. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 281(16), 1482-1483.
CDC. (2011, February 22). Ingredients of Vaccines - Fact Sheet. Retrieved from Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/additives.htm
CDC. (2014, April 24). Report shows 20-year US immunization program spares millions of
children from diseases. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/p0424-immunization-program.html
CDC. (2015a). Possible Side-efffects from Vaccines. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects.htm#spox
CDC. (2015b). Thimerosal in Vaccines. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/thimerosal/index.html
Christopher, M. (2011, August 15). Vaccine Ingredients A Comprehensive Guide. Retrieved
from VaxTruth.
Daley, M. F., & Glanz, J. M. (2011, September 1). Straight Talk about Vaccination. Retrieved
from Scientific American: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/straight-talk-aboutvaccination/
Harmsen, I. A., Mollema, L., Ruiter, R. C., Paulussen, T. W., de Melker, H. E., & Kok, G. (2013).
Why parents refuse childhood vaccination: a qualitative study using online focus groups.
BMC Public Health, 13(1), 1-15.

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Maron, D. F. (2015, March 6). Fact or Fiction?: Vaccines Are Dangerous. Retrieved from
Scientific American: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fact-or-fiction-vaccinesare-dangerous/?print=true
Olubukola, N. O., & Lewis, I. (2007). Vaccination and anesthesia: more questions than answers.
Pediatric Anesthesia, 17(12), 1215.
Stinchfield, P. K. (2001). Vaccine Safety Communication: The Role of the Pediatric Nurse.
Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing J Specialists Pediatric Nursing, 6(3), 143146.