4 Common Myths
About Vaccinations
As a parent, you do whatever it takes to
keep your child safe and healthy, and
vaccinations are an important means of
accomplishing that goal. Vaccinations
protect children from avoidable
illnesses that can result in serious health
consequences ranging from paralysis to
hearing and vision loss, brain damage
and even death. By having your child
vaccinated, you can protect not only his or
her health, but also the health of others with
whom they come in contact – including
family and friends, babies who are too
young for vaccinations, and older people
with compromised immune systems.
At the Center for Pediatric and Adolescent
Medicine, we understand that a major part
of parenting is worrying – worrying about
the safety of vaccines, worrying about
side effects, and above all else, worrying if
vaccines are even necessary.
We’re here to tell you
that YES, vaccines are
100 percent necessary for
the health and wellbeing
of your child.
To help put your mind at ease on this
subject, let us clear up some of the most
often-repeated myths about vaccine use, as
noted below.
10
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WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE
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DECEMBER 2016
“Vaccines aren’t safe.”
FALSE
Every vaccine must go through
a rigorous review process and be
approved by scientists, doctors and
the federal government to make sure it is
safe and effective.
“Most diseases we’re vaccinated
for don’t exist anymore.”
FALSE
Some uncommon diseases in the United
States are still very common and prevalent in
other countries. These diseases are brought
to the United States regularly, and if a child is
not vaccinated, he or she is at a higher risk of
contracting a serious illness.
“It’s better to contract a disease and
let the body build up a defense”
FALSE
Vaccines work with the immune system to
create an immune response similar to a natural
infection, without creating the actual disease. By
waiting until a child gets a natural infection, you
are putting them at risk for a number of health