The safety and necessity of infant and childhood vaccinations is one of the most hotly debated topics among parents and doctors.
There is an obvious advantage and medical reason for vaccination, but it’s still up to parents to decide whether or not, and even when, you decide to go ahead with them.
We as parents need to make informed choices about what actions we take or decide not to take. Many of our decisions, however are based on assumption rather than information.
I have discovered this about many of my own ideas as I research for my articles, and I’m often surprised by what I learn. My purpose in writing this article is simply to provide information and jump-start your own research and investigation.
Vaccination Schedule
According to the standard immunization list for 1983, eight vaccinations were given, starting at 2 months of age, and with the last around 18 months of age. (1) A more recent list published by the CDC as of 2012 shows 24 vaccinations administered during the same time period. (2)
Some parents argue that this is too many vaccines and question whether they’re all necessary and whether it’s a good idea to overwhelm a baby’s body.
Vaccines and an Infant’s Immune System
Up until a baby is born, he/she receives antibodies from the placenta and the antibodies that the mother has developed. Once a baby is born, he/she still carries those antibodies, particularly if the baby is breastfed.
By 2 to 3 months of age, the antibodies that the baby carried from birth start to decrease, and the baby’s body starts making its own antibodies. However, the baby’s immune system won’t make as many antibodies as an adult’s until about 6 months of age. (3)
This leaves the baby susceptible to many things. This is why the first inoculation is carried out at 2 months of age.
Realistically speaking, the moment a baby is born, he/she is bombarded with trillions of bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi, and becomes a carrier. A baby’s body immediately starts producing antibodies to keep these bacteria, viruses, etc., from getting into the bloodstream.
Each of the trillions of bacteria contain between 2,000 and 6,000 immunological components — components that induce the body’s immune system to respond. (4) By comparison, today’s vaccines only carry 150 immunological components. So a baby’s immune system will be less affected than in the past.
"Thirty years ago, children received vaccines which protected against seven diseases. The total number of bacterial and viral proteins (immunological components) contained in these vaccines was a little more than 3000. Today, children receive vaccines that protect against 14 diseases, but the total number of immunological components in these vaccines is only about 150”. (3)
This means that vaccines are safer and purer than they were when we were children.
Modified Vaccination Schedule
The idea behind the “modified vaccination schedule,” advocated most popularly by Dr. Robert Sears, is to make more parents feel comfortable with getting their children vaccinated. The goal is to give no more than two shots per visit, complete as many shots as possible by age 2, and to allow flexibility around minimizing aluminum exposure, eliminating combination vaccine, or delaying certain vaccines. (5)
While this may provide parents with more peace of mind, there is a concern that the effectiveness of the modified immunization schedule hasn’t been proven, whereas the schedule recommended by the CDC and other health agencies has been scientifically proven and tested extensively. (6)
I’m sure we’d all agree we’d never want any of our children to fall victim to something that could have been prevented. At the same time, we must see how much better vaccinations have become over the last few decades and weigh both sides of the immunization debate.
Sources:
1) 2012 Recommended Immunizations for Babies. CDC. Web. Nov 22, 2012.
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/downloads/rec-iz-babies.pdf
2) 2003 Immunization Schedule. Generation Rescue. Web. Nov 22, 2012.
http://www.generationrescue.org/assets/Documents/Vaccination-Schedule1983.pdf
3) Too Many Vaccines? What you should know? The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Web. Nov 22, 2012.
http://www.chop.edu/export/download/pdfs/articles/vaccine-education-center/too-many-vaccines.pdf
4) Newborn immune system. Wellness.com. Web. Nov 22, 2012.
http://www.wellness.com/reference/allergies/newborn-immune-system
5) Modified Immunization schedule. Burgess Pediatrics. Web. Nov 22, 2012.
http://burgesspediatrics.com/images/Modified_Immunization_Schedule.pdf
6) Doctors Debate ‘Delayed Vaccine’ Schedule. Grayson, Audrey. ABC News Medical Unit. Web. Nov 22, 2012.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFluNews/story?id=6531763&page=1#.UK5jTIZKXb8
Reviewed November 23, 2012
by MIchele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith