Immunization protects you and your child from vaccine-preventable diseases as well as everyone around you.
The underlying assumption is that if harm is done, only the unvaccinated individual will be affected.
As the recent measles outbreak has shown, this is not the case.
Jiaqi Zhou / Verywell
In 2011, there were 107 confirmed measles infections in the United States.
However, states, schools, and employers mayrequire certain vaccines.
Some areimmunocompromisedand cannot receive certain vaccines (particularlylive vaccines) because the vaccines can end up causing illness.
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Others are unable to achieve the same immune protection following vaccination due to an underlyingimmune deficiency.
One example involved a toddler with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
She died several days later due to multi-organ failure.
According to CDC officials, the rate of unvaccinated children in the United States is rising.
Today, around 1.3% of children remain unvaccinated by 24 months, up from 0.3% in 2001.
Although uncommon, a life-threatening allergic reaction may preclude some children from getting or completing a vaccine course.
Unlike children whose parents refuse them vaccines, these kids have true medical exemptions to getting vaccinated.
Summary
Vaccines are effective.
That leaves many kids under-protected against diseases they might otherwise avoid.
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Measles vaccine recommendations.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chickenpox vaccination.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Child and adolescent immunization schedule by age.
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