Not Sticking to Vaccine Schedule May Harm Kids

A new study recently conducted in Oregon revealed a strong increase in the number of parents who are either delaying or avoiding vaccinations for their children.

In 1998, the medical journal Lancet reported a link between vaccination and autism. According to their report, twelve children experienced behavioral and intestinal concerns; and eight of the twelve were vaccinated against mumps, measles, and rubella.

This report was later retracted by The Lancet. It turned out that the head of the “study” released this report for personal gain. However, the damage had already been made. Concerned parents have already questioned the health effects of vaccination; especially because the retraction came twelve years later. Some parents refuse to allow their children to be vaccinated. Some who do have their children vaccinated have resulted in making their immunization schedule for fear that the children are often given too many shots too soon.

However  in an email to Reuters Health, Dr. Carol Baker, ACIP’s chair and a professor of pediatrics at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston wrote: “The recommended schedule is based on indisputable scientific evidence that the vaccines will work to prevent infections and are safe,”

Researchers from the Oregon Immunization Program found that the number of parents delaying vaccines or “shot limiters” rose from 2.5 percent in 2006, it grew to 9.5 percent in 2009.

In a 2010 Reuters survey, it was revealed that more than one in ten parents across the U.S. do not stick to the recommended vaccine schedule.

According to the authors from the Oregon Health Authority and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Delaying or avoiding shots through alternative schedules has known risks;  such as increasing the amount of time babies are susceptible to certain diseases.

“These limiter parents are gambling with the health of their children; parents should be able to make medical choices but I pray they will make the best choices, and not following the schedule is the wrong choice,” says Steve Robison from the Oregon Immunization Program and the lead author in the study.

Making informed health decisions for your children is important, and a good health insurance plan can serve as a safety net, giving you access to reliable pediatric care and preventive health checkups to ensure your child receives necessary vaccinations on time.