I think immunizations are important in child development. I chose this topic for personal and professional reasons.
My oldest son, Caleb, had a low immune system when he was younger. It seemed like he would get sick if he came in contact with anyone who had a cold or virus. He was hospitalized several times before he was 5 years old, because he was not able to fight the colds or viruses as quickly as he should. I think immunizations are important, because they help prevent diseases. They help children stay healthy so they can grow and thrive.
My preschool program requires that students be current on their immunizations before they enter our program. I feel this is a safety measure that protects my students, my own children, and me. If they were allowed to enter our program without their immunizations, then one child could infect the others students. Some of these diseases can be very serious.
Many parents and teachers have never been exposed to the 14 diseases that now have an immunization. Two examples are polio and diphtheria. These diseases can paralyze or even kill children. Neither polio nor diphtheria has been seen in the US since 2006 due to vaccines (Graville, 2010). There were cases of polio reported in West Africa in 2004, and nearly 2000 cases reported worldwide in 2005 (Berger, 2009).
Immunizations can help prevent diseases that could interfere with a child’s growth and development. This issue has been addressed in many countries. Schools, child care programs, etc. are either requiring or strongly encouraging parents to have their children immunized. This will help the child grow, develop, and learn. Children cannot grow, develop, or learn effectively if they are sick.
I come in contact with children from other countries every year. It is required that every child entering our preschool program is current on their immunizations. Sometimes it is difficult to communicate with families if they do not speak English. Their culture may not support having their child immunized. I need to be well informed on the importance of immunizations so I can inform other parents.
I recommend parents:
- Talk to your child's pediatrician, or the local health department about the importance of immunizations.
- Post the recommended immunization schedule somewhere it can be viewed easily.
- Have your child seen yearly by a preditrician. This will help ensure the child is receiving the required immunizations based on the recommended schedule.
- Keep your child's current shot record accessible for easy reference. It serves as proof that your child's immunizations are current.
References:
Berger, K. S. (2009). The developing person through childhood (5th ed.).
New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
Graville, I. (2010). The Changing World of Childhood Immunizations.
Exchange: The Early Childhood Leaders' Magazine Since 1978, (194), 14-17.
Hello Marcie,
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate your blog topic, and I agree with you wholeheartedly about getting immunized. However, I cannot help but to think about a situation where a child was immunized and because of heredity (which usually creates problems for the male child) this child became deathly ill and end results the child is severely developmental delayed. Please do not misunderstand me, I still believe in immunization and made sure that my children were immunized and always up to the date.
What I do want to point out is that had the parents been made aware of what could happen since this child had that factor, the child could have had all the shots and bypass the one that cause the tragic situation
Marcie, let me add about the side effects of immunizations. Many parents think when a child get his/her shot, that's it, but it's really not. Some children has bad side effects and they are listed as: swelling, tenderness, redness, itchiness, fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, allergic reactions, seizures, convulsions, deafness, central nervous system disease and even death. So let's get the word out, when your child gets his/her shot, don't forget about the side effects that may occur afterwards.
ReplyDeleteReference:
Goss, H. (2011).Vaccine side effects in infants. Received from http://www.livestrong.com/article/27047-vaccine-side-effects-infants/
Alcole & Janet,
ReplyDeleteThank you for comments and concerns. I agree with you both. Immunizations can have side effects and can cause other problems. I recommend parents talk to their child's pediatrician or local health department to know all the facts. I always receive information on each vaccine. Some of the information provided is why to receive the vaccine, who should and should not receive the vaccine, side effects, and what to do if there is a reaction to the vaccine. Many parents will refuse the immunizations due to the side effects. I can understand their concern. I have 3 children and they all cried, ran a fever, and were uncomfortable for the first 24 hours after receiving their immunizations. I felt that the risk factors outweighed the possible side effects. There are circumstances where children have major side effects from immunizations and I cannot imagine how the parents and children deal with those issues. I feel it is the pediatrician’s responsibility to completely inform parents about the facts on immunizations.
I think it is important for children to get immunizations. I think the good from getting the immunizations out weigh the bad. In my preschool program, the students are also required to get vaccinated. We have to have proof that the children are vaccinated and that their vaccinations are up to date. I have two boys of my own and I did not even hesitate taking them to the pediatrician to get vaccinated when necessary. I do undersand that their are side effectts. I think that it is just important for parents to stay informed.
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