Despite the many facts that prove the effectiveness and safety of vaccinations for children, myths about vaccinations are deeply rooted in the minds of many parents. Let's try to dispel fears and figure out which information is true and which is fabricated.
Myth 1: There is no need to get vaccinated against diseases that have long been absent in Ukraine
Indeed, some diseases have become very rare, but only thanks to vaccination. In countries where vaccinations are not carried out, children get sick and die from infections. In addition, due to the refusal of many parents to get vaccinated, in recent years, long-forgotten diseases have been encountered in European countries: measles, whooping cough, rubella, tetanus. Since 2015, several outbreaks of whooping cough and polio have been registered, and in 2023, an outbreak of measles was recorded. The best protection against these infectious diseases is timely vaccination .
Reducing the risk of infectious outbreaks and protecting unvaccinated children from infections through "herd immunity" is only possible when the number of vaccinated children exceeds 90%.
Myth 2: It is better to get sick naturally than to get vaccinated
Of course, children who have recovered naturally develop a strong immunity against the disease. But in addition to natural immunity, the child is likely to develop serious complications. For example, pneumonia and encephalitis are often diagnosed after measles, heart disease after diphtheria, liver cancer after hepatitis, and paralysis after polio. Whooping cough in infants can cause respiratory arrest. Tetanus has a mortality rate of up to 80%.
Myth 3: Vaccine side effects are much more harmful than the diseases themselves
Vaccines, like all medicines, can cause side effects, which are usually minor and include pain, a slight fever, redness or swelling at the injection site. In the event of illness, there is a very high risk of serious complications.
For comparison! Serious adverse reactions to vaccination are observed in one child out of a million. Measles infection occurs in 90% of cases when people come into contact with sick people. At the same time, 5% of those who have had the disease have health problems for the rest of their lives.
Myth 4: Children with chronic diseases should not be vaccinated
On the contrary, children with chronic pathologies (diabetes, asthma, and other diseases) need vaccination the most, as they are more vulnerable to various infections. In addition, the disease in them is much more severe and is very often accompanied by serious complications.
Therefore, children with chronic diseases are recommended, in addition to basic vaccinations, additional ones. For example, in case of bronchial asthma and diabetes, it is advisable to get vaccinated against pneumococcal infections (otitis, meningitis, pneumonia) and seasonal flu, and in case of liver pathologies - against hepatitis A. HIV-positive children are additionally recommended to get vaccinated against pneumococcal infections, flu and chickenpox.
Vaccination is a proven way to preserve health and life. Many myths surrounding this issue arise due to a lack of reliable information or fear of the unknown. As a pediatrician, I always emphasize: vaccination is not only about protecting an individual child, but also about creating collective immunity, which is important for the entire community. Trust in evidence-based medicine is the first step to a healthy future.
Myth 5: The vaccine can weaken or overwhelm the immune system
Some viruses, in the case of natural infection, can weaken the immune system and negatively affect the body's resistance. But this does not happen with vaccination. In the manufacture of vaccines, only highly weakened viruses are used, which are unable to affect the immune system.
The vaccine will not be able to overload the immune system, because during vaccination the load on the immune system is several hundred times lower than during an infectious disease. Even with the simultaneous administration of 14 different vaccines, no more than 0.1% of the total potential of the immune system will be involved.
Myth 6: Whole-cell diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (DPT) vaccine is worse and more dangerous than acellular
Both vaccines are highly effective and pose no danger to the child's body. True, when using the whole-cell vaccine, side effects such as fever, swelling, and soreness at the injection site are more common, but it provides more stable, reliable, and long-lasting protection.
In 1975, the Japanese Ministry of Health banned the use of whole-cell pertussis vaccine due to high levels of side effects. Three years later, about 13,000 cases of pertussis were diagnosed annually, up to 41 of which were fatal. Before that, up to 400 cases of the disease were recorded per year without a fatal outcome. Similar examples can be found in the history of Sweden, Great Britain, and the USSR.
Myth 7: A breastfed baby is protected, so vaccination is not necessary
Although breast milk is very beneficial for children's health and helps the body resist pathogenic microorganisms, it cannot protect against the most dangerous infectious diseases. In addition, due to the lack of appropriate antibodies in the blood, infants are defenseless against infections and are prone to dangerous complications. It will not be possible to avoid contact with sick people, because the baby can become infected even from the mother and other close people.
Myth 8: You can't get vaccinated during a disease outbreak
On the contrary, only vaccination can reliably protect a child from infectious disease, because during epidemics the risk of infection increases significantly.
During measles outbreaks, vaccination is the only way to protect a child from the disease and dangerous complications from contact with an infected person.
Myth 9: Vaccines cause autism in children
This vaccination myth arose after an article by British doctor Andrew Wakefield, published in a medical journal in 1998. The doctor claimed, based on observations of 12 children with autism, that the rubella, measles, and mumps vaccine could cause autism.
Since its publication, more than a dozen studies have refuted the link between vaccination and autism, proving that autism develops long before the vaccine, during embryonic development.
Myth 10: Vaccinated children also get sick
The probability of getting sick after vaccination is minimal (5-10%). In addition, a vaccinated child tolerates the disease much more easily and without complications, which allows avoiding disability and death.
Vaccination annually saves about 3 million children from death and about 750 children from disability.
Vaccination myths cause a lot of discussion and force young parents to refuse to vaccinate their children, exposing them to mortal danger. We hope that we were able to dispel your doubts and fears, because there is no alternative to vaccination, it is the only one that can reliably protect against infectious diseases.