Why get vaccinated?

Well, my son turned one last Thursday which meant that it was time for those one year old shots. He was a trooper, though. Babies are forced to get all these shots within the first year, and most parents (like myself) go along with it because it is the best thing to do. Other parents, however, ask all the questions of why their child should receive so many vaccinations, especially if the child stays home.

One article explains why it is important to get children vaccinated. The most important reason they list is that it could save the child’s life by protecting them from the dangerous diseases. The article comforts parents by explaining how the shots are safe and effective.

My son received the chickenpox vaccine, also known as varicella, and the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine during his most recent visit to the doctor.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information on numerous vaccines, including these two. I learned here that before the chickenpox vaccine, about 11,000 people were hospitalized and about 100 people died each year from the disease.

The article about MMR explained that mumps could lead to deafness which is something that I did not know. Without the vaccinations, this disease could return to the United States.