7 Myths About Childhood Immunizations Debunked

As a caring parent, there’s little you wouldn’t do to protect your child’s health. Immunizations are a key part of that journey.

With the prevalent misinformation circulating, you might wonder what’s fact versus fiction in terms of these vaccines. Rather than turn to “Dr. Google,” rely on guidance from trusted medical experts.

The team at Health Solutions, in Tinley Park, Rockford, and Olympia Fields, Illinois, & Munster, Indiana, includes compassionate physicians who provide well-child exams and vaccinations to keep your child healthy.

As you navigate your child’s wellness decisions, keep the following debunked myths in mind.

1. Myth: It’s better for children to have the illness 

While having a vaccine-preventable illness may make your child immune to related bacteria or viruses, it’s far better to avoid getting sick to begin with. Immunizations lower your child’s risk of becoming ill. They also help prevent severe symptoms and complications if your child does get sick.

The measles vaccine, for example, has prevented millions of childhood deaths. Flu shots help keep kids out of the hospital. Immunizations also help prevent the spread of illness to others who may be especially vulnerable.

2. Myth: Children can get the illness from immunizations

Most vaccines are inactivated, making it impossible to cause the illness. While a few immunizations contain live organisms, they don’t cause anything more than mild symptoms. 

The chickenpox vaccine, for instance, may cause a mild and harmless rash. That’s far better than needing to be hospitalized for severe symptoms or developing a complication such as a brain infection.

3. Myth: COVID-19 vaccines are too new

The COVID-19 vaccines may seem like brand-new immunizations, but scientists have been working on these types of vaccines for many years, including for previous coronaviruses. 

All available COVID-19 vaccines in the United States have been rigorously tested for safety and effectiveness in lowering the risk of acquiring COVID-19 and preventing life-threatening symptoms. Within two years, the vaccines prevented an estimated 3.2 million deaths.

4. Myth: Vaccines cause autism

While it’s a fairly common myth, vaccines have never been scientifically linked with autism. The two small studies often cited as proof of measles vaccine harm were flawed and later redacted.

The rate of vaccine-preventable illnesses in kids with autism isn’t any higher than in those without autism. You can rest assured that if your child has autism, it’s not due to immunization.

5. Myth: Children are too young for vaccines

Many of the illnesses vaccines offer protection from, such as mumps, measles, and whooping cough, are the most dangerous and are potentially deadly in small children. For these reasons, those immunizations are recommended early on.

Your baby’s first vaccines are provided in their first two months. Over the next two years, they receive regular immunizations. Later on, they’ll need booster shots, as well as another round of immunizations around ages 4-5 and 11-12. 

6. Myth: Kids get too many vaccines these days

Immunizations are only recommended for illnesses they truly provide protection from. While more vaccines exist today than decades ago, that’s a sign of progress, not of overdoing it. 

Vaccines have become more available and efficient as scientific knowledge has increased. They’re known to protect kids and adults alike from over 20 significant illnesses. Partly because of vaccines, human life expectancy has increased.

7. Myth: Vaccines contain dangerous toxins

It can seem scary to learn that vaccines contain trace amounts of aluminum, mercury, or formaldehyde. Far larger amounts of these ingredients would pose risks, but small amounts make vaccines more sterile, safe, and effective. For perspective, your body produces more formaldehyde than any vaccine contains.

To learn more or get on track with your child’s immunizations, call Health Solutions today or book an appointment online here.