Are Vaccines Safe for Kids?

By Becky Orr

CHEYENNE — For some people, vaccinating infants and children against preventable disease is a part of childhood, like baby teeth and tricycles.

But critics say vaccines cause more harm than good. Vaccinations can have dangerous physical side effects, they add.

Such conflicting messages can create a dilemma for parents as they wonder what to believe.

A national survey released in June of 376 households found that 80 percent of parents are uncomfortable getting their children vaccinated. Still, 95 percent said they would get the vaccinations.

Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Vaccine Program Office analyzed survey findings.

The biggest objection to vaccines is the pain of injection, cited by 38 percent of parents surveyed.

About 26 percent had concerns that ingredients in vaccines are not safe; 30 percent feared the shots could cause autism or other learning disabilities.

Some 32 percent worried about vaccine-caused fevers, and 2 percent said they would not get their infants vaccinated.

“The overwhelming number of parents have vaccinated or plan to vaccinate,” said Allison Kennedy, CDC epidemiologist and survey author. “But they had a lot of questions.”

Survey results found that parents look for information and want facts from their doctors.

Read the entire article here.