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Childhood Vaccination Myths Debunked
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Vaccines can infect my child with the disease they're meant to prevent
Vaccines either use killed or weakened pathogens that cannot cause disease, or pieces of the pathogen that trigger immunity.
Vaccines cause autism
Multiple large-scale studies have found no link between vaccines and autism. The initial 1998 study that sparked this fear was retracted due to fraudulent data.
Vaccines contain unsafe toxins
The substances in vaccines such as formaldehyde and aluminum are at such low levels they do not cause harm and are often produced naturally by the body or found in the environment.
Infants are too young to be vaccinated
The vaccination schedule is carefully designed to protect young children as early as possible from serious infections they are most vulnerable to.
You don't need vaccines if everyone else is vaccinated
Herd immunity does protect the unvaccinated, but if too many people forego vaccination, herd immunity can't be maintained and outbreaks can occur.
Natural immunity is better than vaccine-acquired immunity
While natural immunity can be strong, it also comes with a risk of severe illness and complications. Vaccines provide a safe way to build immunity without the dangers of disease.
Vaccinated children are more likely to develop chronic illnesses
Research has not found vaccines to be associated with a higher risk of chronic diseases. This myth often relies on faulty reasoning and misunderstanding of correlation and causation.
Vaccines can cause the diseases to mutate into more dangerous forms
There is little evidence to suggest vaccines cause pathogens to become more dangerous. Actually, high vaccine coverage can reduce the chances of mutation.
It's safe to delay vaccines and follow an alternative schedule
Delayed vaccination leaves children at risk for preventable diseases for longer. The recommended schedule is tested for safety and effectiveness.
Vaccines aren't necessary because the diseases they prevent are extinct
Many vaccine-preventable diseases still exist in different parts of the world and can easily spread when vaccination rates drop.
Too many vaccines can overwhelm a child's immune system
Children's immune systems are more resilient than many think. They are exposed to numerous antigens every day, and vaccines present a tiny amount to their systems.
Vaccines will give you side effects that are worse than the disease itself
Most vaccine side effects are minor and temporary, such as a sore arm or mild fever. Serious side effects are extremely rare, especially compared to risks of the disease.
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