Are childhood vaccinations necessary? Vaccination - pros and cons

Daily Baby understands the controversial and controversial issue: Vaccinations conceal evil or save our children from serious illnesses? Radically opposing points of view are in the material.

From birth to life

The first vaccination against hepatitis B is given to a child 12 hours after birth. This is a voluntary matter, so the mother must sign consent for the baby to be vaccinated. In the first year of a baby’s life, dozens of vaccines are expected: against tuberculosis, hepatitis, measles, rubella and many other diseases.

Then, over the next many years, the person must undergo revaccination - booster vaccinations from some diseases.

Why are vaccinations given?

They allow the body to develop immunity to the disease, so that when it encounters it, it can overcome the virus and prevent the infection from taking over. Thanks to vaccinations, we have forgotten about such a terrible fatal disease, like smallpox, from which people died en masse centuries ago. Poliomyelitis, diphtheria - these serious illnesses were also defeated thanks to mass vaccination.

It would seem that there are continuous advantages, what kind of controversy can there be? But it's not that simple.

Alas, vaccinations almost always have side effects. Often this is simply an increase in body temperature and weakness of the baby. It also happens that given vaccinations make children disabled or even lead to death.

Doctors note: in order to avoid complications, it is important to vaccinate only an absolutely healthy child who has no contraindications or allergies to vaccine components.

The quality of the vaccine is of no small importance, and here parents often have to blindly trust doctors. Many parents choose imported drugs, believing that they are of higher quality: purified and do not contain harmful impurities, which means they are easier to tolerate by children and do not cause allergic reactions.

Opinions

Ekaterina Yuryeva, private pediatrician, mother of a daughter (St. Petersburg)

— Vaccinations, of course, need to be done. Modern mothers often have no idea about the diseases that vaccines protect against.

Diphtheria may, in addition to fatal outcome, lead to heart defects and infertility. Tetanus causes terrible suffering. Measles, whooping cough, tuberculosis and hepatitis B are very common and are especially dangerous for young children. That is why the main vaccination is carried out in the first year of life.

Babies tolerate vaccinations more easily, and there is no point in postponing them for longer. late date, if there is no indication for this. Of course, you should use common sense. Before the first vaccinations, you must consult a neurologist and take a blood and urine test. Do not forget that vaccination is carried out only healthy child.

Anna Ganina, pediatrician, mother of three children (Kemerovo)

- Yes, vaccinations have unpleasant consequences: from mild, which I consider malaise, pain at the injection site, moodiness, to severe, even death. But I also know what the consequences can be from those diseases that we almost never see today, and all thanks to vaccination.

The number of serious adverse reactions to the vaccine is significantly less than the risk from severe infections that these vaccines protect against.

Now it seems to us: what is it, polio! Doctors are thinking. And look documentaries about the polio epidemic in the mid-20th century in the United States. Hundreds of paralyzed and dead. This is a reality that is less than a hundred years old.

Quality domestic vaccines hasn't changed much since their first release. They contain antigens that are needed for the development of immunity, preservatives for storage, and adsorbents so that small molecules of antigens are easier to find by the cells of our immune system.

There are vaccines that contain the entire listed set, for example, DTP, and there are those that do not contain all of these components. Nothing extra. Many people are afraid of mercury and formaldehyde, but the quantities in which they are present in some vaccines are so small that we receive the same substances from the air in exhaust gases or a portion of fish in much larger quantities per day.

Valentina Rubtsova, theater and film actress, mother of a six-year-old daughter (Moscow)

— I am certainly in favor of vaccinations. Before vaccinating my child, I consulted with people competent in this field and talked with leading immunologists in Moscow. In addition, I myself analyzed what was happening around us.

In my opinion, vaccinations are necessary. After all, the statistics of diseases in our country, alas, are disappointing. The epidemiological situation leaves much to be desired.

Of course, there is a certain risk associated with vaccinations, and we, as parents, were very worried about our daughter before each vaccine. Before some vaccinations, I simply cried from uncertainty: who knows how the child will react, what the consequences will be? But vaccination is necessary for the health of the child, to protect him from serious diseases, such as hepatitis and tuberculosis. I myself get the necessary vaccinations, because the data speaks for itself: the incidence of the disease is growing, and the vaccine can protect against a dangerous disease.

We carefully selected vaccines for our daughter. Mostly, of course, they staged foreign ones. They are purified, tested, recommended by respected doctors, and children tolerate imported vaccines much easier.

Yulia Plotnikova, psychologist, mother of four children (Kemerovo)

— I have not given and do not give any vaccinations to my three daughters. Due to inexperience, my first daughter was given DPT, which she later very much regretted. There were unpleasant consequences from the vaccine: the child developed a severe fever.

By the way, in my infancy I myself had bad consequences from DPT: I ended up in the hospital with a very high temperature, my hair fell out - in general, horror. After that, my mother refused to vaccinate me and my sister.

By own experience I can say that refusing vaccinations has had a positive impact on my children. They go to kindergarten calmly, don’t get sick, have excellent immunity and good health. I attribute their strong immunity to the fact that they are quite for a long time were breastfed.

I know how to support children's health through herbal medicine, good nutrition and psychology. I pay great value psychosomatics, so I understand perfectly why this or that problem with a child’s health arises. It is important to know that you can increase your baby’s immunity with the help of the psychological atmosphere in the family, love and mutual understanding.

Catherine, Instagram blogger, “fitness mom”, son 3 years old (city of St. Petersburg)

— I am for competent vaccination, if it is done when the child is not sick, he is not allergic to any of the components of the vaccine and there are no contraindications.

We gave our son all vaccinations immediately from birth, then according to the European scheme: we gave complex vaccines.

There are several reasons at once - we had no contraindications, I knew in advance that in the absence of vaccination during the “epidemic” such children could be denied enrollment in preschool educational institution and even school, travel to some countries is prohibited and other issues.

To vaccinate or not? Which vaccinations should I choose? This question raises large number fierce disputes on parent forums. After all, the health of the child is the most important thing for mom and dad. Only you can decide the issue of vaccinations yourself, and we will provide the necessary information, share the opinions of supporters and opponents of vaccination and give practical recommendations.

Should children be vaccinated?

The debate about vaccinations has been going on for a long time, and there is no clear answer to the question “should I vaccinate my child or not?” On both sides they are given weighty arguments, are carried out scientific research and evidence. Parents must decide, and in this article you will find food for thought and practical recommendations.

According to the law in our country, parents make decisions get vaccinated child or not, How manyvaccinations and when. And they carry full responsibility for this decision. Currently, the Law of the Russian Federation of September 17, 1998 No. 157 “On the immunoprophylaxis of infectious diseases” is in force, which regulates this operation, and citizens must consciously, voluntarily with knowledge of the issue accept or not accept this type of medical care. Parents should study the issue as thoroughly and comprehensively as possible. This material has been prepared to help you.

When to think twice

Opponents of mass vaccination warn that any vaccination: DTP, BCG, polio or hepatitis vaccination is a serious invasion of the child’s immune system, comparable to surgery. You cannot treat them like taking vitamins and agree without thinking. Thinking about is it possible to get vaccinated, read the composition of the vaccine, the list of contraindications, side effects and possible complications after vaccination.

Immunologists, research scientists, experienced pediatricians and other vaccine-cautious professionals provide facts to consider when making your decision. about vaccinations for children:

No vaccine provides guaranteed protection against the disease. The probability that a person will get sick with exactly the disease for which he was vaccinated can reach 20% (according to the estimate of the chief sanitary doctor of Russia G.G. Onishchenko)

A vaccine is a combination of substances and microorganisms foreign to humans and often toxic. In addition to the causative agent of the disease, some vaccines contain mercury salts, formaldehyde, aluminum hydroxide, and even foreign microbes. Such a cocktail can cause unwanted and dangerous reactions in the body. reaction to vaccination: from fever after vaccination to severe allergic reactions, disorders nervous system And autoimmune diseases. Moreover, immunologists observe reactions that develop over 20 years after vaccination.

Many neurologists, immunologists, and homeopaths recommend not doing this to your baby. vaccinations up to one year or even two years. Vaccinations interfere with the establishment of innate immunity and the normal development of the immune system. In addition, newborns may not be exposed to the disease for which they are vaccinated.

Sometimes vaccination is not necessary. Since immunity to “vaccine” diseases often occurs naturally. A healthy, strong child can get mumps or rubella unnoticed (with mild symptoms similar to a mild cold).

Vaccinations “don’t work” in 20-25% of children, then after the introduction of the vaccine the level of antibodies to this disease does not change. In this case, vaccination does not provide protection, and it is useless or dangerous to continue. Some childhood diseases for which vaccinations are given are not dangerous in themselves and are easily transmitted by children (for example, chickenpox). Moreover, immunity after natural disease life. Vaccinal immunity disappears over time, and adults suffer from the same “childhood diseases” more severely, often with complications.

According to the current legislation of the Russian Federation, you have every right refuse vaccinations, and any childcare facility obliged to accept an unvaccinated child. There is Resolution No. 12 of November 2, 2000 of the Chief Sanitary Doctor of Moscow on the lifting of the ban on admitting unvaccinated children to child care institutions. A kindergarten who refuses to accept a child without vaccinations is breaking the law.

Opponents of mass vaccination believe that the generally accepted scheme is not suitable for everyone and not always. Parents have every right to full refusal of vaccinations or do only some of them. Most people and many doctors are confident that if vaccinations are refused, the child may become defenseless against infections. However, the main defense of any person is strong immunity, primary health, strengthened by a correct lifestyle from birth. Before the introduction of universal routine vaccination, not all children became infected, even during large outbreaks. Often sick recovered easily and without consequences.

When vaccination is a salvation

Almost all immunologists agree that there are situations in life when vaccination is necessary, and its benefits outweigh the negative ones consequences of vaccinations:

If you are going to a region with a real threat of contracting a dangerous infection, for example, tick-borne encephalitis or tropical fever.

If you or your child have been bitten by a wild or stray animal with symptoms of rabies

If you or your child received deep wound, if the wound is dirty and poorly washed with blood, if this happened in rural areas, there is a danger of contracting tetanus.

If in locality declared an epidemic of a dangerous infection, and you know for sure that this is an epidemic, not an outbreak.

If the child has been in contact with someone with a serious infectious disease (measles, diphtheria).

If the child lives in unfavorable unsanitary conditions, in a communal apartment, in places of increased migration from regions unfavorable for infectious diseases.

If a child is born to a mother with hepatitis B or HIV-infected, then it is necessary hepatitis B vaccination.

Important rules: if you refuse vaccination

Follow 3 rules to protect your unvaccinated child from infections and help him cope with the disease more easily:

Constantly monitor epidemiological situation. When sending your child to the company of other children (kindergarten, school, clubs, on a visit), find out if everyone is healthy and if there is a quarantine.

Explore symptoms of childhood infections in order to notice the disease in time and consult a doctor.

Lead a healthy lifestyle with your whole family, eat right and strengthen yourself. Learn and apply the methods increasing natural defenses.

Important rules: if you choose vaccination

If you decide to get vaccinated, follow the rules of competent and safe vaccination:

Avoid vaccinations if possible child under one year old.

Before each vaccination, it is recommended to examine the immunity and level of antibodies in the blood serum to the infectious agent against which the child is supposed to be vaccinated. If the antibody level is high, then there is no need to get vaccinated.

One month after vaccination, do repeat antibody test to make sure the vaccine worked. It is known that 20-25% of people are not able to develop immunity to a particular microbe. Then vaccinating is useless and even very harmful. Consult an immunologist; your child may need other methods of immune prevention.

Ask your doctor for a summary of the vaccine and carefully study its composition, contraindications and side effects. The vaccine should not contain mercury salts, formaldehyde, etc. The type of vaccine is also important. Children tolerate live vaccines especially hard. They often cause complications in the vaccination process. It's safer to choose a synthetic analogue, not live vaccine, although genetically engineered vaccines also have their own characteristics.

Only a completely healthy child can be vaccinated ( normal temperature, stool, there are no signs of a cold, malaise), and if his entire family is completely healthy. After any cold, acute respiratory viral infection or exacerbation chronic disease at least one and a half months must pass. It is also impossible vaccinate just before the start of visiting kindergarten, school, etc.

Healthy image life will help the child’s body more easily endure the test of vaccination. Strengthen your health, immunity, and strengthen your whole family.

Healthy solution

In addition to vaccinations and along with them, there are others effective ways , much safer for the body.

Hardening, proper nutrition, fresh air, hygiene, regimen and other elements are truly powerful weapons against infections. Immunology scientists have been monitoring families who refuse vaccination for many years. The children grew up and did not suffer a single childhood infection, even chickenpox, there are no allergy sufferers among them. But parents were responsible for the lifestyle of their children - breast-feeding up to 2-3 years (although there were also “artificial” ones), complementary foods made from fresh, not canned food, freshly squeezed juices, long walks in any weather, massage and gymnastics, hardening with simple and accessible methods.

Gradually, the physiological development of the immune system, combined with this lifestyle, formed healthy body , who passed through infancy, childhood, adolescence, adolescence without problems and entered adulthood.

Such a joyful picture is rather an exception to the rule. In young people 25-30 years old, a “bouquet” of chronic foci of inflammation is detected. The immune system is already “worn out” at this age. Opponents of vaccination believe that the reason for this is not correct image life since childhood and numerous vaccinations, up to one year especially. Later, an imbalance of adaptation systems leads to frequent illnesses, more and more serious.

Fortunately, it is within our power to correct the situation. Establishing a correct lifestyle is not so difficult, and the benefits it will bring are invaluable. IN big picture your family's health There may be a place for vaccinations. You just need to approach them carefully, carefully weighing the pros and cons. There's no need to rush give first vaccinations to a newborn and a child in the first year of life. During this time, you will have time to carefully study the issue, find out the epidemiological situation in the region, listen to the opinions of different doctors and make your own informed, responsible parental decision.

Whatever decision you make, let it be conscious and prepared. Keep your finger on the pulse, find out

Parents' concerns about whether their baby really needs vaccination from the cradle is quite natural and understandable. Moreover, medicine abdicates responsibility, giving parents the right to make their own decisions in this difficult issue. To finally make your decision, you should carefully study all the arguments for and against.

Childhood vaccination: arguments for

Please note that all the talk about the dangers of vaccinations for children appeared only in lately, when the risk of the spread of serious epidemics is reduced to a minimum. Vaccination helped stop massive outbreaks of diseases that recently claimed the lives of many people.

Due to unjustified refusal Parents from vaccinations in Russia have seen a noticeable increase in cases of children contracting measles, diphtheria, whooping cough and even polio. However, timely vaccination would avoid such depressing statistics. First of all, you should not succumb to mass panic and take into account the compelling arguments in favor:

• Graft will protect the child from numerous viruses, having developed in his body immune bodies to resist disease.
• Mass vaccination helps avoid serious outbreaks of epidemics, but it is precisely the fragile child’s body that becomes their first victim.
• There are a huge number of unsafe bacteria “walking” in the surrounding world, immunity to which is possible only through vaccination.
• Despite the fact that the vaccine does not protect 100%, Vaccinated children tolerate the disease more easily.
• The threat and risk posed by disease are much greater than those posed by vaccination. Almost all vaccines have the following ratio: low risk / high benefit.
• Massive refusal to vaccinate could lead to epidemics in the future.
• Today against every disease There is a wide range of vaccines. This allows parents to analyze them and select a vaccine for their child, taking into account all the characteristics of his body, in order to reduce the risk of possible complications.

Of course, when a child is born, he already has a certain immunity, however his protective forces still too weak and unstable. Even an adult is not immune to infectious diseases. The viruses and bacteria contained in the vaccine are inactive, they are not capable of causing disease, however, they also help the body produce protective antibodies in case of illness.

A negative reaction to a vaccine is often exaggerated by parents, who sometimes mistake it for a common cold.

Are vaccinations really necessary: ​​arguments against

Nevertheless, The increasing talk about the dangers of childhood vaccinations is not at all groundless. Unfortunately, situations often occur when vaccinating a child causes complications at best. Medical workers Those who deny the need for mass vaccine prevention cite the following arguments in defense of their own opinion:

• The diseases against which children are vaccinated are already do not pose a serious danger.
• In the first 1.5 years of life the baby receives an unreasonably high number of vaccinations, which is a serious stress on his immune system.
• Some vaccines, for example, the well-known DTP, contain obviously dangerous compounds that can lead to complications. Organic mercury salt, which is the basis of many vaccines, is highly toxic even for an adult.
• No vaccine protects 100%.
• It is impossible to predict in advance the reaction of each individual organism to a specific vaccine.
• Very often, complications after vaccination arise due to improper storage of the vaccine. Immediately before vaccination, each parent can ensure that the vaccine is removed from the refrigerator, but where is the guarantee that it was transported and stored before in compliance with all standards?
• Incorrect vaccine administration technique- a source of complications. Parents are unlikely to be able to control this factor on their own.
• In the conditions of modern pediatrics, when doctors insist on universal vaccination, the characteristics of each individual child are not taken into account. Children who have not only temporary, but also absolute contraindications to vaccination.
• The results of independent studies show that today the risk of post-vaccination complications has long outweighed the possibility of contracting the disease itself.
• The pharmaceutical business is one of the most profitable. Companies producing vaccines earn a lot of money, they are extremely interested in mass vaccination and hiding information about possible contraindications and risks.
• Approved and valid The vaccination calendar does not correspond to the epidemiological situation on at the moment, viruses mutate and change, but vaccines against them remain the same.
• Today, experts claim an increase in children such as autism, learning disabilities, sleep and eating disorders, and impulsive aggression. There is an opinion that this trend is related specifically to vaccination. In third world countries where compulsory vaccination is not carried out, such deviations practically do not occur. No one knows what consequences universal vaccination will have in the future.

What the law says

Art. 5 Federal Law dated September 17, 1998 N 157-FZ “On immunoprophylaxis of infectious diseases” states: “When carrying out immunoprophylaxis, citizens have the right to: receive from medical workers complete and objective information about the need for preventive vaccinations, the consequences of refusing them, possible post-vaccination complications", T.

e. This article clearly establishes the right of citizens to receive information from a doctor about possible adverse reactions when getting vaccinated.

Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of August 2, 1999 N 885 approves scroll post-vaccination complications caused by preventive vaccinations included in national calendar preventive vaccinations, and preventive vaccinations for epidemic indications, giving citizens the right to receive state one-time benefits, which indicate the following complications:

1. Anaphylactic shock.

2. Severe generalized allergic reactions(recurrent angioedema- Quincke's edema, syndrome Stephen-Johnson, Lyell's syndrome, syndrome serum sickness etc.).

3. Encephalitis.

4. Vaccine-associated polio.

5. Lesions of the central nervous system with generalized or focal residual manifestations leading to disability: encephalopathy, serous meningitis, neuritis, polyneuritis, as well as clinical manifestations convulsive syndrome.

6. Generalized infection, osteitis, osteitis, osteomyelitis caused by the BCG vaccine.

7. Chronic arthritis caused by the rubella vaccine.

How often, when bringing a child for vaccination, can parents get all the truthful information about possible complications?

It would be a mistake to completely reject one or another point of view on childhood vaccination, because each of them contains a sound grain. Infant has quite weak immunity, so it is unlikely to be able to resist the disease. But it is for this same reason that it may be difficult for a baby to tolerate vaccination.

For parents to accept the right decision and don’t blame yourself later for a rash step, You should first familiarize yourself with the vaccine and its composition, find out the possibilities of complications and risks. However, one cannot ignore the seriousness of the spread of diseases and the likelihood of infection.

Despite the high quality of vaccine products, no single company can be responsible for the individual reaction of each child. After all side effects are sometimes unpredictable and parents are simply obliged, without succumbing to senseless panic, to study the effect of the drug in advance. Any vaccine is first and foremost a medical drug, which has its own contraindications.

If parents agree to have their child vaccinated, they must strictly adhere to the rules of preparation for vaccination and behavior after it. To minimize negative reaction for the vaccine, you will need:

• Use only high-quality vaccination preparations;
• Strictly follow the vaccination rules;
• Carefully review precautions and risk options based on the health of each child.

Only in this case immune system the child will be able to develop antibodies against a particular infection.

More details about general rules read about preparation for vaccination

In the conditions of modern pediatrics, parents are obliged to engage in self-education and independently make decisions about vaccination, because all responsibility for the health of the child lies only with the parents.

Do you vaccinate your child? Share your experience and comments.

How do you feel about vaccinations? Has your child had any vaccinations?

I have a daughter born in 1992. Until 7 months of age, normal development, crawling. Everything is fine. Before vaccination. Six months later, I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy with prenatal development. WHAT THE FUCK. Now he doesn't even crawl. Screw this non-traditional medicine out of the woods. I hope I'm not late with my prejudices.

My position on vaccinations is this:

"Most vaccinations in most cases can be unreasonably dangerous and undesirable for the child, and there are serious reasons to refuse them."

That's it, no more but no less. I have not vaccinated my child and will not do so.

A person who refuses vaccinations is necessarily immediately labeled as a rabid sectarian, a madman who risks the lives of children; paranoid, believing in the conspiracy theory of evil doctors... You know, I'm incredibly tired about this. I'm tired of communicating with stupid and illiterate people, just don't be offended. I am a biologist by training, and we had a course in immunology; Plus, later I read a lot of books on immunology and special materials, and continue to read them to this day. Whatever one may say, I have at least some understanding of the issue, certainly at the level of basic concepts and special terminology. And I must tell you that immunology is one of the most interesting, and at the same time, most complex branches of biology. People with whom you sometimes have to enter into a discussion on vaccinations – in 99% of cases they “understand” the issue at the level of several postulates:

1. Vaccinations are the only way to save children from terrible diseases; a vaccinated child is not afraid of diseases; an unvaccinated child will die from disease;
2. An unvaccinated child is dangerous for vaccinated children; he should not be allowed into the group with vaccinated children; (trying to understand how this point fits with the previous one? Where is the logic here? Don’t try, it’s useless).
3. All vaccinations are completely safe for children and do not pose the slightest threat to them;
4. All doctors and pharmacists are completely competent, impeccably truthful, absolutely well-intentioned towards children;
5. (as a conclusion from the previous ones): Anyone who refuses vaccinations is a) paranoid, according to paragraphs 3 and 4; b) an enemy to one’s own children, according to clause 1; c) the enemy and all the surrounding children too, according to paragraph 2 (this point is especially interesting, since it takes the question beyond the scope of “his personal business”).

These postulates, like any dogmatic statements, are not subject to any doubt, do not need verification, and are not shaken by any facts and reasoning. Talking to such people about vaccinations is a completely pointless exercise. Therefore, if you have knowledge about vaccinations - within the framework of the above postulates - I ask you to close this material and do not read it further. It is intended for people who have not yet completely lost the ability to reason, logically, and unbiased thinking, and who are interested in finding out how things are in reality, in fact, and not defending their opinions, whether they are correct or not.

When the birth of a child loomed, I began to prepare very carefully for this on many issues, including the issue of vaccinations. Having sifted through and subjected to detailed analysis a lot of materials, both anti-vaccination, pro-vaccination, and neutral academic, I came to certain conclusions. Here they are:

1. The question of the need and usefulness of vaccinations is very, very complex, requiring special consideration and analysis for each vaccination separately; for most vaccinations there are serious arguments against their being needed at all; DEFINITELY this question does NOT look like “all vaccinations that are given are necessary and useful”;
2. The question of the harmlessness and absence of threats from vaccinations is very, very complex, requiring special consideration and analysis for each vaccine separately; for most vaccinations there are serious arguments that speak of a real, non-illusory danger to the health of the vaccinated child; CLEARLY this question does NOT look like “all vaccinations that are given are completely safe for the child.”
3. Official medicine insists on the unconditional necessity and complete safety of all vaccinations; at the same time, contradicting the information leading to the conclusions in paragraphs 1 and 2, it demonstrates the absence of any serious argumentation in favor of its statements; on the contrary, it clearly demonstrates the widespread use of psychological manipulation, pressure, intimidation, deliberate outright lies, and suppression of real facts.
4. Similar behavior official medicine is not at all of the nature of a “conspiracy theory”, but is completely explainable from the standpoint of, firstly, the total corruption of medical workers and officials who created the conditions of strong material interest in the results of vaccination and complete irresponsibility for any consequences of vaccination; secondly, the general degradation of the public institution of medicine, both from the scientific and practical, and from the moral and moral side, and the actual attitude of people and doctors towards medical issues, as to religious issues – i.e. not requiring confirmation or proof. In general, issues of the current situation in medicine require separate consideration; Things are bad there globally, and not just in pediatrics.
5. In order to reach the above conclusions, an impartial analysis is completely sufficient open information, including pro-vaccination and official; In this case, it is not necessary to be a specialist in immunology; general education, general common sense and mastery of logic. A more detailed analysis of the information, delving into highly specialized biological and immunological issues, usually shows that the argument in favor of abstaining from vaccinations is even more thorough and strong. In particular, the argumentation of the thesis is practically undeniable that vaccination is a gross intervention in the immune system, although it may give resistance to a specific disease, but it causes swipe for immunity in general.

(At this point, another small digression away from medicine to politics and psychology. People tend to believe that the authorities and, in general, any higher authorities initially treat them favorably, are, so to speak, good, care about the entire people as a whole. And , despite minor reasons to be dissatisfied with the authorities, it is difficult for people to even theoretically perceive the concept that the authorities can be hostile to the people. Purely psychologically, it is easier to reject this concept, since it is sometimes very unpleasant to obey the authorities in one way or another; family, albeit a very harsh one - you feel oppressed, but protected; it’s another thing to obey an unambiguous enemy: you feel like a slave who is in danger of death. Therefore, people are often inclined to reject without reasoning any statements that the authorities are doing certain things. obviously hostile to the people and to you personally. Although at present the simplest analysis of reality shows that nothing else can explain what is happening.

In our countries, the authorities are essentially an occupation administration that acts not for the benefit of the people, but for the benefit of foreign occupiers. Their interests include, among other things, the systematic reduction of the population “peacefully”. The simplest powerful directions of influence visible to the naked eye in this vein are the stimulation of alcoholism, smoking, drug addiction, and informational influence aimed at reducing the birth rate. In addition to these large ones, there are dozens of smaller, bearing fruit, actions of the authorities against the people (destruction of education, public morality, family values, normal health care, etc.), but this is not the topic of this article. So, based on this, I consider it extremely important to have the correct psychological attitude towards any actions, any initiatives of the authorities. We do not and cannot know all their secret thoughts and desires. However, if we believe that the authorities are, in principle, benevolent towards the people, then we should trust all their initiatives. And if we believe that the authorities are, in principle, hostile to the people, then we should initially perceive all their initiatives with skepticism, treat them as hostile until the contrary is proven. As I already said, psychologically it is not easy. However, you also need some kind of responsibility towards your children. To consider that your psychological comfort is more important than their life and health is somehow not quite adult-like.

So, knowing and seeing how the authorities carelessly treat the health of the people and maliciously destroy it, I just can’t believe that the pressure they constantly put on vaccinations - expanding the list of vaccinations, increasing the number of people vaccinated, arises from nowhere vaccinations against bird flu, swine cough, atypical diarrhea and other unknown Japanese crap - that all this pressure from the authorities is carried out in a fit of concern for the welfare of the people. And opposite assumptions come easily)

(finishing about vaccinations, I want to say that I deliberately did not touch upon the discussion of specific issues of argumentation against vaccinations. Because this has already been done before me, repeatedly, efficiently and in full; why do an abstract if you can read the primary sources.)

Victor Sergienko

Vaccination - good or evil? Hardly any other medical topic in the last decade has been discussed as widely as this one. Should children be vaccinated, whether they will cause serious illnesses in the future, how to protect a child from post-vaccination complications - the materials on our website will answer the questions of concerned mothers and fathers.

Where do the legs of fear come from?

Parental fear of vaccinations did not come out of nowhere: the emergence of a growing number of ardent opponents of vaccination from year to year was preceded by massive campaigns in the media and social networks.

A paradoxical situation has arisen: on the one hand, the quality of parents’ knowledge about the essence, purpose and mode of action of vaccinations stubbornly tends to zero, on the other hand, their awareness of the possible tragic consequences of vaccination has long passed all conceivable limits.

Fact: even in Soviet times There have been cases of severe reactions to vaccinations - the very probability of such an outcome, although negligible, is still described to this day in all annotations for batches of drugs. Another thing is that no one worried the public - these were hidden statistics. That is why millions of Soviet children were vaccinated quite safely and subsequently grew up strong and healthy people. It never occurred to anyone that vaccinations are harmful and dangerous!

There is another reason for the growing panic around mandatory vaccination: trust in the doctor’s word has dropped to a critical level. Even back in the mid-90s, no one thought to challenge the invitation of the local pediatrician for vaccination: it is necessary - that means it is necessary. Now in medical recommendations Parents are increasingly inclined to see a hidden intention to harm the child and even make money from it. Alas…

So, let’s summarize: parents’ fear of vaccinations is completely irrational, but it is largely provoked by judgments imposed from the outside and a well-directed flow of negativity, with which doctors simply have no time to fight, drowning in piles of official papers.

• About the types of vaccines and their mechanisms of action
• ABOUT proper preparation for vaccination
• About post-vaccination complications
• About medical withdrawals: who really shouldn’t be vaccinated
• Why does your child still need to be vaccinated?

Good-quality, objectively presented information is what mothers and fathers of babies really need: it will be equally useful both to those who consider vaccinations an important component of caring for the child, and to those who have not yet made a choice or are strongly negative.

In the end, it is always worth listening to the arguments of opponents - perhaps they will seem quite convincing to those who generally deny the benefits of vaccination.

What is a vaccination?

The goal of any vaccination campaign is to prevent a possible epidemic of infections that could disable or kill millions of adults and children.

To do this, a dose of a drug containing minimum quantity infectious strains and dangerous infections. This is a vaccination.

The resulting effect is comparable to mild form course of diseases: simulated natural process infection, to which the immune system responds and forms further immunity in the event of a full-fledged infection.
In other words, a vaccinated child either does not get sick at all when an epidemic is raging around, or tolerates an attack of infection very easily and without complications.

What would happen if it weren't for vaccinations?

Let's imagine for a moment that vaccinations have been canceled all over the world. Nothing else strains the immune system or causes complications: human organisms finally given complete freedom - now let them cope with illnesses themselves.
Do you know what will probably happen in the first twenty years, when children who are deprived of vaccinations grow up?

Here's what:

• We will again learn what epidemics of highly contagious diseases are - measles, whooping cough, diphtheria, rubella
• Tuberculosis will start to decimate us again - and no high-calorie food won't help
• Polio will raise its head and make millions of children disabled
• Epidemics will turn into pandemics

Fact: Before the advent of the first vaccines, humanity came close to extinction several times. The plague pandemic in the 14th century claimed 60 million lives; the cholera pandemic, the last of which occurred in the 60s and 70s of the last century, killed a total of about five million people. “Spanish Flu” - the most severe form of influenza - completely broke all fatal records: in 1918-1919, from 50 to 100 million people on the Earth died from it.

Poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, tuberculosis, hepatitis - the most contagious and severe infections, for the fight against which more and more new vaccines have been created and continue to be created, also have their sad account.

And if the world now lives in relative safety, it is precisely thanks to total vaccination, and not to luck or the disappearance of dangerous infections. It is important to know: viruses and microbes have not gone away, they are simply strictly controlled.

There is only one thing that gives us hope: the number of supporters of vaccination is still significant more number his opponents: the world has a system of collective security, which is ensured by vaccinated people.
In epidemiology, the following ratio is accepted: in order to prevent an epidemic from occurring, at least 95 percent of children and adults must be vaccinated. Five percent of “refuseniks” do not make a difference in this case - society is still reliably protected from outbreaks of infections.

The growing number of anti-vaxxers will inevitably lead to a disaster, the consequences of which will be very difficult to combat.

What do anti-vaxxers say?

The following arguments are usually voiced:

• The quality of vaccines is questionable - they are produced with gross violations of technology
• No one follows the rules of storage and transportation; children are injected with expired drugs
• It is not a fact that a child will definitely get sick living in a civilized society, so there is no need to strain the body in vain because of an absolutely hypothetical danger
• Even many doctors are against vaccinations and do not vaccinate their children.

Well, now let's present our counterarguments.

Vaccine quality

The quality of vaccines produced by domestic and foreign pharmaceutical companies, in fact, quite deserving of high praise.

If this were not so, the world would simply be overwhelmed by a wave of childhood disabilities and deaths - and no one would be able to hide this fact. Imagine the headlines in the media: “Shock: after mass vaccination all the children in city N of such and such country died!”, “Vaccinations killed the entire child population of country A, and made all the children of country B disabled!”

Introduced? Wild, isn't it? Following the logic of supporters of the argument about the low quality of vaccines, it is then necessary to completely abandon any medical supplies: if no one in pharmaceutical companies controls the quality of vaccination materials, then all their other products are also dangerous. However, we buy, treat and recover. So, is quality control okay?

Storage and transportation rules

The cold chain is really critical here: vaccines are a capricious material and prone to rapid deterioration due to temperature changes. Nobody intentionally breaks this rule. Medical professionals are people who have undergone special training and are well aware of the consequences of improper storage of these drugs.

In addition, they are personally responsible for everything that happens to the people they vaccinated after the introduction of a low-quality vaccine. The same applies to delays. An expired vaccine is not like sour milk in the supermarket. Believe me, no one wants to go to jail. And in general, do not consider your compatriots involved in medicine to be misanthropes.

What if it passes?

A little higher, we wrote about why five percent of “refuseniks” have the luxury of thinking that their children most likely will not get sick. In general, they are right: when 95 percent of people around are vaccinated, the likelihood of getting some kind of serious infection is really low.

Now imagine that the number of opponents of vaccinations has grown sharply and amounts to 50 percent. Or 95 percent: former supporters of vaccination suddenly became afraid of the consequences that so often frighten adherents of “vaccination-free” childhood. It’s not far from the epidemic here, so it’s unlikely to happen.

Here is another counterargument: both we and our children live among people. And people breathe, sneeze, blow their nose, and can even injure them - bite, for example. At this moment, they can easily be sick or carriers of infections.

Now calculate your chances of “slipping through” if you or your child have not formed specific immunity. By the way, epidemics and pandemics begin precisely where there are critically few vaccinated people or none at all. Therefore, for example, the countries of Africa - the poorest continent - often become the main newsmakers regarding outbreaks long forgotten in prosperous Europe or North America diseases.

Even doctors are against it!

Doctors are people too. And they tend to make mistakes, despite a lot of baggage special knowledge and experience. They also have a legal right to make honest mistakes - did you know that? They’ll talk to you, promise you, convince you - and nothing will happen to them for it: well, they made a mistake, it happens.

Dangerous, however, is not a delusion. The strange magic of a long-devalued medical diploma is dangerous: for some reason, any scandalous and often absurd ideas promoted by people in white coats are a resounding success. The more scandalous, the more reliable. Yes. The doctor said it was sacred. Another paradox.

God knows why some doctors so ardently advocate refusing vaccinations and do not even vaccinate their own children. Obviously, not without reason, they count on the fact that those same 95 percent of conscientious parents live around them who take on all the vaccination risks, ultimately creating a completely prosperous epidemiological picture that prevents doctor’s children from becoming seriously ill.

To be fair, it must be said that there are actually few of them. Most doctors and nurses even vaccinate their own children and regularly vaccinate themselves.

Why does a baby need so many vaccinations?

The first three years of a healthy child’s life actually account for the largest number of routine vaccinations: the first of them - against hepatitis B - the baby receives 12 hours after birth, then comes the turn of BCG, which is done a few days later.

Many? Yes! But they are absolutely necessary, because it is at this age that children are most vulnerable to attacks from infections, and children’s immunity is still too fragile to cope with serious illnesses alone.

Vaccinations are especially important in the first year, while the baby’s organs and systems are intensively developing, so the question of whether children need to be vaccinated should not even be raised at all.

Absolutely all vaccinations must be done, and on time. Read below about why regularity is important.

The most important vaccinations of the first year

Hepatitis B vaccination

The very first vaccine a child receives. It protects babies from severe viral infection liver, which often later leads to cirrhosis. How can one become infected with hepatitis B? small child? For example, for some medical manipulations: alas, not all nurses are conscientious and change gloves before each injection. An accidental cut with an infected object can also cause infection.

Should I do it? Mothers are usually embarrassed by horror stories about jaundice, which supposedly inevitably happens to vaccinated children, and they strongly associate the complication of cirrhosis with alcoholism: they say, why does a child need a completely useless and, in addition, dangerous vaccination? Jaundice in newborns actually has other causes, and cirrhosis occurs not only in alcoholics - this is a fact of life. Therefore, be sure to do it!

BCG vaccination

Usually there are no problems with it, because everyone knows: tuberculosis is not to be trifled with, and this disease cannot be called rare.

Vaccination against polio

Another stumbling block and subject of fierce debate. Should I do it? Opponents of this vaccine rely on the extreme rarity of the disease. How is everything really going? The inhabitants of the planet are actively migrating in search of better life, carrying with them their illnesses. The leaders in migration are precisely citizens of problematic countries where poverty is rampant and wars are fought, which means that no one is monitoring the epidemiological situation there. The result is the “export” of the same polio to Europe, where everyone has forgotten about this disease. Conclusion - definitely get vaccinated!

Measles, rubella, diphtheria, mumps

Serious illnesses that can lead to disability and even death of a sick child. Don't be careless - vaccinate your children. Combination vaccines are quite reliable and effective.

Flu shot

Another type of vaccination that most doctors insist on, but parents unanimously ignore these recommendations. The opponents' reasoning is not without logic: flu vaccines are aimed at combating only one strain, and there is no guarantee that it will come in the winter. That is, vaccination may turn out to be meaningless - so why strain children's immunity? The question remains open to this day: neither side manages to collect enough arguments in favor of its point of view.

About the vaccination calendar

Vaccination campaigns are not carried out chaotically: each vaccination is tied to specific dates. This is explained by clinical evidence the greatest efficiency introduction of vaccines at a particular age.