Jennifer Krahenbuhl
English 102
Patricia McKeown
September 1st 2014

Pros and Cons to Vaccinations in Children
Almost everyone has heard of the benefits and dangers of childhood vaccines. Parents are especially eager to do what is best for their child to protect him or her. Some people have different opinions on what the best specifically entails when it comes to childhood vaccines. Vaccinations are a controversial discussion as parents question whether it should be mandatory or optional when they feel the cons outweigh the pros. The government says it is the right thing to do for parents and their families to remain safe from illnesses and diseases. However, there have been opinions of opposition voiced by parents and health …show more content…

Pneumococcal conjugate causes infections, pneumonia, and meningitis. There are four doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine that are given to children at the ages of two, four, and six months, and a final dose at twelve months(CDC). This disease is responsible for nearly 200 deaths a year(CDC). This vaccine has produced no serious reactions. The risk of this vaccine causing serious harm or death is extremely slim.
Vaccines have come a long way in getting rid of diseases and preventing them from coming back. However, there remain certain viruses and diseases for whom vaccinations are not available. Vaccinations provide a safe means of exposure to antigens allowing the immune system to generate a memory response long before a natural encounter with the pathogen occurs. Despite the large degree of success in many vaccines, diseases such as AIDS, chronic hepatitis, and cancer still plague humans. The first vaccine for the Hepatitis B virus was licensed in 1981. Researchers later developed an improved Hepatitis B vaccine. Mandatory vaccination of newborns decreased the frequency of the Hepatitis B virus infection in developed countries. However, the success of vaccines have been limited, and vaccines may not apply to every disease condition. Nevertheless, vaccines still play a major role in disease prevention and treatment in the future. The United States has developed flu