Why Should I Vaccinate My Child?

You vaccinate your child not simply to prevent them from ever getting sick, but primarily to ensure they are able to tackle potential complications—ones that can sometimes be severe or even life-threatening.

Over the past decades, the effectiveness and safety of vaccines have been thoroughly tested. It’s important to know that before a vaccine is approved, it undergoes years of laboratory and clinical studies. For this reason, vaccines are considered safe, with the approval of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In recent years, vaccines have faced some skepticism. Essentially, they are “victims of their own success,” as they have contributed to the elimination of many diseases to the point that the public no longer encounters them and thus may underestimate their existence or danger. Many fatal diseases have disappeared due to vaccination (e.g., diphtheria, tetanus), while others like measles, meningitis and mumps have been significantly reduced.

Bolstering the body’s defenses with antibodies (ready-made immunity) is crucial for infants. At birth, babies have only the antibodies they received from their mother and continue to receive through breast milk. However, these maternal antibodies aren’t sufficient and don’t last long. Therefore, stimulating antibody production through vaccination is essential.

Vaccine complications are generally mild and usually involve redness, swelling, and discomfort at the injection site. Severe allergic reactions are extremely rare.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• If my child is vaccinated, will they be 100% protected from the disease?
  The effectiveness of vaccines is very high (85%-99%). However, it’s important to understand that no medication or treatment comes with a 100% guarantee.
• Given that diseases like diphtheria and tetanus no longer exist, why must I vaccinate my child?
  The absence of these “past” diseases is due to widespread vaccination. If population vaccination rates drop and herd immunity is lost, outbreaks may occur. Such incidents have been observed in various European countries and even recently in Greece with the resurgence of measles.
  Additionally, due to population movements and travel, diseases can easily spread to communities that are not adequately vaccinated. This “umbrella” of sufficient vaccine coverage in a population is extremely important and serves as the best form of prevention.

Katerina Katsibardi, MD, PhD
Paediatrician
Doctor of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
www.katsibardi.gr

Note: Regular paediatric check-ups are recommended. This article provides general information, and under all circumstances, you should consult your paediatrician.